How many jobs were added in Arkansas last month?
Refreshed monthly
Arkansas gained 600 jobs in May 2026, ranking it 35th among states in job growth. Those figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' state employment report, which tracks monthly job changes. Job numbers can swing month to month as local economies expand or contract, but over the past five years the state has averaged about 1,900 new jobs per month. These figures are often revised in later months as more complete data rolls in.
+600
month to month change in number of jobs (May 2026)
35th
rank among states in monthly job growth (May 2026)
May 2026's gain of 600 jobs was the second consecutive month of positive job growth in Arkansas. Monthly job growth was up from the 500 new jobs in April 2026.
During the latest five year period (June 2021 to May 2026), Arkansas gained jobs in 44 out of 60 months. May 2026 had the 22nd-lowest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in October 2021 (+12,600) while job growth was weakest in July 2023 (-3,300).
There were 600 more jobs in May 2026 in Arkansas than the previous month.
Monthly change in nonfarm employment, June 2021–May 2026, seasonally adjusted
Which Arkansas sectors and industries had the best and worst job growth in May 2026?
The three supersectors with the highest job growth in May 2026 were wholesale trade, professional, scientific, and technical services, and durable goods. Wholesale trade added 600 jobs, more than the entire economy. Professional, scientific, and technical services gained 600 jobs, while durable goods added 400. The remaining supersectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.
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The health care and social assistance sector lost 400 jobs during May 2026.
Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of sector jobs in Arkansas (May 2026)
How does Arkansas's job growth in 2026 compare to previous years?
In 2025, Arkansas gained an average of 725 jobs every month. That's lower than the 2024 average monthly increase of 1,400, and the 13th-highest since 2007. The 2025 average ranks as the highest in job growth since 2007.
When excluding the two pandemic-affected years of 2020 and 2021, job growth ranged from a loss of 241,667 on average every month in 2009 to a gain of 241,667 on average every month in 2022.
In 2025, Arkansas gained an average of 725 jobs every month.
Average monthly change in the number of jobs, seasonally adjusted
Job growth among five metro areas primarily in Arkansas during May 2026 ranged from a loss of 100 jobs in the Jonesboro, AR area to a gain of 300 jobs in the Fayetteville, AR area metro area.
Monthly job growth, by metro area
Metro areas where at least one of its primary counties are within Arkansas
| Metro area | Change in jobs | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | +300 | |
| 2. | +200 | |
| 3. | +200 | |
| 4. | +100 | |
| 5. | +100 | |
| 6. | +0 | |
| 7. | -100 |
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
