Minimum Wage Comparison
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Arkansas vs California: Minimum Wage

California has a higher minimum wage than Arkansas by $6.

Arkansas flag
Arkansas
AR • South
$11.00/hr
State minimum wage in U.S. dollars per hour (U.S. Department of Labor, updated January 1, 2026).
California flag
California
CA • West
Winner
$16.90/hr
State minimum wage in U.S. dollars per hour (U.S. Department of Labor, updated January 1, 2026).

Visual Comparison

Arkansas $11.00/hr
California $16.90/hr

Difference: $6 — California leads.

Related Context

Minimum Wage in Context

A minimum wage only makes sense relative to what things cost and what the local market actually pays.

What This Means

Arkansas vs California: Minimum Wage in context

California has a minimum wage of $16.90/hr, compared with $11.00/hr in Arkansas, a gap of 53.6%. State minimum wage in U.S. dollars per hour (U.S. Department of Labor, updated January 1, 2026).

Arkansas
$11.00/hr
California
$16.90/hr
Difference
$6

People Also Ask

Arkansas vs California Minimum Wage — Common Questions

Q What is Arkansas's minimum wage?

Arkansas's minimum wage is $11.00/hr.

Q What is California's minimum wage?

California's minimum wage is $16.90/hr.

Q Which state has a higher minimum wage — Arkansas or California?

California has a higher minimum wage than Arkansas by $6.

Q How much more minimum wage does California have compared to Arkansas?

$6.

Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset, with minimum wage data from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.