LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — With 2024 being an election year in Arkansas and across the U.S., there can be a lot to take in between politics and platforms.
Elected officials and top lawmakers have a lot of power when it comes to changing and creating state laws, and residents may wonder how much they're getting paid to make these decisions.
Compensation of legislators varies widely from state to state. In New York, for example, they're paid $142,000 per year in salary while New Mexico is the only state that doesn't even pay their legislators, but still earns something called "per diem."
In New Hampshire, lawmakers earn only $100 without per diem.
Per diems are often based on regularly changing rates established by the U.S. General Services Administrations.
Arkansas, however, falls somewhere in between New York and New Mexico when it comes to compensating our lawmakers.
How much do Arkansas lawmakers make per year?
The short answer is a total of $44,356 in annual salary. However, if a member lives within 50 miles of the State Capitol in Little Rock, they also receive $59/day while in a legislative session, which happens every other year. If a lawmaker lives over 50 miles away from the State Capitol, their per diem pay while in session is $155/day.
Lawmakers in Arkansas are also paid 65.5 cents per mile while traveling, the same as California lawmakers. State lawmakers can receive per diem outside of sessions, too.
To get a full sense of compensation, consider the per diem and any bonuses or expense allowances (not all are listed), which can be significant.
This is all according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, where compensation for state lawmakers is recorded.
That being said, the best way to confirm salaries, expense allowances, and per diem is to contact your local lawmakers.
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