United States · Calculator

North Carolina Paycheck Calculator 2026

Enter your pay and filing details to see what a North Carolina paycheck looks like after federal tax, FICA and North Carolina income tax for tax year 2026.

Tax year 2026 · IRS Publication 15-T (2026) · IRS Publication 15 (2026) · North Carolina Department of Revenue, NC-30 (2026) · checked September 29, 2026Sources

Each state has its own page and its own tax rules.

Your gross pay before any tax or deduction.

Pay type

Salary is a yearly amount; hourly is an amount per hour.

Shown for hourly pay. Enter your usual total weekly hours; overtime pay follows the U.S. Department of Labor, Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

How often you are paid: weekly, biweekly (every two weeks), semimonthly (twice a month) or monthly.

Filing status

As marked in Step 1(c) of your 2020-or-later Form W-4: single or married filing separately, married filing jointly, or head of household.

More deductions 401(k), HSA, W-4 steps 3–4, state form

The share of each paycheck sent to a traditional 401(k) before tax. It lowers federal and North Carolina taxable wages, not Social Security or Medicare wages.

Health savings account contributions made through payroll under a cafeteria plan.

Health, dental or vision premiums and similar deductions taken before tax.

The total from Step 3 of your Form W-4.

Income not from jobs that you asked to have withholding on.

Deductions beyond the standard deduction, as entered on your W-4.

Any additional federal amount withheld each pay period.

The filing status on your California Form DE 4, Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate. It can differ from your federal W-4.

The filing status on your New York Form IT-2104, Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate. It can differ from your federal W-4.

The filing status on your New Jersey Form NJ-W4.

The filing status on your North Carolina Form NC-4 or NC-4 EZ, which can differ from your federal W-4.

The Georgia filing status on Form G-4, Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate. It sets the Georgia standard deduction used in withholding.

The rate table letter selected on Form NJ-W4, if you chose one; otherwise the table set by your filing status is used.

New York City, Yonkers, or elsewhere. New York City and Yonkers taxes are withheld from residents; the choice follows your home address, not your office.

Tick this if you work in Yonkers but live outside it. Yonkers withholds a nonresident earnings tax on those wages.

The number on Line 1 of your Form IL-W-4, Employee's and other Payee's Illinois Withholding Allowance Certificate. With no IL-W-4 on file, your employer uses zero.

The number on Line 2 of your IL-W-4, for age 65 or older, legal blindness, or the same for your spouse. Each one lowers the wages Illinois tax is figured on by $1,000 a year (Illinois Department of Revenue, IL-700-T (2026)).

The number of allowances claimed on Form DE 4. Each allowance lowers California withholding by $168.30 a year (EDD, California Employer's Guide (DE 44) (2026)).

Extra allowances claimed on Form DE 4 for itemized deductions.

The number of New York allowances claimed on Form IT-2104 (the same count applies to New York City and Yonkers withholding).

The number of New Jersey withholding allowances claimed.

The number of North Carolina withholding allowances claimed on Form NC-4.

The number of dependents claimed on Form G-4.

The number of personal and dependent exemptions claimed on Form VA-4, Employee's Virginia Income Tax Withholding Exemption Certificate.

Exemptions for age or blindness, claimed separately on Form VA-4.

The number of Ohio exemptions claimed on Form IT 4, Employee's Withholding Exemption Certificate.

The number of exemptions claimed on Form MI-W4, Employee's Michigan Withholding Exemption Certificate.

Detroit is the only Michigan city included so far: say whether you live there or only work there, because residents and non-residents pay different rates. Other Michigan cities with an income tax are being added.

For people who live or work in Philadelphia, the city's wage tax applies in place of the usual local earned income tax withholding, with separate resident and non-resident rates.

Any extra North Carolina amount you asked your employer to withhold.

North Carolina taxes wages at a single flat rate of 3.99% for 2026 (North Carolina Department of Revenue, NC-30 (2026)), with no city or county income tax.

Take-home pay per paycheck live

$1,864.07

$48,465.82 a year · every 2 weeks (26 paychecks)

  • Gross pay per paycheck$2,307.69
  • Federal income tax−$193.08
  • Social Security−$143.08
  • Medicare−$33.46
  • North Carolina income tax−$74.00
  • Take-home pay per paycheck$1,864.07
  • Take-home pay per year$48,465.82

Estimate for tax year 2026 based on IRS Publication 15-T (2026) · IRS Publication 15 (2026) · North Carolina Department of Revenue, NC-30 (2026). Not tax, legal or financial advice. Your employer's payroll may differ.

Compare two scenarios

Put a North Carolina job next to the same pay in another state, such as South Carolina or Virginia, and share the link that keeps both.

A blank paycheck stub lying on an office desk beside a pen.

How it works

The calculator starts with your gross pay for one pay period, subtracts the pre-tax deductions you entered, and then works out each tax separately. Federal income tax follows the percentage method in IRS Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods, using your W-4 entries. Social Security is 6.2% of wages up to $184,500 for the year (SSA; IRS Publication 15 (2026)). Medicare is 1.45% of all wages, plus Additional Medicare Tax of 0.9% on wages over $200,000 (IRS Publication 15 (2026)).

North Carolina income tax follows the withholding formula in North Carolina Department of Revenue, NC-30 (2026): your annual wages, less the North Carolina standard deduction for your NC-4 filing status ($12,750 for single filers) and any allowances, are taxed at the flat rate of 3.99%. North Carolina has no local income tax and no state disability or family leave deduction from employee pay.

Not included: 401(k) catch-up limits, garnishments, union dues, after-tax Roth contributions, tips, bonuses taxed as supplemental wages, and year-end credits or refunds. Your employer's payroll may round differently.

Worked example

Take a $60,000 salary paid biweekly, filing single on both the W-4 and the NC-4, with no other deductions. Gross pay is $2,307.69 per paycheck. Federal income tax withholding comes to $193.08, Social Security to $143.08 and Medicare to $33.46. North Carolina withholding at the flat rate is $74.00. Take-home pay is $1,864.07 per paycheck, or $48,465.82 over the year's 26 paychecks.

Frequently asked questions

Does North Carolina have a flat income tax?

Yes. For 2026 North Carolina applies one rate, 3.99%, to taxable wages at every income level (North Carolina Department of Revenue, NC-30 (2026)).

Do North Carolina cities or counties tax wages?

No. Charlotte, Raleigh and other North Carolina localities do not levy a local income tax, so a paycheck shows only federal, FICA and state tax lines.

What is the NC-4 and how is it different from the W-4?

Form NC-4 is North Carolina's employee withholding allowance certificate, and it sets state withholding the way the W-4 sets federal withholding. The calculator lets you enter NC-4 filing status and allowances separately from your W-4.

Is a 401(k) contribution pre-tax for North Carolina?

Yes. Traditional 401(k) contributions reduce the wages North Carolina taxes, the same way they reduce federal taxable wages.

How much is the North Carolina standard deduction in 2026?

It is $12,750 for a single filer and $12,750 for married filing jointly (North Carolina Department of Revenue, NC-30 (2026)).