Firefighter Apprenticeship in Arkansas

Wages, programs & career outlook

Firefighters respond to fires, medical emergencies, vehicle accidents, and hazardous material calls. Most work 24- or 48-hour shifts out of a station, alternating between active calls, equipment maintenance, training drills, and public education.

AR Median Salary
$42,100/yr
-29% vs. national
National Median
$59,530/yr
AR Employment
2,280
Firefighters employed
AR Sponsors
0
Registered programs
Training Term
2.0 yrs
Hybrid
Job Growth
3.4%
2024–2034 projected
Annual Openings
27,100
Nationally, per yr

Firefighter Apprenticeship in Arkansas: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered firefighter apprenticeship in Arkansas combines paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Programs typically run 2.0 years and follow a hybrid structure. You earn wages from day one — apprentices are employees, not students.

Arkansas pay vs. national

Median firefighter wages in Arkansas are $42,100/year, -29% below the national median of $59,530. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

Arkansas has 0 registered apprenticeship sponsors for firefighter listed in the U.S. Department of Labor's apprenticeship.gov directory. The sponsor list further down includes joint labor-management programs (JATCs), individual employers, and contractor associations.

Job-market outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 3.4% job growth for firefighters nationally between 2024 and 2034, with approximately 27,100 annual openings each year (replacement plus growth combined). Apprenticeship demand tends to track local construction and infrastructure spending — Arkansas-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

Arkansas Wage Spread

Annual wages for Firefighters in Arkansas across all experience levels.

10th pct
$28,600
Median
$42,100
90th pct
$63,930
Middle 50% of workers earn $32,610$54,830

Current Firefighter Apprenticeship Openings in Arkansas

No firefighter apprenticeship openings are currently listed on apprenticeship.gov for Arkansas. That doesn't mean programs don't exist — smaller regional contractors often aren't included in the national directory. Consider setting up an alert on apprenticeship.gov to be notified when new listings are posted.

Listings aggregated from apprenticeship.gov (US Dept. of Labor). Data refreshed daily.

Firefighter Apprenticeship Sponsors in Arkansas

Our directory doesn't surface Firefighter-specific registered sponsors in Arkansas. This usually reflects a smaller regional market where sponsors use generic company names rather than trade-specific branding — it doesn't mean programs don't exist. Direct search on apprenticeship.gov is the most reliable way to find current openings.

Search apprenticeship.gov for current Firefighter openings

Filter by occupation code 33-2011 and state AR for the most relevant results.

Firefighter Apprenticeship in Arkansas

Our directory doesn't list Firefighter-specific sponsors in Arkansas. This typically reflects a smaller regional market where sponsors operate under generic company names rather than trade-specific branding. Nearby states often accept out-of-state apprentices — and apprenticeship.gov can identify current openings by occupation code and ZIP.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average Firefighter salary in Arkansas?
The median annual wage for Firefighters in Arkansas is $42,100 as of May 2024. Wages range from $28,600 at the 10th percentile to $63,930 at the 90th percentile.
How many years does it take to become a Firefighter through apprenticeship?
A typical Firefighter apprenticeship lasts approximately 2 years (4,000 hours of on-the-job training). The program combines paid work experience with related classroom instruction.
Is an apprenticeship better than trade school for Firefighters?
The key difference: apprenticeships pay you during training while trade schools charge tuition. Many employers prefer apprenticeship-trained Firefighters, but trade school can give you a head start on the classroom requirements.
Where can I apply for a Firefighter apprenticeship in Arkansas?
Our directory doesn't surface Firefighter-specific registered sponsors in Arkansas — typical for smaller markets where sponsors use generic company names. Best path: (1) search apprenticeship.gov by occupation and ZIP for current openings, (2) contact the relevant national union's closest local (find locals via apprenticeship.gov), or (3) reach out to your state apprenticeship agency directly.
How much do Firefighter apprentices earn?
Apprentices are paid employees from the start. In Arkansas, a first-year Firefighter apprentice might earn around $21,050/yr (roughly half the $42,100 journeyman median), with scheduled raises throughout the 2-year program.

Prefer Trade School Instead?

Apprenticeships pay from day one, but the classroom-first path may fit better for some. Firefighters also train through trade school programs — shorter timeline, more upfront cost.

Compare 36 Fire Protection programs nationwide →
Too few Arkansas-based programs to compare locally — see the national list and filter.

Firefighter in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in Arkansas

Data: Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2024, DOL RAPIDS Registered Apprenticeship database, ApprenticeshipUSA Sponsor Directory.