Waiters and Waitresses
Median $15.46 an hour in North Carolina · 71,940 jobs
North Carolina · 2026 take-home pay
$16 an hour after taxes in North Carolina
At $16 an hour in North Carolina you keep about $13.51 of every hour — $540 a week, $2,342 a month or $28,101 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 $16 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $33,280 | $640 | $16.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$1,814 | −$35 | −$0.87 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$2,063 | −$40 | −$0.99 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$483 | −$9 | −$0.23 |
| North Carolina income tax | −$819 | −$16 | −$0.39 |
| Take-home pay | $28,101 | $540 | $13.51 |
Effective tax rate 15.6% · federal bracket 12% · North Carolina bracket 3.99%.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $640.00 | $540.41 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,280.00 | $1,080.82 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,386.67 | $1,170.89 |
| Monthly (12) | $2,773.33 | $2,341.78 |
$16 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 $16 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* | $320 | $291 | $15,158 |
| 30 hours a week | $480 | $417 | $21,677 |
| 40 hours a week | $640 | $540 | $28,101 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $760 | $632 | $32,866 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $880 | $724 | $37,631 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $16 an hour good pay in North Carolina?
- Minimum wage: $16 an hour is 2.2 times North Carolina's minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.
- Among North Carolina workers: It's about the 19th percentile of hourly pay in North Carolina (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 19 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 $28,101 a year buys about what $29,792 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $832 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,171 a month for needs, $703 for wants and $468 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in North Carolina that pay about $16 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in North Carolina is within 4% of $16 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
Median $16.59 an hour in North Carolina · 53,330 jobs
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term
Median $16.24 an hour in North Carolina · 20,360 jobs
Packers and Packagers, Hand
Median $16.52 an hour in North Carolina · 19,600 jobs
Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment
Median $16.09 an hour in North Carolina · 13,820 jobs
Parts Salespersons
Median $15.61 an hour in North Carolina · 11,460 jobs
How North Carolina compares on $16 an hour
North Carolina ranks 28th of 51 for take-home pay on $16 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 | $13.51 | $28,101 | $7.25 | — |
| Georgia | $13.47 | $28,008 | $7.25 | −$93 a year |
| South Carolina | $13.73 | $28,557 | $7.25 | +$456 a year |
| Tennessee | $13.90 | $28,920 | $7.25 | +$819 a year |
| Virginia | $13.38 | $27,821 | $12.77 | −$280 a year |
How the federal tax on $33,280 ($16 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $33,280 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $17,180. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $4,780 | $574 |
| Total | $17,180 | $1,814 |
How the North Carolina income tax on $33,280 ($16 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $33,280 of North Carolina wages minus $12,750 standard deduction = $20,530.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 3.99% | $20,530 | $819 |
| Total | $20,530 | $819 |
Common questions
How much is $16 an hour after taxes in North Carolina?
About $13.51 for every hour you work, or $28,101 a year at 40 hours a week ($33,280 gross). Taxes take about 15.6% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $16 an hour a week after taxes in North Carolina?
About $540 a week at 40 hours, from $640 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,081.
How much is $16 an hour a month after taxes in North Carolina?
About $2,342 a month at 40 hours a week, from $2,773 gross.
Is $16 an hour good pay in North Carolina?
$16 an hour is 2.2 times North Carolina's minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. It's about the 19th percentile of hourly pay in North Carolina (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 19 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in North Carolina is $23.06. After taxes and local prices, $28,101 a year buys about what $29,792 would at national-average prices.
Is North Carolina a high-tax state for $16 an hour?
It ranks 28th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $16 an hour. The most you'd keep is $28,920 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $26,771 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
- $15 an hour in North Carolina
- $17 an hour in North Carolina
- $18 an hour in North Carolina
- $19 an hour in North Carolina
- $20 an hour in North Carolina
$16 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.