Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
Median $24.77 an hour in North Carolina · 62,400 jobs
North Carolina · 2026 take-home pay
$24 an hour after taxes in North Carolina
At $24 an hour in North Carolina you keep about $19.62 of every hour — $785 a week, $3,401 a month or $40,808 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 $24 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $49,920 | $960 | $24.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$3,810 | −$73 | −$1.83 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$3,095 | −$60 | −$1.49 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$724 | −$14 | −$0.35 |
| North Carolina income tax | −$1,483 | −$29 | −$0.71 |
| Take-home pay | $40,808 | $785 | $19.62 |
Effective tax rate 18.3% · federal bracket 12% · North Carolina bracket 3.99%.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $960.00 | $784.76 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,920.00 | $1,569.52 |
| Twice a month (24) | $2,080.00 | $1,700.32 |
| Monthly (12) | $4,160.00 | $3,400.64 |
$24 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 $24 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* | $480 | $417 | $21,677 |
| 30 hours a week | $720 | $601 | $31,278 |
| 40 hours a week | $960 | $785 | $40,808 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $1,140 | $922 | $47,955 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $1,320 | $1,056 | $54,888 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $24 an hour good pay in North Carolina?
- Minimum wage: $24 an hour is 3.3 times North Carolina's minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.
- Among North Carolina workers: It's about the 52nd percentile of hourly pay in North Carolina (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 52 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 $40,808 a year buys about what $43,262 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $1,248 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,700 a month for needs, $1,020 for wants and $680 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in North Carolina that pay about $24 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in North Carolina is within 4% of $24 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
Median $23.04 an hour in North Carolina · 48,760 jobs
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
Median $23.17 an hour in North Carolina · 26,510 jobs
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
Median $23.71 an hour in North Carolina · 16,580 jobs
Carpenters
Median $23.61 an hour in North Carolina · 13,480 jobs
Correctional Officers and Jailers
Median $24.30 an hour in North Carolina · 11,900 jobs
How North Carolina compares on $24 an hour
North Carolina ranks 24th of 51 for take-home pay on $24 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 | $19.62 | $40,808 | $7.25 | — |
| Georgia | $19.49 | $40,548 | $7.25 | −$260 a year |
| South Carolina | $19.85 | $41,296 | $7.25 | +$488 a year |
| Tennessee | $20.33 | $42,291 | $7.25 | +$1,483 a year |
| Virginia | $19.34 | $40,234 | $12.77 | −$574 a year |
How the federal tax on $49,920 ($24 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $49,920 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $33,820. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $21,420 | $2,570 |
| Total | $33,820 | $3,810 |
How the North Carolina income tax on $49,920 ($24 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $49,920 of North Carolina wages minus $12,750 standard deduction = $37,170.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 3.99% | $37,170 | $1,483 |
| Total | $37,170 | $1,483 |
Common questions
How much is $24 an hour after taxes in North Carolina?
About $19.62 for every hour you work, or $40,808 a year at 40 hours a week ($49,920 gross). Taxes take about 18.3% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $24 an hour a week after taxes in North Carolina?
About $785 a week at 40 hours, from $960 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,570.
How much is $24 an hour a month after taxes in North Carolina?
About $3,401 a month at 40 hours a week, from $4,160 gross.
Is $24 an hour good pay in North Carolina?
$24 an hour is 3.3 times North Carolina's minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. It's about the 52nd percentile of hourly pay in North Carolina (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 52 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in North Carolina is $23.06. After taxes and local prices, $40,808 a year buys about what $43,262 would at national-average prices.
Is North Carolina a high-tax state for $24 an hour?
It ranks 24th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $24 an hour. The most you'd keep is $42,291 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $38,743 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in North Carolina
- $20 an hour in North Carolina
- $21 an hour in North Carolina
- $22 an hour in North Carolina
- $23 an hour in North Carolina
- $25 an hour in North Carolina
- $26 an hour in North Carolina
- $27 an hour in North Carolina
- $28 an hour in North Carolina
$24 an hour in every state · $45,000 a year in North Carolina · $50,000 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.