Arkansas Unemployment Calculator
Estimate your Arkansas weekly unemployment benefit, duration, and total payout. Arkansas pays up to $451 a week for up to 12 weeks. This is an estimate, not a determination.
An estimate, not a determination.
This estimates your Arkansas weekly unemployment benefit from your wages. The state agency makes the actual decision based on your full wage record and why your job ended. File your claim with Arkansas Division of Workforce Services / Division of Reemployment (ADWS) to get your real amount.
More exact? Enter your highest-paid quarter
Most states base your benefit on your highest-earning quarter of the base period (the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters). Enter it for a closer estimate; leave blank to use your annual income.
Estimated Weekly Benefit
$451/week
≈ 45% of your weekly wage · Arkansas · estimate only
You're at Arkansas's $451 maximum.
Max Duration
12 weeks
Max Total Benefit
$5,412
Your wage is above Arkansas's benefit cap, so you would receive the $451 maximum regardless of higher earnings.
Arkansas reduced its maximum duration to 12 weeks (Act 951 of 2023). Not indexed to the unemployment rate.
Arkansas has a one-week unpaid waiting period before benefits begin.
This is an estimate, not a determination. The state agency calculates your actual benefit from your full base-period wage record, and eligibility also depends on why your job ended and your ongoing work search.
Your weekly benefit is based on your wages in the "base period" (usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters), replaced at roughly 50% up to Arkansas's $451 maximum. Eligibility also depends on earning enough in the base period and on why your job ended (generally you must be out of work through no fault of your own). This is an estimate, not legal advice or a determination, and RecordingLaw.com is not a government agency.
How Arkansas Calculates Your Weekly Benefit
WBA = 1/26 of the claimant's average wages over the base period (Arkansas computes the WBA from base-period/high-quarter wages using a 1/26 factor), clamped to the state min/max.
The result is capped at Arkansas's $451 maximum and floored at its $81 minimum (2026). You can collect for up to 12 weeks. Arkansas reduced its maximum duration to 12 weeks (Act 951 of 2023). Not indexed to the unemployment rate.
Source: Arkansas Division of Workforce Services / Division of Reemployment (ADWS).
Who Qualifies in Arkansas
To draw benefits you generally must have earned enough during the base period (Standard: first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before the claim. The benefit year is a 52-week period starting the first day of the first month of the quarter in which the claim is filed.), be unemployed through no fault of your own (laid off, not fired for misconduct and generally not quitting without good cause), and be able, available, and actively looking for work. Must have wages in at least two quarters of the base period and total base-period wages of at least 35x the WBA (and meet a minimum high-quarter earnings threshold). Arkansas also has a one-week unpaid waiting period before benefits begin.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is unemployment in Arkansas?
Arkansas pays roughly 50% of your average weekly wage, from a $81 minimum up to a $451 maximum per week (2026). Use the calculator above to estimate your amount from your wages.
How many weeks of unemployment can I get in Arkansas?
Up to 12 weeks. Arkansas reduced its maximum duration to 12 weeks (Act 951 of 2023). Not indexed to the unemployment rate.
How is my Arkansas weekly benefit calculated?
WBA = 1/26 of the claimant's average wages over the base period (Arkansas computes the WBA from base-period/high-quarter wages using a 1/26 factor), clamped to the state min/max.
What is the maximum unemployment benefit in Arkansas?
$451 per week in 2026. The maximum is set by the state and usually updated each year.
Is this calculator official?
No. It is a free estimate based on Arkansas's published 2026 formula and caps. Your actual benefit is determined by Arkansas Division of Workforce Services / Division of Reemployment (ADWS) from your complete wage record and the reason your job ended. It is not legal advice and RecordingLaw.com is not a government agency.
Disclaimer
This calculator is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice, a benefit determination, or a guarantee of eligibility. Unemployment formulas and maximums change (often annually); figures are current as of 2026-08-21. Only Arkansas Division of Workforce Services / Division of Reemployment (ADWS) can determine your actual benefit and eligibility. RecordingLaw.com is not a government agency.