2018 Arkansas Minimum Wage
The 2018 Arkansas Minimum Wage is $8.50.
Effective 2018-01-01Source: Fact Sheet on the Increase of the Arkansas Minimum Wage (Arkansas Department of Labor)Verified 2026-08-30
Compared with 2017
Every figure on this page is unchanged from 2017.
| Item | 2017 | 2018 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $8.50 | $8.50 | +$0 (+0.0%) |
Who it applies to
Employers covered by the Arkansas Minimum Wage Act and employees working in Arkansas
What changed this year, and why
The Arkansas minimum wage rate for 2018
Common questions
- What was the minimum wage in Arkansas for 2018?
- The state minimum wage in Arkansas was $8.50 per hour for 2018. This rate remained in effect until January 1, 2019, when the first voter-approved increase took effect.
- How did the Arkansas minimum wage compare to the federal minimum wage in 2018?
- The Arkansas minimum wage was higher than the federal minimum wage in 2018. Employers covered by both laws must pay the higher state rate.
Minors, students and training wages: who may be paid less than the rate on this page
The Arkansas Minimum Wage Act exempts some employees from both the minimum wage requirement and from the overtime pay requirement. Other employees are exempt only from overtime. For workers in Arkansas who fall within one of these exempt categories, the minimum wage rate on this page does not apply. The Arkansas Department of Labor's regulations describe which job categories qualify for these exemptions. Workers and employers in Arkansas should review those regulations or contact the agency to determine whether a specific position is exempt from the state minimum wage of $8.50 per hour.
The Arkansas Minimum Wage Act exempts some employees from both the minimum wage requirement and from the overtime pay requirement. Some employees are exempt only from the overtime pay requirement.
Fact Sheet on the Increase of the Arkansas Minimum Wage (Arkansas Department of Labor)
Overtime is paid at one and one-half times the regular rate
In Arkansas, the Minimum Wage Act references overtime pay requirements, and certain employees are exempt from those requirements while others are exempt from both minimum wage and overtime. For non-exempt workers in Arkansas, overtime must be paid when the applicable overtime rules are triggered. The state's 2018 minimum wage is $8.50 per hour. Employers should consult the Arkansas Department of Labor's regulations to determine which employees qualify for overtime and the specific premium rate that applies in Arkansas.
The Arkansas Minimum Wage Act exempts some employees from both the minimum wage requirement and from the overtime pay requirement.
Fact Sheet on the Increase of the Arkansas Minimum Wage (Arkansas Department of Labor)
Who to ask about this rate, and where to take a wage complaint
Workers and employers in Arkansas with questions about the state minimum wage rate should contact the Arkansas Department of Labor. The agency can be reached at 10421 West Markham, Little Rock, AR 72205-2190, by phone at 501-682-4500, or by fax at 501-682-4506. A telecommunications relay service is available at 800-285-1131. Arkansas's 2018 minimum wage is $8.50 per hour. Wage complaints and questions about exemptions, tipped employees, or recordkeeping should be directed to this state agency.
STATE OF ARKANSAS ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 10421 WEST MARKHAM LITTLE ROCK, AR 72205-2190 Phone: 501-682-4500 Fax: 501-682-4506 TRS: 800-285-1131
Fact Sheet on the Increase of the Arkansas Minimum Wage (Arkansas Department of Labor)
When tips, meals or lodging count toward the minimum wage
In Arkansas, tipped employees must be paid a base wage of $2.63 per hour, and their tips must be sufficient to bring their total earnings up to the applicable minimum wage rate. For 2018, that applicable rate is $8.50 per hour. If an employee's tips combined with the $2.63 base wage do not reach $8.50 per hour, the employer must make up the difference. The state tip credit amount did not change with the 2018 minimum wage increase, so this arrangement remains in effect for tipped workers across Arkansas.
The state tip credit did not change, so tipped employees must still be paid a minimum of $2.63 per hour and tips must be sufficient to raise the employee to the applicable minimum wage rate.
Fact Sheet on the Increase of the Arkansas Minimum Wage (Arkansas Department of Labor)
Why the federal rate applies when the state rate is lower
In Arkansas, the state minimum wage of $8.50 per hour exceeds the federal minimum wage rate for 2018, so Arkansas workers covered by the state law receive the higher state amount. However, if Arkansas's rate were ever to fall below the federal floor, the federal rate would apply to covered employers instead. Under federal law, employers must always pay the higher of the two applicable minimum wages. Arkansas voters approved scheduled increases to keep the state rate above the federal level in future years. Workers in Arkansas should know that even if the state rate were lower, the federal floor would still protect them at whatever the federal amount is.
The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.
Fact Sheet on the Increase of the Arkansas Minimum Wage (Arkansas Department of Labor)
How the rate is adjusted each year, and who announces it
In Arkansas, the minimum wage is not adjusted annually based on inflation or a cost-of-living index. Instead, Arkansas voters approved a voter initiative on November 6, 2018 that set fixed scheduled wage increases. The state minimum wage was $8.50 per hour through the end of 2018, with increases to $9.25 in 2019, $10.00 in 2020, and $11.00 in 2021, all effective January 1 of each year. This approach differs from states that use automatic annual adjustments tied to a consumer price index. In Arkansas, any future changes beyond the scheduled increases through 2021 would require new legislative action or another voter initiative.
The minimum wage increase is as follows: $9.25 per hour effective January 1, 2019; $10.00 per hour effective January 1, 2020; and $11.00 per hour effective January 1, 2021.
Fact Sheet on the Increase of the Arkansas Minimum Wage (Arkansas Department of Labor)
How each figure was verified
Each number below was read from a stored copy of the document named beside it, and checked to occur word for word in the quoted sentence. The digest is of that stored text.
Fact Sheet on the Increase of the Arkansas Minimum Wage (Arkansas Department of Labor)
- Hourly
The state minimum wage remains at $8.50 per hour until January 1, 2019.
Other years
Every Arkansas Minimum Wage year · Minimum Wage in every state