How much does a Welder make in Arkansas?

BLS puts the average Welder pay in Arkansas at $50,020 a year (BLS, May 2025). On that pay in Arkansas, after federal taxes, FICA, and Arkansas state taxes, your estimated take-home pay is approximately $41,008 annually ($3,417/month).

What is the take-home pay for a Welder in Arkansas?

On a $50,020 salary in Arkansas, your take-home pay is approximately $41,008/year or $3,417/month. Federal tax: $3,822. State tax: $1,363. FICA: $3,827.

Is $50,020 a good Welder salary?

$50,020 is the BLS average Welder pay in Arkansas, 12% below the US average of $56,760 (BLS, May 2025). The middle 50% in Arkansas earn between $42,950 and $55,280.

How do Arkansas taxes affect Welder salaries?

Arkansas levies state income tax on top of federal taxes. Your estimated state tax on $50,020 is $1,363. Your total effective tax rate is approximately 18.0%.

What are the career growth prospects for Welders?

In Arkansas, the top 10% earn over $62,830 and the bottom 10% under $37,380 (BLS, May 2025). 2% growth through 2032 (slower than average) overall; pipeline + Permian rig + underwater + aerospace TIG specialty growing faster. Related roles include: Pipe Welder, Structural Welder, Rig Welder, Underwater Welder, Aerospace TIG Welder, Welding Inspector, Welding Supervisor.

How can a Welder in Arkansas reduce their tax bill?

Maximize your 401(k) contribution ($24,500 in 2026) to reduce taxable income. An HSA ($4,400 single / $8,750 family) adds further pre-tax savings. These strategies can save thousands annually — use our calculator to see your exact savings.

Trades

Welder Salary in Arkansas (2026)

Average Welder pay in Arkansas

$50,020/year

≈ $24/hour before tax

Middle 50% earn $42,950–$55,280

US average: $56,760

Source: BLS, May 2025

After tax (single filer)

$41,008/year

$3,417/month · effective tax rate 18.02%

Federal $3,822
State $1,363
FICA $3,827
Take-home

Pay by role in Arkansas

Senior Steel Welder (Nucor Hickman / Blytheville)$65,000–$98,000+ OT
Senior Boilermaker (Local 69 Little Rock)$68,000–$118,000+ OT
Pipeline Welder (Welspun / X-Ray Certified)$68,000–$125,000+ OT
Aerospace Cleared Welder (Little Rock AFB)$58,000–$92,000+ OT
Medical Device Welder (Baxter Mountain Home)$58,000–$92,000+ OT
Food Processing Welder (Tyson / Riceland)$52,000–$82,000+ OT

See all 10 roles with notes

See the full tax breakdown

Category	Amount
Annual Take-Home Pay	$41,008
Monthly Take-Home Pay	$3,417
Biweekly Take-Home Pay	$1,577
Hourly Take-Home Pay based on 2,080 hrs/year	$20/hr
Federal Tax	$3,822
State Tax	$1,363
FICA Taxes	$3,827
Effective Tax Rate total taxes ÷ gross salary	18.02%

Estimates only — not tax advice. · Full disclaimer →

Not all Welders earn the same — not even close

Arkansas's welder market is anchored by Nucor Steel (the substantial Nucor Steel Hickman + the substantial Nucor Steel Blytheville + the substantial Nucor as the country's substantial largest US steel producer + the substantial Nucor post-2024 expansions + the substantial Nucor EAF electric arc furnace + the substantial Nucor scrap-based steelmaking + the substantial Nucor AWS D1.1 structural welder + the substantial Nucor Mississippi River AR Delta steel cluster), Whirlpool Fort Smith (the substantial Whirlpool appliance manufacturing + the substantial Whirlpool Fort Smith ~2K employees + the substantial Whirlpool refrigerator + dishwasher welder), Welspun Tubular Little Rock (the substantial Welspun Tubular pipe manufacturing + the substantial Welspun ~700 Little Rock employees + the substantial Welspun API 5L line pipe + the substantial Welspun longitudinal seam welder), Tyson Foods Springdale HQ (the substantial Tyson Foods poultry + beef processing stainless welder + ASME BPE + GMP + sanitary), JB Hunt Transport Lowell HQ (the substantial JB Hunt trailer + chassis welder + AWS D1.1), ArcBest Corporation Fort Smith (the substantial ArcBest trailer + maintenance welder), Baxter International Mountain Home (the substantial Baxter medical device welder + ASME BPE + Class 100/1000 + GMP), Little Rock AFB Jacksonville (the substantial 314th + 19th Airlift Wing C-130 Hercules maintenance welder + the substantial Little Rock AFB cleared welder + AS9100 + AWS D17.1 + cleared facility), Pine Bluff Arsenal (the substantial Pine Bluff chemical agent demilitarization welder + cleared facility), plus substantial AR pipeline + structural + the substantial Arkansas DOT bridge + the substantial Boilermakers Local 69 Little Rock + the substantial Glatfelter Bentonville specialty paper + Rockline Industries Springdale.

Senior Steel Welder (Nucor Hickman / Blytheville)

$65,000–$98,000+ OT

Nucor Steel Hickman + Blytheville · largest US steel producer + EAF + structural welder · AWS D1.1

Senior Boilermaker (Local 69 Little Rock)

$68,000–$118,000+ OT

Boilermakers Local 69 Little Rock + power + industrial boiler · AR prevailing wage

Pipeline Welder (Welspun / X-Ray Certified)

$68,000–$125,000+ OT

Welspun Tubular Little Rock API 5L + pipeline welder · x-ray + 6G + API 1104 + AR midstream

Aerospace Cleared Welder (Little Rock AFB)

$58,000–$92,000+ OT

Little Rock AFB · 314th + 19th Airlift Wing C-130 + post-2024 C-130J cleared welder + AS9100 + AWS D17.1

Medical Device Welder (Baxter Mountain Home)

$58,000–$92,000+ OT

Baxter International Mountain Home · medical device + renal dialysis + IV welder · ASME BPE + GMP

Food Processing Welder (Tyson / Riceland)

$52,000–$82,000+ OT

Tyson Foods Springdale poultry + beef + Riceland rice processing stainless + sanitary welder + ASME BPE

Appliance Manufacturing Welder (Whirlpool)

$48,000–$78,000+ OT

Whirlpool Fort Smith appliance manufacturing + the substantial Whirlpool refrigerator + dishwasher welder

Senior Structural Welder (AISC / Bridge)

$48,000–$78,000+ OT

AISC structural welder · ArkDOT bridge + the substantial AR infrastructure + the substantial Arkansas River + Mississippi River

Mid-Career Welder (3-6 yrs)

$38,000–$55,000+ OT

Mid-career welder transitioning to AWS + 6G + API certified · AR industrial shops

Entry Welder / Apprentice

$28,000–$42,000+ OT

Entry welder apprentice · NWACC + Pulaski Tech + Arkansas Tech + UA-Fort Smith + Boilermakers Local 69 apprenticeship

Worth knowing: Arkansas's distinctive Nucor Steel Mississippi River cluster + Whirlpool Fort Smith + Welspun Tubular + Tyson Foods food processing + Little Rock AFB C-130 + Baxter International + Pine Bluff Arsenal welder concentration is a distinctive Mid-South steel + appliance + aerospace + food processing welder cluster most national welder-career surveys understate. Nucor Steel Hickman + Blytheville (the substantial Nucor Steel as the country's substantial largest US steel producer by output + the substantial Nucor Hickman ~1.4K Nucor employees + the substantial Nucor Blytheville ~1.5K Nucor employees + the substantial Nucor EAF electric arc furnace mini-mill steelmaking + the substantial Nucor scrap-based steel + the substantial Nucor structural + flat-rolled + bar steel + the substantial Nucor AWS D1.1 + AWS D1.5 structural + bridge welder + the substantial Nucor Mississippi River AR Delta steel cluster + the substantial Nucor post-2024 expansions + the substantial Nucor pay-for-performance compensation) supports specialized AR steel welder work — Nucor senior steel welders clear $65-98K + OT with AWS D1.1 + AWS D1.5 + the substantial Nucor pay-for-performance bonus structure. Welspun Tubular Little Rock (the substantial Welspun Tubular pipe manufacturing + the substantial Welspun ~700 Little Rock employees + the substantial Welspun API 5L line pipe + Welspun submerged-arc welding SAW longitudinal seam + the substantial Welspun pipeline welder) supports specialized pipeline welder work — Welspun senior pipeline welders clear $68-125K with x-ray + 6G + API 1104. Tyson Foods Springdale HQ (the substantial Tyson Foods as the substantial largest US poultry + beef processor + the substantial Tyson ~24K AR employees + the substantial Tyson poultry + beef processing stainless welder + ASME BPE + GMP + sanitary) + Riceland Foods Stuttgart (the substantial Riceland as the substantial largest US rice producer + the substantial Riceland rice processing) supports specialized food processing welder work. Whirlpool Fort Smith (the substantial Whirlpool appliance manufacturing + the substantial Whirlpool Fort Smith ~2K employees + the substantial Whirlpool refrigerator + dishwasher + the substantial Whirlpool sheet metal + steel welder) supports specialized appliance manufacturing welder work. Little Rock AFB Jacksonville (the substantial 314th Airlift Wing C-130 Hercules training + the substantial 19th Airlift Wing C-130J Super Hercules + the substantial Little Rock AFB ~7K personnel + the substantial post-2024 C-130J Super Hercules full delivery + the substantial Little Rock AFB cleared welder + AS9100 + AWS D17.1 + cleared facility) supports specialized aerospace cleared welder work. Baxter International Mountain Home (the substantial Baxter Healthcare medical device manufacturing + the substantial Baxter Mountain Home renal dialysis + IV + the substantial Baxter Mountain Home welder + ASME BPE + GMP) supports specialized medical device welder work. Pine Bluff Arsenal (the substantial Pine Bluff Arsenal chemical weapons demilitarization + the substantial Pine Bluff post-2024 chemical weapons demilitarization completion + the substantial Pine Bluff cleared welder + cleared facility) supports specialized cleared chemical facility welder work. Boilermakers Local 69 Little Rock + United Association Plumbers Pipefitters Local 155 Little Rock + UA Local 669 Fort Smith + IBEW Local 295 Little Rock + Ironworkers Local 700 Little Rock + the substantial AR building trades operate substantial collective bargaining at AR industrial + steel + aerospace + medical device prevailing wage rates — though AR IS a Right-to-Work state (signed 1944 + one of the substantial earliest US RTW states) limiting union security clauses, the substantial AR building trades retain prevailing-wage public works contracts. AWS Certified Welder + 6G + API 1104 + ASME Section IX + AWS D1.1 + AWS D1.5 bridge + AWS D17.1 aerospace + ASME BPE biopharmaceutical + cleared facility cert drive 30-60% wage premium. NWACC + Pulaski Tech + Arkansas Tech + UA-Fort Smith + Black River Tech + Boilermakers Local 69 Little Rock apprenticeship pipeline. AR progressive 2.0-3.9% + AR 6.5% sales tax + AR NO estate tax + AR IS a Right-to-Work state anchor the AR welder proposition.

Sources & Methodology

Salary figures are market estimates for Welders in Arkansas and vary by employer, specialty, seniority, and metro. Take-home math assumes a single filer with no dependents, the standard deduction, and Arkansas 2026 state rates. Local taxes, insurance premiums, and pre-tax contributions will move your number — run the calculator for your own situation.

Run your own numbers