This invention provides a method for producing a polyarylene sulfide, comprising the step of bringing a low-hydrated alkali metal sulfide containing respectively 0.05 to less than 0.8 mole of water and an organic amide solvent per mole of the sulfur contained in the alkali metal sulfide, into contact with a dihalogenated aromatic compound in an organic polar solvent for polymerization. This invention also provides a polyarylene sulfide obtained by the method. The problem to be solved by this invention is to provide a method for efficiently producing a polyarylene sulfide in a short time using an alkali metal sulfide small in water content and organic amide solvent content.