Waiters and Waitresses Salary in Arkansas
In Arkansas, waiters and waitresses earn a median $24,680 a year, well below the national median of $35,230 (−30%); the state ranks 42nd of 51 states by median. That is 43% less than the median across all occupations in Arkansas ($43,630). Among neighbouring states, Missouri and Tennessee pay more (up to $29,400 in Missouri) and Texas, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Louisiana pay less (down to $15,080 in Louisiana). Arkansas employs 17,880 waiters and waitresses, 13.7 per 1,000 jobs, the 33rd largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.94 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 | $11.08 | $11.26 | $11.86 | $14.64 | $21.06 | $13.97 | 17,880 | 13.71 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $23,040 | $23,430 | $24,680 | $30,450 | $43,810 | $29,050 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $8.70 | $13.34 | $16.94 | $22.65 | $31.12 | $19.26 | 2,270,910 | – | – |
| Annual | $18,100 | $27,750 | $35,230 | $47,110 | $64,720 | $40,060 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 42nd of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 33rd of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.94
- Jobs per 1,000
- 13.71
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 waiters and waitresses, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $12.60 | $26,210 | $23,370 | $44,620 | 4,300 | 15.64 | 1.07 |
| Jonesboro, AR | $11.86 | $24,680 | $23,050 | $43,960 | 920 | 15.22 | 1.04 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $11.83 | $24,610 | $23,200 | $46,660 | 5,120 | 14.28 | 0.98 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $11.80 | $24,550 | $15,080 | $47,480 | 8,060 | 13.18 | 0.90 |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | $11.39 | $23,680 | $22,880 | $38,090 | 1,410 | 14.80 | 1.01 |
| Hot Springs, AR | $11.32 | $23,550 | $22,880 | $37,440 | 1,030 | 26.68 | 1.83 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | $11.22 | $23,330 | $15,710 | $44,010 | 970 | 16.89 | 1.16 |
| North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $11.46 | $23,840 | $23,040 | $42,370 | 1,950 | 16.35 | 1.12 |
| South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $11.29 | $23,490 | $22,880 | $35,990 | 950 | 8.07 | 0.55 |
| West Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $11.29 | $23,490 | $22,890 | $38,430 | 1,070 | 12.45 | 0.85 |
| East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $11.29 | $23,480 | $22,880 | $36,290 | 710 | 10.36 | 0.71 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Waiters and Waitresses (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.