North Carolina Minimum Wage 2026
The minimum wage in North Carolina is $7.25 per hour in 2026, effective July 24, 2009. Tipped employees can be paid a cash wage of $2.13 per hour, as long as tips bring them to the full minimum.
What is the minimum wage in North Carolina in 2026?
The North Carolina minimum wage is $7.25 per hour in 2026, matching the federal rate. State law ties the wage floor to the federal minimum, which has not moved since July 24, 2009, so North Carolina's rate has been unchanged for more than sixteen years.
The legal floor tells only part of the story in a state adding jobs as fast as North Carolina. Charlotte's banking sector and the Research Triangle's tech and life-sciences boom have pushed advertised starting pay for most hourly roles well past $7.25, so employers benchmarking against the minimum will struggle to fill openings in the major metros.
Tipped minimum wage in North Carolina
North Carolina follows the federal tip credit in full, so the tipped minimum wage is $2.13 per hour in direct cash wages. Tips must lift each tipped employee to at least $7.25 per hour for every workweek, and the employer covers any gap.
The state Department of Labor enforces the same tip credit conditions as the FLSA: employees must be told about the credit in advance and must keep all their tips, apart from a valid tip pool. Document tip earnings per shift so you can prove the $7.25 combined rate was met.
North Carolina minimum wage history: 2020 to 2026
| Year | Minimum wage | Tipped wage |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $7.25 | $2.13 |
| 2021 | $7.25 | $2.13 |
| 2022 | $7.25 | $2.13 |
| 2023 | $7.25 | $2.13 |
| 2024 | $7.25 | $2.13 |
| 2025 | $7.25 | $2.13 |
| 2026 | $7.25 | $2.13 |
Upcoming minimum wage increases in North Carolina
No increases are scheduled. Because North Carolina's minimum wage is linked to the federal rate, a change requires either the General Assembly passing a state increase or Congress raising the federal $7.25 floor.
Bills to lift the state minimum, some proposing $15.00, are filed in Raleigh most sessions but have not advanced out of committee. Employers should treat $7.25 as stable for budgeting while watching each federal Congress for movement.
Minimum wage by city in North Carolina
North Carolina preempts local minimum wage ordinances, so no city or county can set its own rate for private employers. Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, and Greensboro all sit at the $7.25 federal floor.
Preemption has not stopped local wage pressure. Rapid population growth and corporate relocations mean the effective market rate for entry-level work in the Charlotte and Triangle metros typically starts several dollars above the legal minimum.
Federal rate; banking hub where market pay far outruns the floor
Federal rate; Research Triangle demand lifts real starting wages
Federal rate; life-sciences growth keeps hourly pay competitive
Federal rate; local ordinances preempted by state law
What North Carolina employers need to know
Coverage
The North Carolina Wage and Hour Act covers most private employers and mirrors the federal $7.25 rate. Some exemptions exist for agricultural work and certain domestic employment.
Overtime
Pay 1.5x the regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek, consistent with the FLSA. Seasonal amusement and recreational establishments have limited exemptions.
Tipped employees
A $2.13 cash wage is lawful only when tips reliably bring pay to $7.25 per hour each workweek. Notify employees of the tip credit before using it and reconcile tips every pay period.
Posting and records
Display the state Wage and Hour notice alongside the federal FLSA poster, and retain payroll records showing hours and wages for each employee.
How other states compare
See how North Carolina's $7.25 rate stacks up against other state minimum wages in 2026, or browse the full minimum wage index for all 50 states.
Last verified:
Sources: the US Department of Labor's state minimum wage table and official announcements from the North Carolina labor department. Minimum wage laws change frequently; confirm current rates with those sources or legal counsel before setting pay.
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