Retail Salespersons
Median $15.08 an hour in North Carolina · 127,540 jobs
North Carolina · 2026 take-home pay
$15 an hour after taxes in North Carolina
At $15 an hour in North Carolina you keep about $12.75 of every hour — $510 a week, $2,209 a month or $26,513 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and North Carolina income tax. North Carolina has a flat 3.99% income tax, and its minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.
Where $15 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $31,200 | $600 | $15.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$1,564 | −$30 | −$0.75 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$1,934 | −$37 | −$0.93 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$452 | −$9 | −$0.22 |
| North Carolina income tax | −$736 | −$14 | −$0.35 |
| Take-home pay | $26,513 | $510 | $12.75 |
Effective tax rate 15% · federal bracket 12% · North Carolina bracket 3.99%.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $600.00 | $509.87 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,200.00 | $1,019.73 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,300.00 | $1,104.71 |
| Monthly (12) | $2,600.00 | $2,209.42 |
$15 an hour at different hours
Take-home in North Carolina for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $15 an hour for hours over 40, as federal law requires for most hourly workers.
| Schedule | Gross a week | Take-home a week | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 hours a week* | $300 | $275 | $14,293 |
| 30 hours a week | $450 | $393 | $20,455 |
| 40 hours a week | $600 | $510 | $26,513 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $713 | $596 | $30,980 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $825 | $682 | $35,447 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $15 an hour good pay in North Carolina?
- Minimum wage: $15 an hour is 2.1 times North Carolina's minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.
- Among North Carolina workers: It's about the 15th percentile of hourly pay in North Carolina (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 15 in 100 workers earn less. The median is $23.06 an hour.
- Local prices: North Carolina's price level is 94.3% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $26,513 a year buys about what $28,108 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $780 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,105 a month for needs, $663 for wants and $442 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in North Carolina that pay about $15 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in North Carolina is within 4% of $15 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Waiters and Waitresses
Median $15.46 an hour in North Carolina · 71,940 jobs
Home Health and Personal Care Aides
Median $15.02 an hour in North Carolina · 58,880 jobs
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
Median $15.05 an hour in North Carolina · 33,080 jobs
Food Preparation Workers
Median $14.55 an hour in North Carolina · 24,960 jobs
Dishwashers
Median $14.59 an hour in North Carolina · 12,050 jobs
How North Carolina compares on $15 an hour
North Carolina ranks 30th of 51 for take-home pay on $15 an hour (1st = keeps the most). Here it is next to its neighbors.
| State | After tax, per hour | A year | Minimum wage | vs North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | $12.75 | $26,513 | $7.25 | — |
| Georgia | $12.71 | $26,441 | $7.25 | −$72 a year |
| South Carolina | $12.95 | $26,927 | $7.25 | +$414 a year |
| Tennessee | $13.10 | $27,249 | $7.25 | +$736 a year |
| Virginia | $12.63 | $26,269 | $12.77 | −$244 a year |
How the federal tax on $31,200 ($15 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $31,200 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $15,100. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $2,700 | $324 |
| Total | $15,100 | $1,564 |
How the North Carolina income tax on $31,200 ($15 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $31,200 of North Carolina wages minus $12,750 standard deduction = $18,450.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 3.99% | $18,450 | $736 |
| Total | $18,450 | $736 |
Common questions
How much is $15 an hour after taxes in North Carolina?
About $12.75 for every hour you work, or $26,513 a year at 40 hours a week ($31,200 gross). Taxes take about 15% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $15 an hour a week after taxes in North Carolina?
About $510 a week at 40 hours, from $600 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,020.
How much is $15 an hour a month after taxes in North Carolina?
About $2,209 a month at 40 hours a week, from $2,600 gross.
Is $15 an hour good pay in North Carolina?
$15 an hour is 2.1 times North Carolina's minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. It's about the 15th percentile of hourly pay in North Carolina (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 15 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in North Carolina is $23.06. After taxes and local prices, $26,513 a year buys about what $28,108 would at national-average prices.
Is North Carolina a high-tax state for $15 an hour?
It ranks 30th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $15 an hour. The most you'd keep is $27,249 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $25,274 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in North Carolina
- $12 an hour in North Carolina
- $13 an hour in North Carolina
- $14 an hour in North Carolina
- $16 an hour in North Carolina
- $17 an hour in North Carolina
- $18 an hour in North Carolina
- $19 an hour in North Carolina
$15 an hour in every state · $30,000 a year in North Carolina · $35,000 a year in North Carolina · North Carolina paycheck calculator · All pay conversions
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, North Carolina's income tax rules (methodology). Local income taxes are not included. Minimum wages: U.S. Department of Labor. Wage distribution and jobs: BLS OEWS May 2025. Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities.
- Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods — Internal Revenue Service. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- State Minimum Wage Laws — U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- Regional Price Parities by State — U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Accessed October 14, 2026.