2021 North Carolina Minimum Wage
The 2021 North Carolina Minimum Wage is $7.25.
Effective 2021-01-01Source: Minimum Wage in N.C. (North Carolina Department of Labor)Verified 2026-08-30
Compared with 2020
Every figure on this page is unchanged from 2020.
| Item | 2020 | 2021 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $7.25 | $7.25 | +$0 (+0.0%) |
Who it applies to
All employees working for employers doing business in North Carolina, including the state, county and local governments, and instrumentalities of government. Agricultural and domestic employees are subject to the federal minimum wage.
What changed this year, and why
The minimum wage in North Carolina remained at $7.25 per hour for 2021, the same rate as in 2020.
Common questions
- What are the rules for tipped employees?
- Employers must pay tipped employees a reduced cash wage, provided the employee receives enough in tips to bring total earnings to at least the minimum wage. If tips are insufficient, the employer must make up the difference.
- What are the rules for tip pooling?
- Tip pooling is permitted in businesses covered by NCDOL as long as tipped employees retain the vast majority of the tips they receive.
Who to ask about this rate, and where to take a wage complaint
Workers in North Carolina with questions about minimum wage or other workplace rights should contact the N.C. Department of Labor. The department provides a toll-free telephone line for these inquiries. The phone number listed on the page is 800-625-2267. This is the office to reach for guidance on the state's $7.25 per hour minimum wage, to ask whether a particular employer is covered, or to file a wage complaint. The department also maintains a Wage and Hour division that handles training and informational presentations for employers and employees.
For more information about workplace rights, please contact our toll free number at 1-800-NC-LABOR (800-625-2267).
Minimum Wage in N.C. (North Carolina Department of Labor)
State minimum wage laws that give more than the federal rate
North Carolina's state minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, which is the same as the federal minimum wage. The page notes that agricultural and domestic employees are subject to the federal minimum wage rather than the state rate. When the state and federal rates are equal, as they are in North Carolina, workers receive $7.25 per hour regardless of which law applies. The page does not discuss what happens when a state's minimum wage is lower than the federal rate, though federal law generally requires employers to pay the higher of the two rates when both apply.
Employers doing business in North Carolina are required to pay at least $7.25 per hour to all employees (agricultural and domestic employees are subject to the federal minimum wage).
Minimum Wage in N.C. (North Carolina Department of Labor)
When tips, meals or lodging count toward the minimum wage
North Carolina allows employers to pay tipped employees a cash wage of $2.13 per hour, provided the employee's tips bring total hourly earnings to at least $7.25. If tips do not make up the difference, the employer must increase the cash wage so the employee receives the full minimum wage. To take this tip credit, the employer must notify tipped employees in advance, permit them to retain all tips, and keep accurate records of tips certified by employees each pay period. The page does not discuss whether employers may credit the value of meals or lodging toward satisfying the minimum wage obligation.
In North Carolina, an employer MUST pay at least $2.13 an hour to tipped employees as long as each employee receives enough in tips to make up the difference between the wages paid and the minimum wage ($7.25).
Minimum Wage in N.C. (North Carolina Department of Labor)
Why the federal rate applies when the state rate is lower
North Carolina's state minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, which equals the current federal minimum wage. The page notes that agricultural and domestic employees are subject to the federal minimum wage instead of the state rate. When a state minimum wage is lower than the federal rate, federal law generally requires employers to pay the higher federal amount. In North Carolina, because the state and federal rates are both $7.25, workers covered by either law receive the same hourly wage. The page does not discuss scenarios where the state rate might be below the federal floor.
Employers doing business in North Carolina are required to pay at least $7.25 per hour to all employees (agricultural and domestic employees are subject to the federal minimum wage).
Minimum Wage in N.C. (North Carolina Department of Labor)
How each figure was verified
Each number below was read from a stored copy of the document named beside it, and checked to occur word for word in the quoted sentence. The digest is of that stored text.
Minimum Wage in N.C. (North Carolina Department of Labor)
- Hourly
The minimum wage in North Carolina is currently $7.25 an hour.
Other years
Every North Carolina Minimum Wage year · Minimum Wage in every state