$18 an hour after tax in North Carolina
2026 take-home pay for a full-time worker (40 hours a week), single filer, after federal tax, state tax, Social Security and Medicare.
$18 an hour in North Carolina is $15.04 an hour after tax — $601 a week or $31,278 a year.
$37,440 a year before tax · total tax $6,162 · effective rate 16.5%
Where your $18 an hour goes
Full time, single filer, no 401(k) contributions, 2026 rates.
| Year | Week | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $37,440 | $720 |
| Federal income tax | −$2,313 | −$44 |
| Social Security | −$2,321 | −$45 |
| Medicare | −$543 | −$10 |
| North Carolina income tax | −$985 | −$19 |
| Take-home pay | $31,278 | $601 |
$18 an hour in other states
North Carolina ranks #27 of the 50 states and DC for take-home pay at $18 an hour. In Alaska and the other states without an income tax you'd keep $985 more a year.
| State | Per hour | Per year | vs. NC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | $15.51 | $32,263 | +$985 |
| Florida | $15.51 | $32,263 | +$985 |
| California | $15.06 | $31,330 | +$53 |
| New York | $14.73 | $30,645 | −$633 |
| Illinois | $14.69 | $30,555 | −$723 |
| Pennsylvania | $14.78 | $30,739 | −$539 |
Adjust for your situation
Change your hours, filing status, city or 401(k) contributions.
Earning $37,440 a year in North Carolina as a single filer, you take home about $31,278 a year, or $1,203 every two weeks. Federal income tax takes $2,313, Social Security and Medicare $2,864, and North Carolina takes $985 in income tax. That is an effective tax rate of 16.5%. At your federal marginal rate of 12%, each extra $100 you earn adds about $76 to your take-home pay.
Compare with another state
Same salary and settings, take-home per paycheck.
| Item | A | B | Difference |
|---|
Frequently asked questions
How much is $18 an hour after taxes in North Carolina?
Working full time (40 hours a week), $18 an hour in North Carolina comes to $37,440 a year before tax and about $31,278 after tax. That's $15.04 an hour, $601 a week or $1,203 every two weeks for a single filer.
How much is $18 an hour a year?
$18 an hour × 40 hours × 52 weeks = $37,440 a year before tax. After federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and North Carolina taxes you keep about $31,278, an overall tax rate of 16.5%.
What if I work part time?
At 30 hours a week, $18 an hour is $28,080 a year, or about $24,122 after tax — $464 a week.
How much do I keep from overtime?
Overtime at time and a half is $27.00 an hour before tax. At this income you keep about $20.62 of each overtime hour after federal, state and payroll taxes. This doesn't include the federal deduction for qualified overtime pay that some workers can claim on their tax return.
What if I'm married?
If you're married filing jointly and this is your household's only income, you'd take home about $33,575 a year in North Carolina, $2,298 more than a single filer.