Current Minimum Wage
Arkansas minimum wage$11.00since January 1, 2021

State minimum wage

Arkansas minimum wage

$11.00 an hour as of September 2, 2026. Tipped cash wage $2.63.

  • The Arkansas minimum wage is $11.00 an hour, set by state law effective .
  • No increase is currently scheduled in Arkansas.
  • Tipped employees must be paid at least $2.63 in cash, with a tip credit of up to $8.37.
  • A youth or training wage of $9.35 applies: Full-time students at accredited Arkansas institutions working no more than 20 hours per week in school weeks (40 when school is out) may be paid 85% of the minimum wage, with a Department....
  • At $11.00 an hour, full-time work (2,080 hours) pays $22,880 a year before taxes.
  • Arkansas law bars cities and counties from setting their own minimum wage.

Tipped cash wage

$2.63
Tip credit up to $8.37

Youth / training

$9.35
Full-time students at accredited Arkansas institutions working no more than 20 hours per week in school weeks (40 when school is out) may be paid 85% of the minimum wage, with a Department...

Next change

None scheduled
Set by statute; no indexing

Local rates

Preempted
Ark. Code 11-4-222: a political subdivision shall not establish, mandate or require an employer to pay a minimum or living wage that exceeds federal or state requirements.

Rate tiers

TierRateRule
employers with fewer than 4 employeesn/aNot covered by the Arkansas Minimum Wage Act; federal $7.25 applies if FLSA-covered.

Coverage, exemptions, and history

Who is covered. employers with 4 or more employees.

Tipped employees. Employers may pay tipped employees a cash wage of not less than $2.63 per hour and credit gratuities for the remainder, provided the employee actually receives enough tips to reach $11.00 (Ark. Code...

Recent history. Last increase 2021-01-01 ($10.00 to $11.00), the final step of the 2018 Initiated Act (Issue 5); no indexing.

NCSL's row says 'annual indexed increases began January 1, 2023' for Arkansas, which contradicts the statute (no indexing clause) and the unchanged $11.00 rate; treated as an NCSL error.

Statute. Ark.

Common questions

What is the minimum wage in Arkansas?

$11.00 an hour as of September 2, 2026, under state law effective January 1, 2021.

When does the Arkansas minimum wage go up next?

No increase is scheduled.

What is the tipped minimum wage in Arkansas?

$2.63 in cash plus tips; the employer must make up any shortfall to $11.00.

Do any cities in Arkansas have a higher minimum wage?

No. State law preempts local minimum wage ordinances.

Sources

  1. https://www.labor.arkansas.gov/divisions/labor-standards/minimum-wage-and-overtime/ official
  2. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/state official
  3. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/minimum-wage/tipped official
  4. https://codes.findlaw.com/ar/title-11-labor-and-industrial-relations/ar-code-sect-11-4-210.html
  5. https://codes.findlaw.com/ar/title-11-labor-and-industrial-relations/ar-code-sect-11-4-212.html
  6. https://codes.findlaw.com/ar/title-11-labor-and-industrial-relations/ar-code-sect-11-4-222.html
  7. https://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/inventory-of-us-city-and-county-minimum-wage-ordinances/

Checked 2026-09-02 against Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing, Labor Standards Division; researcher confidence 0.85.