Tax year 2026 · Updated September 3, 2026
North Carolina Hourly Paycheck Calculator
Enter your hourly rate, hours and overtime to see what lands in your account each pay period in North Carolina. North Carolina's flat rate keeps falling under a 2023 law and is 3.99% for 2026.
| Line | Per paycheck | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $880.00 | $45,760.00 |
| Pre-tax retirement | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Health, HSA, FSA (pre-tax) | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Federal income tax | $63.68 | $3,311.20 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | $54.56 | $2,837.12 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | $12.76 | $663.52 |
| North Carolina income tax | $25.33 | $1,317.10 |
| After-tax deductions | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Take-home pay | $723.67 | $37,631.06 |
Federal withholding follows IRS Publication 15-T for a 2020-or-later W-4. Social Security applies to the first $184,500 of wages in 2026. North Carolina tax uses the 2026 rate schedule (top rate 3.99%).
Hourly wage to take-home pay in North Carolina (2026)
Weekly take-home pay for a single filer working 40 hours with a standard W-4 and no pre-tax deductions.
| Hourly rate | Gross per week | Take-home per week | Take-home per year | Effective tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $15.00 / hour | $600.00 | $509.87 | $26,513 | 15.0% |
| $20.00 / hour | $800.00 | $662.59 | $34,454 | 17.2% |
| $25.00 / hour | $1,000.00 | $815.31 | $42,396 | 18.5% |
| $30.00 / hour | $1,200.00 | $968.03 | $50,337 | 19.3% |
North Carolina taxes on hourly pay
North Carolina has a flat income tax of 3.99%. Because the rate is flat, your marginal and effective state rates are close together; deductions and exemptions are what separate them.
Before the rates apply, North Carolina allows a standard deduction of $12,750 for single filers and $25,500 for joint filers. The calculator applies these automatically based on your filing status and the dependents you enter.
| Rate | Single filers and joint filers |
|---|---|
| 3.99% | over $0 |
Standard deduction: $12,750 single, $25,500 joint. Married filing separately and head of household use the single schedule in this estimate.
Frequently asked questions
How is hourly take-home pay calculated in North Carolina?
Gross pay is your hourly rate × hours, with overtime hours at 1.5× your rate. The calculator annualises that amount, works out federal withholding under IRS Publication 15-T, applies Social Security (6.2%) and Medicare (1.45%), then applies North Carolina's 2026 income tax rates, deductions and exemptions, and divides everything back into your pay period.
What is $20 an hour after taxes in North Carolina?
At 40 hours a week, $20 an hour is $800.00 gross per week. For a single filer with a standard W-4 in 2026, take-home pay is about $662.59 a week, or $34,454 a year (an effective tax rate of 17.2%).
How is overtime taxed in North Carolina?
Overtime is taxed like any other wages: it is added to your gross pay before federal, FICA and North Carolina taxes are calculated. A large overtime week can push more of your pay into a higher federal withholding band for that period, which is why the withholding on an overtime-heavy paycheck looks disproportionately high; it evens out on your annual return.
Does North Carolina have state income tax on hourly wages?
Yes. North Carolina withholds income tax from hourly wages at a flat 3.99% after its deductions and exemptions, exactly as it does for salaried employees.
How many hours count as full time for this calculator?
The calculator uses whatever you enter. 40 hours is the usual full-time week; hours above 40 in a workweek are paid at 1.5× under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act for non-exempt employees, and some states have daily overtime rules the calculator does not model.
Related calculators
- North Carolina salary paycheck calculatorAnnual salary to take-home pay
- Hours worked calculatorAdd up a time card
- Pay raise calculatorRaise as $ per hour or %
- Federal income tax calculator
- Texas hourly paycheck calculator
- Florida hourly paycheck calculator
- California hourly paycheck calculator
- New York hourly paycheck calculator
- Illinois hourly paycheck calculator
- Pennsylvania hourly paycheck calculator
Hourly paycheck calculators for other states
- AlabamaUp to 5%
- AlaskaNo income tax
- ArizonaFlat 2.5%
- ArkansasUp to 3.9%
- CaliforniaUp to 13.3%
- ColoradoFlat 4.4%
- ConnecticutUp to 6.99%
- DelawareUp to 6.6%
- District of ColumbiaUp to 10.75%
- FloridaNo income tax
- GeorgiaFlat 5.19%
- HawaiiUp to 11%
- IdahoFlat 5.3%
- IllinoisFlat 4.95%
- IndianaFlat 2.95%
- IowaFlat 3.8%
- KansasUp to 5.58%
- KentuckyFlat 3.5%
- LouisianaFlat 3%
- MaineUp to 7.15%
- MarylandUp to 6.5%
- MassachusettsUp to 9%
- MichiganFlat 4.25%
- MinnesotaUp to 9.85%
- MississippiFlat 4%
- MissouriUp to 4.7%
- MontanaUp to 5.65%
- NebraskaUp to 4.55%
- NevadaNo income tax
- New HampshireNo income tax
- New JerseyUp to 10.75%
- New MexicoUp to 5.9%
- New YorkUp to 10.9%
- North DakotaUp to 2.5%
- OhioFlat 2.75%
- OklahomaUp to 4.5%
- OregonUp to 9.9%
- PennsylvaniaFlat 3.07%
- Rhode IslandUp to 5.99%
- South CarolinaUp to 6%
- South DakotaNo income tax
- TennesseeNo income tax
- TexasNo income tax
- UtahFlat 4.5%
- VermontUp to 8.75%
- VirginiaUp to 5.75%
- WashingtonNo income tax
- West VirginiaUp to 4.82%
- WisconsinUp to 7.65%
- WyomingNo income tax
Sources and updates
Figures are for tax year 2026 and were checked against the sources below on . Rates change every January; we review every data file at the start of each year and whenever a state announces a mid-year change.
- Tax Foundation, State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026 (as of Jan 1, 2026)
- North Carolina Department of Revenue, withholding
- IRS, Revenue Procedure 2025-32: tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026 (standard deduction, rate brackets)
- IRS Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods, Worksheet 1A percentage method for automated payroll systems
- Social Security Administration, 2026 contribution and benefit base $184,500
- IRS Topic 751, Social Security and Medicare withholding rates (6.2% and 1.45%; Additional Medicare Tax 0.9% over $200,000)
- Tax Foundation, 2026 Tax Brackets (head of household and married filing separately thresholds)
This calculator gives estimates for information only and is not tax, legal or financial advice. Your employer's payroll system, local taxes, benefits and year-to-date wages can change the exact amounts on your pay stub. See how we calculate.