The Average Pay for an Automotive Body Technician in Arkansas

The Arkansas Department of Workforce Services anticipates an 11 percent increase in the demand for automotive body technicians in the state from 2006 through 2016. This increase in the demand for technicians should result in the creation of more than 200 jobs statewide. The average pay for automotive body technicians in Arkansas varies throughout the state.

Statewide

As of January 2011, automotive body technicians in Arkansas earned an average of $16.68 per hour and $34,700 per year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. At that rate, Arkansas auto body technicians made 15 percent below the nationwide average of $19.72 per hour and $41,020 per year. Arkansas automotive body technicians were the 10th-lowest paid in comparison to those in other states.

Eastern Arkansas

In the rural, nonmetropolitan areas of Eastern Arkansas, automotive body technicians received average annual wages of $13.74 per hour and $28,580 per year as of May 2009, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Eastern Arkansas technicians made around 18 percent below the state average. Despite this, the eastern city of West Memphis, Arkansas, and the other portions of the Memphis metropolitan area in Arkansas featured the highest pay for automotive body technicians statewide. Technicians in the area earned an average of $21.67 per hour and $45,070 per year, approximately 30 percent above the statewide average.

Central Arkansas

Wages for automotive body technicians in Central Arkansas were generally above the statewide average rates throughout the region as of May 2009, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In the nonmetropolitan, rural areas, technicians received average wages of $17.16 per hour and $35,700 per year, around 3 percent above average wages across Arkansas. Automotive body technicians in the metropolitan area comprised of Little Rock, North Little Rock and Conway made an average of $18.10 per hour and $37,650 per year, about 9 percent above the state average.

Western Arkansas

As of May 2009, automotive body technicians in the nonmetropolitan, rural areas of western Arkansas averaged salaries of $14.71 per hour and $30,600 per year, explains the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. At that rate technicians' wages were around 12 percent below the statewide average. The city of Texarkana served as the lowest-paying metropolitan area for auto body technicians in the state with average wages of $14.49 per hour and per year $30,140. In the Fayetteville and Fort Smith areas, wages were 7 to 10 percent above the statewide average. Automotive body technicians in these cities made an average of $37,160 and $38,290 per year, respectively.

References

• Arkansas Department of Workforce Services: Arkansas Industry and Occupational Projections
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Arkansas-May 2009 OES
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Automotive Body and Related Repairers
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: East Arkansas Nonmetropolitan Areas
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Memphis, TN-MS-AR
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Central Arkansas Nonmetropolitan Area

Resources

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: West Arkansas Nonmetropolitan Area
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Texarkana, AR
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Fort Smith, AR