2019 Arkansas Minimum Wage
The 2019 Arkansas Minimum Wage is $9.25.
Effective 2019-01-01Source: Fact Sheet on the Increase of the Arkansas Minimum Wage (Arkansas Department of Labor)Verified 2026-09-01
Compared with 2018
| Item | 2018 | 2019 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $8.50 | $9.25 | +$0.75 (+8.8%) |
Who it applies to
Employers in Arkansas covered by the Arkansas Minimum Wage Act
What changed this year, and why
Arkansas minimum wage increased to $9.25 per hour effective January 1, 2019
Common questions
- What was the minimum wage before January 1, 2019?
- The minimum wage was lower before January 1, 2019.
- What is the minimum wage for tipped employees?
- Tipped employees must be paid a base hourly rate plus tips that bring them to at least the applicable minimum wage.
Minors, students and training wages: who may be paid less than the rate on this page
In Arkansas, the 2019 minimum wage is $9.25 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. These exemptions apply to specific categories of workers, and the details are found in the Arkansas Department of Labor's regulations. If you are a minor, a student, or a trainee, your employer may be able to pay you a subminimum wage under certain conditions. Workers in Arkansas should check the agency's regulations to understand whether they fall into an exempt category. This means that not every worker in the state is guaranteed the full $9.25 hourly rate, and the exemptions are defined by state law rather than left to employer discretion.
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 2019 minimum wage is $9.25 per hour. Some employees are exempt only from the overtime pay requirement. The overtime premium rate is one and one-half times the employee's regular rate of pay for all hours worked beyond the standard workweek. In Arkansas, non-exempt employees who work overtime must receive this premium in addition to earning at least $9.25 per hour for all regular hours. Certain workers may be exempt from the overtime requirement entirely, while others may be exempt from both minimum wage and overtime. Arkansas employees who believe they have not been paid the proper overtime premium should consult the Arkansas Department of Labor for assistance.
Some employees are exempt only 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
In Arkansas, the 2019 minimum wage is $9.25 per hour. The required poster has been revised and is available online here or by email request here. Workers in Arkansas with questions about this rate or who wish to file a wage complaint should consult the relevant state labor office. The Arkansas Department of Labor enforces the state's minimum wage law and is the appropriate agency to contact for assistance. Employees who believe their employer has failed to pay the correct minimum wage should reach out to this office to file a complaint. The department investigates wage claims and can help workers recover unpaid wages. The department's contact information is listed on the state's official fact sheet about the minimum wage increase.
The required poster has been revised and is available online here or by email request here.
Fact Sheet on the Increase of the Arkansas Minimum Wage (Arkansas Department of Labor)
State minimum wage laws that give more than the federal rate
Arkansas has its own minimum-wage statute alongside the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. Under Arkansas law, when an employer is covered by both statutes, it must pay the higher of the two rates. As of January 1, 2019, the Arkansas minimum wage is $9.25 per hour, while the federal floor is lower. The result is that a covered worker in Arkansas must receive at least $9.25 per hour, because the state rate is the highest minimum wage of the two. The Arkansas Minimum Wage Act applies to employers with 4 or more employees, and employers already covered by the federal act are also covered by the state law if they meet that same 4-employee threshold. Where both apply, the employee receives the Arkansas rate rather than the lower federal amount.
The Arkansas Minimum Wage Act covers employers with 4 or more employees. Employers covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) are also covered by the Arkansas law if they have 4 or more employees. An employer covered by both laws must pay the highest minimum wage.
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, the 2019 minimum wage is $9.25 per hour. 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. This means that employers in Arkansas may count tips toward the minimum wage obligation, but only if the employee's tips combined with the $2.63 cash wage equal at least $9.25 per hour. If tips are insufficient to reach $9.25, the employer must make up the difference. The rule also applies to the value of meals and lodging provided by the employer, which may count toward the minimum wage under specific conditions. Workers in Arkansas who receive tips should verify that their total compensation meets the state minimum.
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 2019 minimum wage is $9.25 per hour. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. With some limited exceptions, the federal minimum wage rate applies when a state has not set its own minimum wage or when the state rate is lower than the federal rate. In Arkansas, the state rate is higher than the federal rate, so the state rate of $9.25 applies to covered employers. However, if Arkansas were to repeal its minimum wage or set it below the federal floor, the federal rate would automatically become the applicable standard. This safeguard ensures that no worker in the United States falls below the federal minimum, even if their state fails to provide adequate protections.
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 2019 minimum wage is $9.25 per hour. On November 6, 2018 Arkansas voters approved an increase to the state's minimum wage. 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. The cost-of-living adjustment to the minimum wage based on the CPI-W ensures that the rate keeps pace with inflation each year. The Arkansas Department of Labor announces the adjusted rate annually. This means workers in Arkansas can expect their minimum wage to be reviewed and potentially increased each year to reflect changes in the consumer price index.
On November 6, 2018 Arkansas voters approved an increase to the state’s minimum wage. 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
$9.25 per hour effective January 1, 2019;
Other years
Every Arkansas Minimum Wage year · Minimum Wage in every state