North Carolina Minimum Wage 2026
North Carolina's minimum wage of $7.25 in 2026 is below average in the United States, and it is the same as than the base federal minimum wage of $7.25 still used in 20 states.
Federal 
North Carolina Assuming a standard 40-hour work week, the weekly minimum wage in North Carolina is $290. For full-time employees working 52 weeks per year, the annual minimum wage in North Carolina is $15.1K.
Based on $7.25/hr minimum
Based on $7.25/hr minimum
The minimum wage rate of North Carolina and its neighboring states ranges from $7.25 to $12.77, with an average of $8.35. North Carolina, at $7.25, has the lowest hourly minimum wage within this group of states. Virginia ($12.77) has higher hourly rates than North Carolina. Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee share the same $7.25 hourly rate as North Carolina.
North Carolina North Carolina's cost of living index for 2025 is 97.8, which places it as the 25th most expensive state to live in the United States.
National 100
North Carolina 97.8
Assuming a standard 40-hour work week, the real wage in North Carolina, adjusted for the state’s cost of living index of 97.8, is approximately $7.41 per hour. This means that while the nominal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, the purchasing power of those earnings is higher due to North Carolina's lower cost of living expenses. For full-time employees, the real weekly earnings amount to roughly $296.52, translating to an annual purchasing power of $15,419.22 when working 52 weeks per year.
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According to the most recent data, the median household income in the United States has seen a significant increase in 2023.
North Carolina’s minimum wage is aligned with the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, with no separate statewide rate or automatic inflation adjustment. Any changes to the wage depend on federal legislation rather than state-level indexing or voter-driven increases.
