Minimum wage by state · North Carolina
Minimum Wage in North Carolina (2025)
In 2025, the minimum wage in North Carolina is $7.25 an hour — about $15,080 a year full-time, and at the federal floor, tied with 19 other jurisdictions at the bottom of the 51 states and DC. Here's what that wage works out to in real terms, the tipped picture, and how it stacks up against the federal floor and the highest-paying state.
- North Carolina minimum wage $7.25/hr effective 2025 rate
- Full-time a year $15,080 40 hrs/wk, 52 wks
- Tipped minimum — cash wage for tipped work
- vs federal $7.25 same as federal $7.25
Minimum wage in North Carolina
The 2025 minimum wage in North Carolina is $7.25 an hour. That is exactly the federal minimum of $7.25 — the lowest a state's floor can legally be. A state's floor can never sit below the federal minimum, so $7.25 is as low as it goes — and that is exactly where North Carolina sits.
$7.25 an hour, in real terms
An hourly figure is abstract until you scale it up. Here is what $7.25 an hour becomes over a week and a full year of full-time work:
Full-time at $7.25 an hour — 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year — works out to about $15,080 a year before taxes. That matches the $15,080 a full-time federal-minimum job pays — and trails the $36,400 earned at District of Columbia's nation-leading $17.5 by about $21,320. To see what actually lands in a paycheck after tax, run the numbers with the take-home pay calculator.
The tipped wage
Our dataset does not report a separate tipped cash wage for North Carolina, so in this data tipped workers are treated under the standard $7.25 minimum. Tipped-wage rules differ from state to state and change frequently — always confirm the current cash-wage and tip-credit rules with the North Carolina labor department before relying on them.
How North Carolina compares
Among all 51 states and DC, North Carolina's $7.25 is at the federal floor, tied with 19 other jurisdictions at the bottom of the 51 states and DC. The federal minimum is $7.25, and the highest anywhere is District of Columbia at $17.5, about $10.25 above North Carolina. 31 states and DC pay above the federal floor, while North Carolina stays at it. For the full picture — every state ranked, the highest and lowest, and how the map has shifted — see minimum wage by state. You can also compare any two states with the minimum wage by state calculator.
Minimum wage in North Carolina — FAQ
What is the minimum wage in North Carolina in 2025?
The 2025 minimum wage in North Carolina is $7.25 per hour. That is exactly the federal minimum of $7.25 — the lowest a state's floor can legally be. Because the effective minimum is always the higher of the state or federal rate, no employer covered by the law may pay less.
How much is minimum wage a year in North Carolina?
At $7.25 an hour, full-time work (40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year) comes to about $15,080 a year before taxes. Use the take-home pay calculator to see what lands in your pocket after tax.
Is North Carolina's minimum wage above the federal minimum?
No — North Carolina sits right at the $7.25 federal minimum, so the federal rate is effectively the state rate. 31 states and DC pay more.
What is the tipped minimum wage in North Carolina?
Our dataset does not list a separate tipped cash wage for North Carolina, so tipped workers here are covered by the standard $7.25 minimum in this data. Tipped-wage rules vary and change often — confirm with your state labor department.
How does North Carolina's minimum wage rank nationally?
Among all 51 states and DC, North Carolina's $7.25 is at the federal floor, tied with 19 other jurisdictions at the bottom of the 51 states and DC. The highest is District of Columbia at $17.5; the federal floor is $7.25.
