High paying production jobs in Arkansas with no experience

The best paid production occupations in Arkansas that require neither a degree nor prior experience in a related job. This is the narrowest cut on the site, so it is also the shortest list: where a field has only two or three such occupations, there is no page at all rather than a page pretending otherwise.

Cost of living: prices in Arkansas run 13.1% below the national average (2024), so a Arkansas salary is worth about 1.15× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Arkansas.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find production jobs in Arkansas

OccupationMedian, Arkansas · Employed

1Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$64,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,800 – $87,5601,160
2Machinists$51,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,760 – $78,4002,150
3Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$50,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,180 – $69,2502,180
4Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$50,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,110 – $61,7601,270
5Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters$50,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,170 – $104,530920
6Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$50,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,150 – $50,050430
7Dental Laboratory Technicians$49,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,410 – $66,470840
8Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,870 – $61,7702,060
9Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,220 – $48,3202,190
10Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$47,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,380 – $62,8306,150
11Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,590 – $64,920800
12Printing Press Operators$46,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,540 – $64,0601,760
13Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$46,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,910 – $61,9501,870
14Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers$46,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,340 – $59,170780
15Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$46,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,470 – $55,0801,500
16Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$45,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,560 – $69,460420
17Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$45,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,800 – $56,8603,020
18Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders$45,080
No formal educational credential
$37,270 – $49,960580
19Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$44,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,110 – $58,9402,520
20Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$44,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,670 – $64,2001,100
21Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$44,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,890 – $61,9105,880
22Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$44,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,480 – $61,7802,010
23Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$44,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,050 – $54,9601,570
24Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$41,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,970 – $55,750500
25Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$41,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,230 – $56,990640
26Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders$39,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,920 – $61,880490
27Food Batchmakers$38,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,290 – $48,8802,120
28Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$38,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,470 – $50,540520
29Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$37,980
No formal educational credential
$33,470 – $44,5409,030
30Food Processing Workers, All Other$37,840
No formal educational credential
$34,730 – $47,1901,770
31Slaughterers and Meat Packers$37,800
No formal educational credential
$33,870 – $43,7002,140
32Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$37,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,170 – $49,2704,630
33Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$36,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,120 – $49,93012,460
34Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$36,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$25,960 – $59,630760
35Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood$36,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,180 – $64,8501,240
36Production Workers, All Other$36,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,110 – $51,2003,800
37Sewing Machine Operators$35,630
No formal educational credential
$27,810 – $45,660860
38Helpers--Production Workers$35,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,270 – $44,6006,760
39Butchers and Meat Cutters$34,380
No formal educational credential
$24,920 – $45,1001,290
40Bakers$30,380
No formal educational credential
$24,670 – $37,8102,400
41Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials$29,880
No formal educational credential
$28,490 – $33,970470
42Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$28,460
No formal educational credential
$23,640 – $34,1701,640

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianArkansas	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,440	$41,800 – $87,560	1,160
2	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,140	$37,760 – $78,400	2,150
3	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,280	$35,180 – $69,250	2,180
4	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,150	$39,110 – $61,760	1,270
5	Cabinetmakers and Bench CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,070	$35,170 – $104,530	920
6	Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,010	$47,150 – $50,050	430
7	Dental Laboratory TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,960	$36,410 – $66,470	840
8	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,630	$35,870 – $61,770	2,060
9	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,320	$38,220 – $48,320	2,190
10	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,970	$37,380 – $62,830	6,150
11	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,320	$38,590 – $64,920	800
12	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,470	$28,540 – $64,060	1,760
13	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,380	$34,910 – $61,950	1,870
14	Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems AssemblersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,290	$35,340 – $59,170	780
15	Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and FinishersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,200	$32,470 – $55,080	1,500
16	Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,890	$39,560 – $69,460	420
17	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,580	$32,800 – $56,860	3,020
18	Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and TendersNo formal educational credential	$45,080	$37,270 – $49,960	580
19	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,790	$31,110 – $58,940	2,520
20	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,650	$35,670 – $64,200	1,100
21	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,570	$33,890 – $61,910	5,880
22	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,320	$31,480 – $61,780	2,010
23	Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,080	$31,050 – $54,960	1,570
24	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,720	$30,970 – $55,750	500
25	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$41,260	$32,230 – $56,990	640
26	Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$39,920	$34,920 – $61,880	490
27	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,990	$31,290 – $48,880	2,120
28	Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,910	$32,470 – $50,540	520
29	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$37,980	$33,470 – $44,540	9,030
30	Food Processing Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$37,840	$34,730 – $47,190	1,770
31	Slaughterers and Meat PackersNo formal educational credential	$37,800	$33,870 – $43,700	2,140
32	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$37,740	$31,170 – $49,270	4,630
33	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,990	$29,120 – $49,930	12,460
34	Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except SawingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,850	$25,960 – $59,630	760
35	Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, WoodHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,740	$28,180 – $64,850	1,240
36	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$36,030	$29,110 – $51,200	3,800
37	Sewing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$35,630	$27,810 – $45,660	860
38	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35,540	$34,270 – $44,600	6,760
39	Butchers and Meat CuttersNo formal educational credential	$34,380	$24,920 – $45,100	1,290
40	BakersNo formal educational credential	$30,380	$24,670 – $37,810	2,400
41	Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related MaterialsNo formal educational credential	$29,880	$28,490 – $33,970	470
42	Laundry and Dry-Cleaning WorkersNo formal educational credential	$28,460	$23,640 – $34,170	1,640

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Arkansas. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

More for Arkansas

Metro areas in Arkansas

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Arkansas

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Arkansas to rank honestly.

High paying production jobs in Arkansas with no experience

More for Arkansas

Metro areas in Arkansas

By field in Arkansas

Without a degree

High paying production jobs in each state with no experience