Customer Service Representatives
Median $19.35 an hour in North Carolina · 89,510 jobs
North Carolina · 2026 take-home pay
$20 an hour after taxes in North Carolina
At $20 an hour in North Carolina you keep about $16.56 of every hour — $663 a week, $2,871 a month or $34,454 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 $20 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $41,600 | $800 | $20.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$2,812 | −$54 | −$1.35 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$2,579 | −$50 | −$1.24 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$603 | −$12 | −$0.29 |
| North Carolina income tax | −$1,151 | −$22 | −$0.55 |
| Take-home pay | $34,454 | $663 | $16.56 |
Effective tax rate 17.2% · federal bracket 12% · North Carolina bracket 3.99%.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $800.00 | $662.59 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,600.00 | $1,325.17 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,733.33 | $1,435.60 |
| Monthly (12) | $3,466.67 | $2,871.21 |
$20 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 $20 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* | $400 | $354 | $18,418 |
| 30 hours a week | $600 | $510 | $26,513 |
| 40 hours a week | $800 | $663 | $34,454 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $950 | $777 | $40,411 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $1,100 | $892 | $46,367 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $20 an hour good pay in North Carolina?
- Minimum wage: $20 an hour is 2.8 times North Carolina's minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.
- Among North Carolina workers: It's about the 37th percentile of hourly pay in North Carolina (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 37 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 $34,454 a year buys about what $36,527 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $1,040 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,436 a month for needs, $861 for wants and $574 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in North Carolina that pay about $20 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in North Carolina is within 4% of $20 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Office Clerks, General
Median $20.08 an hour in North Carolina · 67,930 jobs
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators
Median $19.39 an hour in North Carolina · 46,670 jobs
Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks
Median $20.69 an hour in North Carolina · 20,150 jobs
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders
Median $19.78 an hour in North Carolina · 11,870 jobs
Self-Enrichment Teachers
Median $20.05 an hour in North Carolina · 9,320 jobs
How North Carolina compares on $20 an hour
North Carolina ranks 25th of 51 for take-home pay on $20 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 | $16.56 | $34,454 | $7.25 | — |
| Georgia | $16.48 | $34,278 | $7.25 | −$176 a year |
| South Carolina | $16.86 | $35,068 | $7.25 | +$614 a year |
| Tennessee | $17.12 | $35,606 | $7.25 | +$1,152 a year |
| Virginia | $16.36 | $34,028 | $12.77 | −$426 a year |
How the federal tax on $41,600 ($20 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $41,600 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $25,500. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $13,100 | $1,572 |
| Total | $25,500 | $2,812 |
How the North Carolina income tax on $41,600 ($20 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $41,600 of North Carolina wages minus $12,750 standard deduction = $28,850.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 3.99% | $28,850 | $1,151 |
| Total | $28,850 | $1,151 |
Common questions
How much is $20 an hour after taxes in North Carolina?
About $16.56 for every hour you work, or $34,454 a year at 40 hours a week ($41,600 gross). Taxes take about 17.2% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $20 an hour a week after taxes in North Carolina?
About $663 a week at 40 hours, from $800 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,325.
How much is $20 an hour a month after taxes in North Carolina?
About $2,871 a month at 40 hours a week, from $3,467 gross.
Is $20 an hour good pay in North Carolina?
$20 an hour is 2.8 times North Carolina's minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. It's about the 37th percentile of hourly pay in North Carolina (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 37 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in North Carolina is $23.06. After taxes and local prices, $34,454 a year buys about what $36,527 would at national-average prices.
Is North Carolina a high-tax state for $20 an hour?
It ranks 25th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $20 an hour. The most you'd keep is $35,606 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $32,757 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates 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
- $21 an hour in North Carolina
- $22 an hour in North Carolina
- $23 an hour in North Carolina
- $24 an hour in North Carolina
$20 an hour in every state · $40,000 a year in North Carolina · $45,000 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.