Composite deck cost in Arkansas
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (300 sq ft)
- $10,200 – $20,500
- Per sq ft
- $34 – $68
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −15%
- US $18,100
- Metros covered
- 4
Across Arkansas, a composite deck costs about $10,200 to $20,500 for 300 sq ft. Statewide, that midpoint is 15% below the US figure of $18,100. Carpenters earn a median $22.96 an hour in Arkansas (US: $29.12).
Inside Arkansas, the metros we cover range from $14,600 (Fort Smith) to $15,600 (Fayetteville) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Arkansas (statewide), standard level
$13,300 to $17,400
About $44 to $57.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 56% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,850 | $7,650 |
| Labor | $7,400 | $9,650 |
| Permits and fees | $70 | $100 |
| Total | $13,300 | $17,400 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Arkansas
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,500 | $6,750 | $9,000 | 44% |
| Labor | $5,700 | $8,550 | $11,400 | 56% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $85 | $130 | 1% |
| Total | $10,200 | $15,400 | $20,500 | 100% |
Arkansas seasons and composite deck
Season matters for composite deck. For each Arkansas metro below we took NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals from the nearest suitable station and counted comfortable months for exterior installation.
Fayetteville has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Arkansas at 12 months; Jonesboro has the shortest at 9 (September through May). Rainfall runs from 47 inches a year in Fayetteville to 50 inches in Little Rock.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Rock | 31 | 92 | 50 | 10: September through June |
| Fayetteville | 25 | 89 | 47 | 12: all year |
| Fort Smith | 30 | 94 | 47 | 10: September through June |
| Jonesboro | 31 | 91 | 49 | 9: September through May |
Extras that change the Arkansas total
Extras are quoted nationally and then scaled to Arkansas by the average of the local wage index (0.79) and goods index (0.94), a factor of 0.86. Tick any of them in the estimator above to add them to your total. Treat these as planning figures: an add-on touches different trades than the main job, so the scaling is an approximation.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add a deck railing (approx. 0.3 ft per sq ft) | $1,550 – $4,650 |
Arkansas versus the states around it
Arkansas ranks 50 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for composite deck, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $23,800 and the cheapest Oklahoma at $15,300, both for 300 sq ft at the midpoint. Arkansas sits at $15,400. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | 220 miles away | $10,200 – $20,500 | $15,300 | level |
| Missouri | 230 miles away | $12,200 – $24,400 | $18,300 | +19% |
| Kansas | 280 miles away | $11,300 – $22,700 | $17,000 | +11% |
| Mississippi | 330 miles away | $10,400 – $20,900 | $15,700 | +2% |
| Tennessee | 360 miles away | $10,900 – $21,800 | $16,300 | +6% |
Arkansas metro-by-metro prices
1 of the 4 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $15,400, and the top-to-bottom gap is 7%. 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 (300 sq ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville, AR | $10,400 – $20,900 | $15,600 | +2% |
| Little Rock, AR | $10,200 – $20,500 | $15,400 | level |
| Jonesboro, AR | $9,850 – $19,800 | $14,800 | −3% |
| Fort Smith, AR | $9,700 – $19,400 | $14,600 | −5% |
Related projects, priced for Arkansas
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Arkansas wages and prices. Against national midpoints, paver patio comes out highest (−12%) and concrete patio lowest (−14%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $6,600 – $13,200 | −13% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,100 – $3,400 | −14% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,650 – $4,800 | −12% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,100 – $3,700 | −12% |
Quality levels and sizes in Arkansas
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Arkansas wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$10,200 to $14,300
Entry-level composite boards, low deck, simple shape
Standard
$13,300 to $17,400
Mid-grade capped boards with railing and stairs
Premium
$16,400 to $20,500
Premium capped or PVC boards, multi-level, hidden fasteners
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $4,100 – $5,800 | $5,350 – $7,050 | $6,600 – $8,300 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $4,950 – $6,900 | $6,400 – $8,400 | $7,900 – $9,900 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $10,900 – $15,300 | $14,200 – $18,600 | $17,500 – $21,900 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $13,600 – $19,100 | $17,700 – $23,200 | $21,800 – $27,300 |
Composite deck: what moves the price in Arkansas
Board grade
Composite materials run $16-$32 per sq ft and the installed price is $40-$80 per sq ft, including the substructure (HomeGuide).
Labor
Labor for composite is $24-$48 per sq ft, higher than wood because the boards need extra parts and more careful assembly.
Drainage
Ground-level decks over poorly draining yards may need $1,000-$4,000 of drainage work first.
Engineering
Large or complex decks may need a structural engineer at $100-$220 an hour to get a permit.
What carpenters and the other trades earn in Arkansas
Statewide wages come from BLS's state-level estimates, which blend big cities with small towns and rural areas. 2 trades drive the labor line for this job, and the weighted ratio against the national wage level is 0.79 for Arkansas.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 80%) the local median is $22.96 an hour, which is 21% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $19.93 and $27.65 an hour. BLS counts 4,030 of them working in the state, 30.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 20% of the weighting: a median of $18.09 an hour, 20% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $16.63 and $21.31 an hour. About 10,650 work in the state. That is 81.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for carpenters ($27.65 an hour) would add about $1,400 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($19.93) would take off about $900. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 80% | $19.93 | $22.96 | $27.65 | $29.12 | 0.79 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $16.63 | $18.09 | $21.31 | $22.66 | 0.80 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.79 | |||||
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Composite deck in Arkansas: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a composite deck in Arkansas?
$10,200 to $20,500 for 300 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Arkansas can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Arkansas is cheapest for composite deck?
Fort Smith at about $14,600 (midpoint, 300 sq ft). The priciest is Fayetteville at $15,600.
+Is composite deck cheaper in Arkansas than the US average?
It is 15% cheaper: $15,400 against $18,100 for 300 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Arkansas?
About 56% ($8,550). Materials are 44%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.79x the national wage level.
+What do carpenters earn in Arkansas?
The BLS statewide median is $22.96 an hour, against $29.12 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $19.93 to $27.65.
+Where does Arkansas rank for composite deck costs?
50th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $15,400 for 300 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium composite deck work cost in Arkansas?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $10,200 to $14,300 and premium work $16,400 to $20,500. Basic means: entry-level composite boards, low deck, simple shape. Premium means: premium capped or PVC boards, multi-level, hidden fasteners.
+Does the season matter for composite deck in Arkansas?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Arkansas metros we cover, Fayetteville has the most comfortable months (12 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
+What does "add a deck railing" add in Arkansas?
$1,550 to $4,650 for 300 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the statewide wage and goods indexes.
Composite deck 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: How Much Does Composite Decking Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: 2026 Building Permit Costs | Fees & Cost Calculator (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020