Fast Food and Counter Workers Salary in Arkansas
In Arkansas, fast food and counter workers earn a median $26,250 a year, well below the national median of $31,200 (−16%); the state ranks 46th of 51 states by median. That is 40% less than the median across all occupations in Arkansas ($43,630). Among neighbouring states, Missouri, Texas and Tennessee pay more (up to $30,390 in Missouri) and Oklahoma, Louisiana and Mississippi pay less (down to $22,610 in Mississippi). Arkansas employs 35,660 fast food and counter workers, 27.4 per 1,000 jobs, the 33rd largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.10 is close to the national share.
Arkansas vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Arkansas | Hourly | $11.17 | $11.33 | $12.62 | $13.39 | $15.44 | $12.93 | 35,660 | 27.36 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $23,240 | $23,570 | $26,250 | $27,850 | $32,120 | $26,890 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $10.98 | $13.32 | $15.00 | $17.34 | $20.51 | $15.46 | 3,854,050 | – | – |
| Annual | $22,840 | $27,700 | $31,200 | $36,070 | $42,650 | $32,150 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 46th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 33rd of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.10
- Jobs per 1,000
- 27.36
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Arkansas's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Arkansas
7 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Arkansas publish a row for fast food and counter workers, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $13.21 | $27,490 | $22,310 | $35,310 | 15,320 | 25.05 | 1.01 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $13.21 | $27,470 | $23,500 | $34,310 | 8,720 | 24.35 | 0.98 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $13.06 | $27,170 | $23,470 | $35,020 | 8,370 | 30.40 | 1.23 |
| Jonesboro, AR | $12.63 | $26,260 | $23,200 | $33,630 | 1,900 | 31.28 | 1.26 |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | $11.42 | $23,760 | $22,880 | $29,230 | 2,760 | 28.87 | 1.16 |
| Hot Springs, AR | $11.22 | $23,350 | $22,880 | $30,620 | 1,260 | 32.74 | 1.32 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | $11.00 | $22,880 | $21,300 | $28,740 | 2,170 | 37.74 | 1.52 |
| East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $11.50 | $23,920 | $23,190 | $28,480 | 1,830 | 26.91 | 1.09 |
| West Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $11.47 | $23,870 | $23,350 | $28,180 | 3,150 | 36.73 | 1.48 |
| North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $11.46 | $23,830 | $23,120 | $28,930 | 3,740 | 31.34 | 1.26 |
| South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $11.40 | $23,710 | $23,100 | $27,700 | 3,150 | 26.84 | 1.08 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Fast Food and Counter Workers (every state ranked) and the Arkansas wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Arkansas estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.