Alaska Unemployment Calculator
Figure basis: Official U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Unemployment InsuranceThis calculator estimates your Alaska unemployment insurance (UI) weekly benefit for 2026. Enter your usual gross weekly pay to see an estimated weekly benefit, alongside the official Alaska minimum ($56) and maximum ($370) weekly benefit amounts and the 16 to 26 weeks of benefits payable. The weekly amount is an estimate: it uses about 50% wage replacement (which matches the common "one twenty-sixth of high-quarter wages" rule) and is capped at the state minimum and maximum. Your state agency sets the exact figure from your base-period wage history, and eligibility rules apply. The minimum, maximum, and number of weeks are the official 2026 figures, sourced from U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Unemployment Insurance.
In Alaska, the weekly unemployment benefit ranges from $56 to $370, payable for 16 to 26 weeks (up to $9,620 in total). On $1,000 a week, the estimated benefit is about $370.00 per week.
How Alaska unemployment benefits work
Alaska pays a weekly benefit amount (WBA) based on your earnings during the base period (usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters). The WBA is subject to a state minimum of $56 and a maximum of $370 (up to $442 with the maximum dependents' allowance), and is payable for 16 to 26 weeks.
estimated weekly benefit = min(max(weekly wage x 50%, $56), $370)
estimated maximum total = estimated weekly benefit x 26 weeks
The 50% figure is an approximation of the common state formula; your state agency sets the exact WBA from your wage records.
Alaska unemployment figures (2026)
| Figure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum weekly benefit | $56 | U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Unemployment Insurance |
| Maximum weekly benefit | $370 | U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Unemployment Insurance |
| Maximum with dependents' allowance | $442 | U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Unemployment Insurance |
| Weeks payable | 16 to 26 weeks | U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Unemployment Insurance |
Editor's insight: Alaska's dependents' allowance and frozen ceiling
Alaska stands out among unemployment programs for two reasons this calculator makes visible. First, it is one of a small group of states that adds a dependents' allowance on top of the base weekly benefit: $24 for each dependent, up to three, which lifts the maximum from $370 to $442. If you support children, do not stop reading at the $370 figure, because the higher $442 ceiling may be the one that applies to you.
Second, Alaska is one of the very few states where employees themselves pay into the unemployment fund through a small payroll deduction, so the benefit is partly funded by the workers who may later claim it. That makes the low maximum feel especially tight. At $370, Alaska's base ceiling has sat unchanged for well over a decade while rents in Anchorage and beyond have climbed, so the replacement rate for a middle earner is far below the rough one-half-your-pay rule of thumb.
Duration runs from 16 to 26 weeks depending on your base-period earnings, not on the statewide jobless rate. Treat the weekly estimate here as a starting point: the Division of Employment and Training Services fixes your actual amount from your wage records, and the dependents' add-on is applied separately once you document each dependent.
Alaska unemployment: frequently asked questions
What is the maximum unemployment benefit in Alaska for 2026?
The maximum weekly benefit amount in Alaska is $370 for 2026 (up to $442 with the maximum dependents' allowance). The minimum is $56. Over the maximum 26 weeks, that is up to $9,620 in total benefits.
How many weeks of unemployment can I get in Alaska?
Alaska pays benefits for 16 to 26 weeks; the exact number depends on your base-period wages and, in some states, the state unemployment rate.
How much unemployment will I get in Alaska?
Your weekly benefit is roughly half your usual gross weekly pay, subject to the Alaska minimum of $56 and maximum of $370. For example, on $1,000 a week the estimate is about $370.00. This is an estimate; Alaska sets your exact amount from your base-period wage history.
Is this the exact unemployment amount I will receive?
No. The minimum, maximum, and weeks shown are the official 2026 figures, but the weekly amount here is an estimate (about 50% wage replacement, which matches the common "one twenty-sixth of high-quarter wages" rule). Your state agency computes the exact figure from your reported wages, and eligibility rules apply.
Official sources
- Alaska unemployment weekly benefit and duration (tax year 2026): U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Unemployment Insurance, as at Jul 15, 2026.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 15 July 2026. See our methodology. General information, not legal or financial advice; file your claim with your state agency.