Minimum wage in North Carolina
$7.25 per hour1
per hourGeneral rate since July 24, 2009
No scheduled increase on record.
1 rate in force
Rates by worker type, industry and employer size
The highest rate that fits the job applies.
| Applies to | Rate | Cash wage | Max tip credit | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Tipped employees · customarily and regularly receives tipsSourceIn North Carolina, an employer MUST pay at least $2.13 an hour to tipped employees as long as each employee receives enough in tips to make up the difference between the wages paid and the minimum wage ($7.25).
Verified September 26, 2026 | $7.25July 24, 2009 | $2.13 | — | July 24, 2009 |
BLS · May 2025
How the minimum compares with typical pay in North Carolina
31%of the median hourly wage
The median hourly wage across all occupations in North Carolina is $23.06 and the mean is $30.91 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state estimates). The minimum wage of $7.25 is 31% of the median; the 10th-percentile wage is $13.74, so roughly the lowest-paid tenth of workers earn within $6.49 of the minimum. BLS
| Applies to | Rate |
|---|---|
| Minimum wage | $7.25 |
| 10th percentile | $13.74 |
| 25th percentile | $17.32 |
| Median | $23.06 |
| Mean | $30.91 |
8 rules · September 27, 2026
Labor law basics in North Carolina
What the law adds on top of the hourly rate. Follow the citation for exceptions.
Final paycheck
Employees who leave for any reason must be paid all wages due on or before the next regular payday; bonuses and commissions are due on the first regular payday after they can be calculated.
Source
Employees whose employment is discontinued for any reason shall be paid all wages due on or before the next regular payday either through the regular pay channels or by mail if requested by the employee. Wages based on bonuses, commissions or other forms of calculation shall be paid on the first regular payday after the amount becomes calculable when a separation occurs.
- Source
- agency page
- snapshot
- September 27, 2026
Verified September 27, 2026
Meal breaks
North Carolina requires no meal or rest breaks for employees 16 or older, but youths under 16 must get at least a 30-minute break after 5 hours of work. (breaks required only for workers under 16)
Source
The North Carolina Wage and Hour Act does not require mandatory rest breaks or meal breaks for employees 16 years of age or older. The WHA requires breaks only for youths under 16 years of age. Youths under 16 years of age have to be given at least a 30-minute break after 5 hours, and no break of less than 30 minutes shall be deemed to interrupt a continuous period of work.
- Source
- agency page
- snapshot
- September 27, 2026
Verified September 27, 2026
Young workers' hours
14- and 15-year-olds may work no more than 3 hours a day and 18 hours a week when school is in session and 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week when it is not, only outside school hours, with a 30-minute break after five hours.
Source
No more than three hours a day when school is in session for the youth and no more than eight hours a day if school is not in session. Youths 14-15 years of age: Work may be performed in retail businesses, food service establishments, service stations and offices of other businesses. Work is not permitted in manufacturing, mining, on construction sites, with power-driven machinery, or hazardous or detrimental occupations. A maximum of 18 hours per week when school is in session or 40 hours per week when school is not in session. Only outside school hours. A 30-minute break is required after any period of five consecutive hours of work.
- Source
- agency page
- snapshot
- September 27, 2026
Verified September 27, 2026
Recovering unpaid wages
Claims under the NC Wage and Hour Act for unpaid wages (other than overtime), final paychecks, vacation pay, unauthorized deductions, pay cuts or missing pay stubs can be filed online with the NCDOL Wage and Hour Bureau for work performed in North Carolina.
Source
If you have a wage complaint that violates the NC Wage and Hour Act to include a claim of unpaid wages (excluding overtime), final paycheck, vacation, unauthorized deductions, reduction in pay, failure to provide paycheck stubs you may file with the NC Department of Labor - Wage and Hour Bureau, if the work was performed in North Carolina. Our bureau cannot investigate work performed outside of North Carolina.
- Source
- agency page
- snapshot
- September 27, 2026
- Notes
- NCDOL does not accept complaints for wages due more than one year ago or for less than $50; minimum wage, overtime and tip complaints go to the U.S. DOL.
Verified September 27, 2026
Tips
Employers may pay tipped employees a cash wage of at least $2.13 an hour as long as tips make up the difference to the $7.25 minimum wage, and must pay more if they do not.
Source
In North Carolina, an employer MUST pay at least $2.13 an hour to tipped employees as long as each employee receives enough in tips to make up the difference between the wages paid and the minimum wage ($7.25). Employers MUST pay more than the $2.13 hourly cash wage if the tipped employee earns less than the credit in tips per hour, as it is the employer’s responsibility to make sure that all tipped employees earn at least the minimum wage in cash wages and tips.
- Source
- agency page
- snapshot
- September 26, 2026
Verified September 27, 2026
Overtime
Covered non-exempt employees must be paid at least 1.5 times their regular rate for hours worked over 40 in a workweek; federal law sets no daily overtime and no weekend or holiday premium. (non-exempt employees covered by the FLSA)
Source: 29 U.S.C. § 207
Unless specifically exempted, employees covered by the Act must receive overtime pay for hours worked in excess of 40 in a workweek at a rate not less than time and one-half their regular rates of pay. There is no limit in the Act on the number of hours employees aged 16 and older may work in any workweek. The Act does not require overtime pay for work on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, or regular days of rest, as such.
- Source
- agency page
- snapshot
- September 26, 2026
Verified September 26, 2026
Overtime-exempt salary threshold
Executive, administrative and professional employees are exempt from minimum wage and overtime only if they meet the duties tests and are paid a salary of at least $684 per week ($35,568 a year). (executive, administrative, professional and outside sales employees)
Source: 29 C.F.R. Part 541
To qualify for exemption, employees generally must meet certain tests regarding their job duties and be paid on a salary basis at not less than $684 per week.
- Source
- agency page
- snapshot
- September 26, 2026
- Notes
- The 2024 rule raising the level to $844/$1,128 was vacated in November 2024; DOL enforces the 2019 level of $684.
Verified September 26, 2026
Required poster
Employers whose employees are covered by the FLSA minimum wage provisions must post, and keep posted, a notice explaining the Act in a conspicuous place in all of their establishments. (employers covered by the FLSA)
Source: 29 U.S.C. § 207
Every employer of employees subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act's minimum wage provisions must post, and keep posted, a notice explaining the Act in a conspicuous place in all of their establishments.
- Source
- agency page
- snapshot
- September 26, 2026
- Notes
- The notice DOL publishes for this purpose is the FLSA minimum wage poster (WH-1088), free from the WHD posters page.
Verified September 26, 2026
$7.25 / hour
Calculators
Estimates before tax at this rate. Nothing you type leaves this page.
What this wage pays
| Weekly | $290.00 |
|---|---|
| Monthly52 weeks ÷ 12 | $1,256.67 |
| Annual52 weeks | $15,080.00 |
| Overtime rate1.5× where overtime applies | $10.88 |
4 questions
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in North Carolina?
$7.25 per hour since July 24, 2009. For a 40-hour week that is about $290.00 a week or $15,080.00 a year before tax.
Is the minimum wage in North Carolina increasing?
No increase is scheduled on record as of October 1, 2026. Inflation-indexed jurisdictions announce the next figure a few months before it takes effect.
What is the tipped minimum wage in North Carolina?
Employers may pay tipped employees a cash wage of $2.13 per hour as long as tips bring them to $7.25.
How does North Carolina compare with other states?
North Carolina's $7.25 ranks 32 of 51 state general rates, against a federal floor of $7.25.
2 levels of law
How this rate is resolved
The highest minimum that covers the work location applies.
Employers must pay the highest minimum that covers the work location. WageTable checks each level in turn:
- United States
- North Carolina
North Carolina sets 2 rules of its own. Year pages: 2026, 2027.
Notes on this jurisdiction's rules and sources
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 95-25.3(a) sets the state minimum wage at $6.15 or the federal FLSA rate, whichever is higher, so the state rate follows the federal $7.25 (from July 24, 2009). Agricultural and domestic employees are subject to the federal minimum wage only. Full-time students, learners, apprentices and messengers may be paid 90% of the rate rounded down to the nickel (§ 95-25.3(b)); stated as a percentage, no row.
North Carolina
Enforcement
Enforced by North Carolina Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Bureau. Employers must display the official minimum wage poster.
Underpaid?File a wage claim