Becoming an electrician in Arkansas

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1 paid apprenticeship and 1 school program are listed here.

Jump to: License · Training · Pay

Licensing
Statewide worker license
Time to qualify
8,000 hours for the journeyman-level license
Median pay
$49,070 $23.59 an hour
Outlook
1,010 openings a year, projected · 15% growth, 2024–2034

Do I need a license?

Yes. Arkansas licenses electricians statewide. The journeyman-level credential is the Journeyman Electrician License, issued by the Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing — Board of Electrical Examiners. It requires at least 8,000 hours of experience. Source: Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing, checked .

Before you start: You need this state credential before you start electrical work in Arkansas. Credential: Electrical apprentice certificate of registration, issued by Arkansas Board of Electrical Examiners. Official source, checked .

Your path, step by step

  1. Electrical Apprentice Registration

    Experience
    Not stated
    Classroom
    Not stated
    Exam
    Not stated

    Source: Arkansas Board of Electrical Examiners rules, 17 CAR § 210-708 (Apprentices) · Find a paid apprenticeship in Arkansas

  2. Journeyman Electrician License

    Experience
    8,000 hours
    Classroom
    Not stated
    Exam
    Required
    Holding the previous license
    Not stated

    Source: Arkansas Board of Electrical Examiners rules, 17 CAR § 210-604 (Qualification for examination and licensure)

  3. Master Electrician License

    Experience
    12,000 hours in total, including earlier steps
    Classroom
    Not stated
    Exam
    Required
    Holding the previous license
    At least 2 years

    Source: Arkansas Board of Electrical Examiners rules, 17 CAR § 210-604 (Qualification for examination and licensure)

Each step lists what its official source states for that license. Hours aren't added up across steps; a step says whether its hours include earlier steps' only where its source does. "Not stated" means the source doesn't give it. Checked .

Full Arkansas licensing requirements · 13 more licenses · How licensing works

How do I train?

Apprenticeships pay you while you learn. Schools teach first, then you find work. Which is right for me?

Paid apprenticeships 1

Arkansas apprenticeships (1)

School programs 1

Arkansas schools (1)

What does it pay?

What the work pays here, and how to decide.

Electricians in Arkansas earn a median of $49,070 a year ($23.59 an hour), according to BLS May 2025 OEWS estimates. That is about 22% below the national median of $63,190. About one in ten electricians here earns under $34,910 a year and about one in ten over $74,460.

Employment is projected to grow 15% over 2024–2034, with about 1,010 openings a year.

Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS · Projections Central · Arkansas salary details

Nearby states: Louisiana 2 · Mississippi 1 · Missouri 3 · Oklahoma 2 · Tennessee 2 · Texas 16

Listings here last checked