North Carolina Minimum Wage Calculator

The current North Carolina minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. Use the calculator above to see what that means for your weekly, monthly, and annual pay based on your hours worked.

No. North Carolina currently follows the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour, since the state has not enacted a minimum above the federal floor. Some cities within the state may still require a higher local rate.

Working 40 hours a week at North Carolina's minimum wage of $7.25/hour comes to about $15,080 a year before taxes. Adjust your hours in the calculator above for a more precise figure.

In many cases, yes. Some cities and counties within North Carolina can pass local ordinances setting a minimum wage above the statewide rate shown here. Always check your specific city or county for the most accurate local minimum wage before relying on the statewide figure.

In many states, employers can pay tipped workers a lower "tipped minimum wage" as long as tips bring total hourly earnings up to at least North Carolina's standard minimum wage of $7.25/hour. A smaller number of states require the full minimum wage regardless of tips — check North Carolina's specific labor rules for tipped employees.

For most households, a single minimum-wage income of about $15,080 a year falls short of covering typical living costs like rent and groceries, particularly in higher cost-of-living areas of North Carolina. This is a key reason many states have raised their minimum well above the federal $7.25 rate.

It depends on state law — some states raise their minimum wage automatically each year based on inflation, while others require new legislation for any increase. Check North Carolina's department of labor for the latest scheduled increases.

North Carolina matches the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour, which is on the lower end compared to states that have enacted their own higher minimum wage.