Kitchen backsplash cost in Arkansas
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (30 sq ft)
- $250 – $1,250
- Per sq ft
- $8.20 – $42.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −16%
- US $900
- Metros covered
- 4
What does it cost to install a backsplash in Arkansas? Plan on $250 to $1,250 for 30 sq ft. Wages (0.71x the US blend), materials (price index 93.6) and permit costs (86.9) put the state below the national midpoint by 16%.
Inside Arkansas, the metros we cover range from $750 (Little Rock) to $760 (Fayetteville) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Arkansas (statewide), standard level
$550 to $960
About $18.50 to $32 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 35% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $350 | $630 |
| Labor | $200 | $330 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $550 | $960 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Arkansas
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $490 | $840 | 65% |
| Labor | $110 | $270 | $430 | 35% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $250 | $760 | $1,250 | 100% |
Why two Arkansas quotes can differ
Material
A tile backsplash is $10-$50 per sq ft installed. A stone slab backsplash is $35-$200 and granite slabs are $50-$200.
Labor and minimums
Tile labor is $8-$20 per sq ft and many installers charge minimums for small areas.
Old backsplash removal
Removing the old one adds $2-$5 per sq ft.
Part of a remodel
A backsplash often gets bundled into a kitchen remodel and priced with it.
Related projects, priced for Arkansas
Each project weights the trades differently, so Arkansas's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, kitchen remodel is −10% and shower pan −19%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $16,700 – $28,400 | −10% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $3,750 – $11,900 | −14% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $1,800 – $8,700 | −15% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $3,950 – $19,500 | −16% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $710 – $2,300 | −19% |
Which Arkansas city is cheapest for kitchen backsplash?
0 of the 4 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $760, and the top-to-bottom gap is 2%. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (30 sq ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville, AR | $250 – $1,250 | $760 | level |
| Jonesboro, AR | $250 – $1,250 | $750 | level |
| Fort Smith, AR | $250 – $1,250 | $750 | level |
| Little Rock, AR | $240 – $1,250 | $750 | −2% |
Arkansas against its neighbors
Arkansas ranks 51 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for kitchen backsplash, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $1,100 and the cheapest Arkansas at $760, both for 30 sq ft at the midpoint. Arkansas sits at $760. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | 220 miles away | $260 – $1,300 | $790 | +4% |
| Missouri | 230 miles away | $310 – $1,500 | $910 | +20% |
| Kansas | 280 miles away | $290 – $1,450 | $860 | +14% |
| Mississippi | 330 miles away | $250 – $1,300 | $770 | +2% |
| Tennessee | 360 miles away | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | +6% |
What tile and stone setters and the other trades earn in Arkansas
Arkansas's labor line is priced from 2 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 0.71 times the national level.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044), 90% of the weighting: a median of $18.74 an hour, 30% below the US median of $26.77. The middle half of them earn between $17.62 and $21.63 an hour. About 160 work in the state. That is 1.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 2.3 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Carpenters (47-2031), 10% of the weighting: a median of $22.96 an hour, 21% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $19.93 and $27.65 an hour. About 4,030 work in the state. That is 30.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for tile and stone setters ($21.63 an hour) would add about $35 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($17.62) would take off about $15. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 1,303,630 jobs across Arkansas (May 2025), which is 0.8% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 90% | $17.62 | $18.74 | $21.63 | $26.77 | 0.70 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $19.93 | $22.96 | $27.65 | $29.12 | 0.79 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.71 | |||||
Basic, standard or premium: Arkansas prices
Bands overlap on purpose, since a good standard job can cost as much as a light premium one. Below are the three bands for the default size, then a grid from small kitchen (25 sq ft) to full-height (50 sq ft).
Basic
$250 to $660
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$550 to $960
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$860 to $1,250
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $210 – $550 | $460 – $800 | $720 – $1,050 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $250 – $660 | $550 – $960 | $860 – $1,250 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $410 – $1,100 | $920 – $1,600 | $1,450 – $2,100 |
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Detailed kitchen backsplash report for Arkansas, $9
Multi-page report for Arkansas: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Kitchen backsplash in Arkansas: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Arkansas?
$250 to $1,250 for 30 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Arkansas can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Arkansas is cheapest for kitchen backsplash?
Little Rock at about $750 (midpoint, 30 sq ft). The priciest is Fayetteville at $760.
+Is kitchen backsplash cheaper in Arkansas than the US average?
It is 16% cheaper: $760 against $900 for 30 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Arkansas?
About 35% ($270). Materials are 65%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.71x the national wage level.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Arkansas?
The BLS statewide median is $18.74 an hour, against $26.77 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.62 to $21.63.
+Where does Arkansas rank for kitchen backsplash costs?
51st most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $760 for 30 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Arkansas?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $250 to $660 and premium work $860 to $1,250. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash by city in Arkansas
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: 2026 Backsplash Installation Cost (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Note on derived figures: Materials = installed price minus HomeGuide's $5-$20 per sq ft labor figure, matched low-to-low and high-to-high.