Accountants and Auditors
Median $39.45 an hour in North Carolina · 49,270 jobs
North Carolina · 2026 take-home pay
$38 an hour after taxes in North Carolina
At $38 an hour in North Carolina you keep about $29.71 of every hour — $1,188 a week, $5,149 a month or $61,790 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 $38 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $79,040 | $1,520 | $38.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$8,559 | −$165 | −$4.11 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$4,900 | −$94 | −$2.36 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$1,146 | −$22 | −$0.55 |
| North Carolina income tax | −$2,645 | −$51 | −$1.27 |
| Take-home pay | $61,790 | $1,188 | $29.71 |
Effective tax rate 21.8% · federal bracket 22% · North Carolina bracket 3.99%.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $1,520.00 | $1,188.26 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $3,040.00 | $2,376.53 |
| Twice a month (24) | $3,293.33 | $2,574.57 |
| Monthly (12) | $6,586.67 | $5,149.14 |
$38 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 $38 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* | $760 | $632 | $32,866 |
| 30 hours a week | $1,140 | $922 | $47,955 |
| 40 hours a week | $1,520 | $1,188 | $61,790 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $1,805 | $1,377 | $71,624 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $2,090 | $1,567 | $81,459 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $38 an hour good pay in North Carolina?
- Minimum wage: $38 an hour is 5.2 times North Carolina's minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.
- Among North Carolina workers: It's about the 76th percentile of hourly pay in North Carolina (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 76 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 $61,790 a year buys about what $65,507 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $1,976 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $2,575 a month for needs, $1,545 for wants and $1,030 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in North Carolina that pay about $38 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in North Carolina is within 4% of $38 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Business Operations Specialists, All Other
Median $38.57 an hour in North Carolina · 41,180 jobs
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
Median $37.70 an hour in North Carolina · 30,700 jobs
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers
Median $36.92 an hour in North Carolina · 21,110 jobs
Buyers and Purchasing Agents
Median $36.48 an hour in North Carolina · 14,290 jobs
Compliance Officers
Median $37.74 an hour in North Carolina · 11,320 jobs
How North Carolina compares on $38 an hour
North Carolina ranks 20th of 51 for take-home pay on $38 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 | $29.71 | $61,790 | $7.25 | — |
| Georgia | $29.44 | $61,239 | $7.25 | −$551 a year |
| South Carolina | $29.57 | $61,509 | $7.25 | −$281 a year |
| Tennessee | $30.98 | $64,435 | $7.25 | +$2,645 a year |
| Virginia | $29.18 | $60,704 | $12.77 | −$1,086 a year |
How the federal tax on $79,040 ($38 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $79,040 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $62,940. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $38,000 | $4,560 |
| 22% | $12,540 | $2,759 |
| Total | $62,940 | $8,559 |
How the North Carolina income tax on $79,040 ($38 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $79,040 of North Carolina wages minus $12,750 standard deduction = $66,290.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 3.99% | $66,290 | $2,645 |
| Total | $66,290 | $2,645 |
Common questions
How much is $38 an hour after taxes in North Carolina?
About $29.71 for every hour you work, or $61,790 a year at 40 hours a week ($79,040 gross). Taxes take about 21.8% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $38 an hour a week after taxes in North Carolina?
About $1,188 a week at 40 hours, from $1,520 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $2,377.
How much is $38 an hour a month after taxes in North Carolina?
About $5,149 a month at 40 hours a week, from $6,587 gross.
Is $38 an hour good pay in North Carolina?
$38 an hour is 5.2 times North Carolina's minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. It's about the 76th percentile of hourly pay in North Carolina (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 76 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in North Carolina is $23.06. After taxes and local prices, $61,790 a year buys about what $65,507 would at national-average prices.
Is North Carolina a high-tax state for $38 an hour?
It ranks 20th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $38 an hour. The most you'd keep is $64,435 a year, in 7 places including Florida, New Hampshire, Nevada; the least, $58,551 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in North Carolina
- $34 an hour in North Carolina
- $35 an hour in North Carolina
- $36 an hour in North Carolina
- $37 an hour in North Carolina
- $39 an hour in North Carolina
- $40 an hour in North Carolina
- $45 an hour in North Carolina
- $50 an hour in North Carolina
$38 an hour in every state · $75,000 a year in North Carolina · $80,000 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.