2022 Arkansas Minimum Wage
The 2022 Arkansas Minimum Wage is $11.
Effective 2022-01-01Source: Minimum Wage and Overtime (Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing)Verified 2026-09-01
Compared with 2021
Every figure on this page is unchanged from 2021.
| Item | 2021 | 2022 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $11 | $11 | +$0 (+0.0%) |
Who it applies to
Employees of Arkansas employers covered by the Arkansas Minimum Wage Act
What changed this year, and why
The Arkansas minimum wage rate for 2022 is $11.00 per hour.
Common questions
- What is the Arkansas minimum wage?
- The Arkansas minimum wage is $11.00 per hour.
- Which employers does the Arkansas Minimum Wage Act cover?
- The Act covers employers with four or more employees. An employer covered by both the Act and the federal Fair Labor Standards Act must pay the higher of the two minimum wages.
Minors, students and training wages: who may be paid less than the rate on this page
Arkansas provides a mechanism for students to apply for a reduced minimum wage. The state's Department of Labor maintains an Application for Reduced Minimum Wage for Students, which allows eligible students to be paid less than the standard $11 per hour rate. This program recognizes that students may be working part-time while completing their education and may accept lower wages in exchange for work experience or flexible schedules. Employers who want to pay student workers a reduced rate must follow the application process and receive approval before paying below the standard minimum wage. Workers who believe they are being paid an improperly reduced wage as a student should contact the Arkansas Labor Standards Division for guidance on eligibility requirements and proper procedures.
Application for Reduced Minimum Wage for Students
Minimum Wage and Overtime (Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing)
When a city or county sets a higher minimum wage
When a city or county in Arkansas sets a minimum wage rate that is higher than the state rate, employers in that jurisdiction must pay the local rate. The state minimum wage is $11 per hour in 2022, but local governments have the authority to establish higher rates to reflect the cost of living in their communities. Employers covered by both state and local minimum wage laws must pay the highest applicable rate. This means that workers in cities or counties with higher local minimum wages are entitled to receive more than the state baseline. The Arkansas Minimum Wage Act sets the floor, but local ordinances can provide greater protection. Workers who believe their employer is not paying the correct local minimum wage should contact the Labor Standards Division or the appropriate local agency.
An employer covered by both laws must pay the highest minimum wage.
Minimum Wage and Overtime (Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing)
Overtime is paid at one and one-half times the regular rate
In Arkansas, most non-exempt employees must receive overtime pay at one and one-half times their regular rate of pay for every hour worked beyond 40 in a workweek. This rule applies whether you are paid hourly or on another basis. Importantly, working more hours in a single day or working past a regularly scheduled shift does not by itself trigger overtime—only actual hours worked over 40 in the workweek count. Hours for which your employer pays you but that you did not actually work, such as holiday pay or sick leave, are excluded from the overtime calculation. Certain workers may be exempt from overtime under state or federal rules, and some employers like police and fire departments, hospitals, and residential care facilities may follow special overtime provisions. Workers with questions about overtime exemptions can contact the Arkansas Labor Standards Division or the U.S. Department of Labor for further information.
In most cases, an employer has to pay overtime (one and one-half times the regular rate of pay) to non-exempt employees for all hours actually worked in excess of 40 hours in a workweek.
Minimum Wage and Overtime (Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing)
Who to ask about this rate, and where to take a wage complaint
In Arkansas, workers who believe they are not being paid minimum wage or overtime properly can file a complaint with the state's Department of Labor. The complaint process is available online through the Labor Standards Division's website. However, if a worker is having trouble collecting their final paycheck, they should not use the complaint form but should instead refer to the wage claim section of the department's website. The Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing is responsible for promoting workplace compliance and protecting employees from wage violations. Workers with questions about minimum wage or overtime violations can contact the Labor Standards Division for assistance with filing a complaint or wage claim.
If you believe you are not being paid minimum wage or overtime properly, you can file a complaint here. If you have having trouble collecting your final pay check please do not fill out a complaint form. Instead, refer to the wage claim section.
Minimum Wage and Overtime (Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing)
State minimum wage laws that give more than the federal rate
In Arkansas, when an employer is covered by both state and federal minimum wage laws, they must pay the highest applicable rate. The state minimum wage is $11 per hour in 2022. If the federal minimum wage were higher, employers would have to pay that amount instead. This rule ensures that Arkansas workers receive the most protective wage standard available to them, whether it comes from state or federal law. The Arkansas Minimum Wage Act covers employers with 4 or more employees, and employers covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act are also covered by Arkansas law if they meet the same threshold. Workers who believe their employer is not paying the correct minimum wage should contact the Labor Standards Division or file a complaint.
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.
Minimum Wage and Overtime (Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing)
When tips, meals or lodging count toward the minimum wage
In Arkansas, tipped employees must be paid at least $2.63 per hour as a base wage. However, their tips must be enough to bring their total earnings up to the applicable minimum wage per hour, which is $11 in 2022. If an employee's tips do not bring them up to minimum wage, the employer is required to add enough to their pay to make up the difference. This means that employers cannot use the tip credit to pay workers less than the full minimum wage when tips are insufficient. The responsibility falls on the employer to keep accurate tip records to ensure compliance with both state and federal minimum wage laws. Workers who believe their employer is not properly accounting for tips or is failing to make up the difference when tips fall short should contact the Arkansas Labor Standards Division or file a complaint.
Tipped employees must be paid at least $2.63 per hour. The tips they earn must be enough to bring them up to the applicable minimum wage per hour. If the tips do not bring them up to minimum wage, the employer must add enough to their pay to do so. It is the employer’s responsibility to keep accurate tip records.
Minimum Wage and Overtime (Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing)
What an employer may deduct from your pay
In Arkansas, employers are generally not allowed to make non-standard deductions that would reduce an employee's pay below the minimum wage per hour for the workweek. These prohibited deductions include things like spoilage or breakage, cash or inventory shortages or losses, and fines or penalties for lateness, misconduct, or quitting without notice. However, some deductions that would otherwise bring pay below minimum wage are permitted if they are court ordered, wage assignments to a third party, or deductions for board, lodging, apparel, or other items and services. Even these allowed deductions must comply with the statutes and rules of the Arkansas Minimum Wage Act. Workers who believe their employer is making improper deductions that bring their pay below minimum wage should contact the Labor Standards Division or file a complaint.
Non standard deductions are generally not allowed to bring the employee below minimum wage per hour for the workweek. These types of deductions including but not limited to the following: spoilage or breakage; cash or inventory shortages or losses; and fines or penalties for lateness, misconduct, or quitting by an employee without notice. Deductions that reduce the employee below the applicable minimum wage per hour that may be made include deductions that are court ordered, wage assignments to a third party, or deductions for board, lodging, apparel, or other items and services.
Minimum Wage and Overtime (Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing)
Why the federal rate applies when the state rate is lower
When the Arkansas state minimum wage rate is lower than the federal minimum wage, the federal rate applies to covered employers. An employer covered by both state and federal laws must pay the highest minimum wage available. This means that if federal law provides a higher rate than Arkansas law, employers must pay the federal amount to ensure workers receive the most protective standard. The Arkansas Minimum Wage Act covers employers with 4 or more employees, and employers covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act are also subject to state law if they meet the same threshold. Workers who believe their employer is not paying the correct minimum wage when both laws apply should contact the Labor Standards Division or the U.S. Department of Labor for guidance.
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.
Minimum Wage and Overtime (Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing)
How the rate is adjusted each year, and who announces it
The source document from the Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing for the 2022 minimum wage does not contain any provision describing an annual inflation adjustment to the state's minimum wage rate. The 2022 rate of $11 per hour was set by the Arkansas Minimum Wage Act, which was amended after Arkansas voters approved a minimum wage increase in November 2018. That initiated act established a fixed schedule of increases that brought the wage to $11 per hour effective January 1, 2021, rather than indexing the rate to inflation or tying it to a consumer price index. The document contains no mention of a cost-of-living adjustment, no reference to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), and no identification of any state official who announces an annual adjusted rate. Because no automatic inflation-adjustment mechanism appears in the source, any future change to Arkansas's minimum wage must come from new legislation enacted by the Arkansas General Assembly or from a voter-approved ballot measure amending the state's minimum-wage law, not from an adjustment announced by a state or federal agency.
Effective January 1, 2021, the minimum wage in Arkansas is $11.00 per hour.
Minimum Wage and Overtime (Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing)
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.
Minimum Wage and Overtime (Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing)
- Hourly
Effective January 1, 2021, the minimum wage in Arkansas is $11.00 per hour.
Other years
Every Arkansas Minimum Wage year · Minimum Wage in every state