Arkansas Minimum Wage in 2023: $11.00 per Hour The minimum wage in Arkansas for 2023 was $11.00 per hour for most covered employees, a rate that took effect on January 1, 2021, and remained unchanged through that year. This state law exceeded the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour and applied specifically to employers with four or more employees , as outlined in the Arkansas Minimum Wage Act.

Key Details and Exceptions

  • Who it covered : Most non-exempt workers under state law, including those at businesses with 4+ employees. Smaller employers (fewer than 4) could pay the federal rate of $7.25.
  • Tipped employees : Cash wage of $2.63 per hour , with tips required to bring total earnings to at least $11.00 (maximum tip credit of $8.37).
  • Exemptions : Included certain students, apprentices, and full-time students employed in seasonal jobs; federal FLSA exemptions also applied.
  • No changes occurred in 2023—in fact, the rate has stayed at $11.00 into 2025 and 2026.

This stability followed voter-approved increases from 2018 onward (e.g., $8.50 in 2019, $9.25 in 2020, then $11.00). Imagine a fast-food worker in Little Rock clocking 40 hours: that's $440 weekly before taxes at the 2023 rate, helping offset Arkansas's cost of living amid national wage debates.

Historical Context

Arkansas raised its wage via Issue 5 (2014 ballot), phasing up from $6.25 amid campaigns for worker fairness. By 2023, it positioned the state above the federal floor but below neighbors like Missouri ($12.00 then). Forums in 2023 buzzed with talks of living wages, as $11.00 covered basics for singles but strained families—echoing nationwide pushes, though no hike passed.

Aspect| 2023 Arkansas Rate| Federal (FLSA)| Notes
---|---|---|---
Standard Minimum| $11.00/hr| $7.25/hr| For 4+ employee firms 39
Tipped Minimum| $2.63/hr + tips| $2.13/hr + tips| Tips must total $11.00 5
Applies To| Most non-exempt| All covered| Exemptions similar 7

TL;DR : Locked at $11.00/hour throughout 2023 for larger employers—no increases that year.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.