Women in North Carolina: Earnings and the Pay Gap
Measured median earnings for women and men who work full-time, year-round in North Carolina, from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2024). Every figure on this page lists its source and year.
Where North Carolina sits
In 2024, the median woman working full-time, year-round in North Carolina earned $51,711, compared with $61,870 for the median man: 83.6 cents on the dollar, a difference of $10,159. That is above the national figure of 83.1% and ranks North Carolina #17 of 51 (50 states plus DC, 1 = smallest gap). ACS figures are survey estimates with margins of error, so states with similar ratios may not differ meaningfully.
These are all-occupation medians. Part of any state gap reflects differences in the jobs and hours women and men work; the figures describe the gap, not its causes.
Professions: modeled estimates for North Carolina
There is no official state-by-profession pay gap series. The Pay Gap Lookup shows measured national BLS medians for each profession (2025) and North Carolina’s measured ACS gap, plus a clearly labeled modeled estimate: the national BLS median for women in the job, adjusted by North Carolina’s ACS women-to-men ratio relative to the national ratio. It assumes the job’s gap moves with the state’s overall gap, which may not hold.
Representation
For the current share of women in the North Carolina legislature, statewide offices, and Congress, see the Center for American Women and Politics (Rutgers), which updates these counts after each election.
Fields (national data)
Other US states
Related national data & research
Frequently asked
What is the gender pay gap in North Carolina?
In 2024, women working full-time, year-round in North Carolina had median earnings of $51,711 versus $61,870 for men, or 83.6% (Census ACS 2024 1-year, table B20017).
How does North Carolina compare with the US?
The national figure is 83.1% ($55,678 vs $66,965). North Carolina ranks #17 of 51 on this measure, before accounting for margins of error.
Are the profession figures for North Carolina measured?
No. Profession medians are national BLS figures. The North Carolina profession figures in the Pay Gap Lookup are modeled estimates and are labeled that way.