2022 North Carolina Minimum Wage
The 2022 North Carolina Minimum Wage is $7.25.
Effective 2022-01-01Source: Minimum Wage in N.C. (North Carolina Department of Labor)Verified 2026-08-30
Compared with 2021
Every figure on this page is unchanged from 2021.
| Item | 2021 | 2022 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $7.25 | $7.25 | +$0 (+0.0%) |
Who it applies to
Employers doing business in North Carolina, including the state, county and local governments, and instrumentalities of government.
What changed this year, and why
The minimum wage in North Carolina remained at $7.25 per hour in 2022, unchanged from 2021.
Common questions
- What is the minimum wage in North Carolina for 2022?
- The minimum wage in North Carolina is $7.25 per hour in 2022.
- Did the minimum wage change from 2021 to 2022?
- No. The minimum wage was $7.25 per hour in 2021 and remained $7.25 per hour in 2022.
When a city or county sets a higher minimum wage
North Carolina’s state minimum wage of $7.25 per hour applies not only to private employers but also to the state itself, county governments, local governments, and instrumentalities of government. This means that if you work for a city, county, or state agency in North Carolina, your employer must pay you at least $7.25 per hour. The state rate sets the floor for public-sector workers across the state.
The $7.25 per hour state minimum wage also applies to the state of North Carolina, to county and local governments and to instrumentalities of government.
Minimum Wage in N.C. (North Carolina Department of Labor)
Who to ask about this rate, and where to take a wage complaint
If you have questions about your right to receive at least $7.25 per hour in North Carolina, or if you believe your employer has not paid you the correct minimum wage, you can contact the North Carolina Department of Labor. The agency provides a toll-free hotline for workplace rights: 1-800-NC-LABOR (1-800-625-2267). You can call this number to get information about minimum wage rules, ask about your specific situation, or find out how to file a wage complaint if you believe you have not been paid properly.
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 minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. The state rate is the same as the current federal minimum wage. When a state sets its rate at or above the federal floor, workers in that state are entitled to whichever rate is higher. Because North Carolina’s rate matches the federal rate, covered employees in the state are guaranteed at least $7.25 per hour under both state and federal law. Agricultural and domestic employees, however, are subject only to the federal minimum wage rather than the state rate.
The minimum wage in North Carolina is currently $7.25 an hour. 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
In North Carolina, employers of tipped employees may pay a cash wage of $2.13 per hour, but only if the employee's tips bring total hourly earnings to at least $7.25. If tips fall short, the employer must increase the cash wage to cover the gap. Before taking this tip credit, the employer must notify the employee in advance, let the employee keep all tips, and keep accurate, complete records of tips certified by the employee each pay period or monthly. In businesses covered by NCDOL (generally those with gross sales under $500,000), tip pooling is allowed as long as tipped employees retain at least 85 percent of all tips received, and the employer must track and record the tips earned under the pooling arrangement.
In businesses that are covered by NCDOL for minimum wage (generally businesses that make less than $500,000 in gross sales), tip pooling is permitted as long as the tipped employees retain at least 85 percent of the tips they receive, which means the employer must maintain accurate and complete records of the tips received and the amount of tips earned under the tip pooling arrangement. 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
In North Carolina, the minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. Agricultural and domestic employees are not covered by this state rate; instead, they are subject to the federal minimum wage. This means that if you work on a farm or as a domestic worker in North Carolina, your employer must still pay you at least the federal rate, but the $7.25 state minimum wage that applies to most other workers does not govern your pay. The state rate of $7.25 also applies to the state itself, county governments, local governments, and instrumentalities of government operating in North Carolina.
The minimum wage in North Carolina is currently $7.25 an hour. 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