North Carolina's janitorial workforce earns a statewide mean and median hourly wage of $15.69 (BLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 37-2011) — well above the federal $7.25/hr floor but below the national median of $17.27/hr, consistent with the state's traditionally lower-wage Southeast position. The state has not enacted its own minimum wage, defaulting to the federal rate, but strong population and economic growth in the Charlotte and Research Triangle Park corridors has pushed market wages substantially above the legal minimum.
What employers should plan for
- Floor: $7.25/hr federal (N.C. Gen. Stat. §95-25.3; state minimum = federal rate). North Carolina has not enacted an independent minimum wage. However, market wages for commercial cleaning start at $11–$13/hr even in lower-cost markets.
- Local floors: No North Carolina city or county has enacted a local minimum wage ordinance above the federal rate. Chapel Hill and Asheville have discussed living wage policies for city contractors but have not enacted generally applicable ordinances.
- Loaded labor rate: Commercial cleaning bids in North Carolina run approximately $23–$30/hr total loaded cost. Charlotte and Triangle (Raleigh/Durham) markets run $25–$32/hr; rural markets start near $22/hr.
- Workers' comp class 9014 — Note: In North Carolina, class code 9014 is classified as "Chimney Cleaning — Residential" (not the standard NCCI janitorial classification). The NC-specific janitorial services class code is different; consult NCRB (North Carolina Rate Bureau) for the correct rate. Standard NC commercial janitorial rates per Oregon DCBS 2024 comparison: approximately $2.24/$100 payroll for the equivalent janitorial classification.
High-wage metros vs. low-wage metros
Durham-Chapel Hill MSA leads the state at median $17.14/hr (10th: $13.55, 25th: $14.83, 75th: $18.50, 90th: $19.77), driven by Research Triangle Park's pharmaceutical and technology complex, Duke University, and UNC medical/research facilities with above-market facility cleaning contracts. Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia MSA follows at median $16.57/hr (10th: $11.78, 25th: $13.99, 75th: $17.81, 90th: $20.69) — the state's largest and fastest-growing commercial real estate market. On the low end, Rocky Mount MSA posts median $14.15/hr (10th: $9.97 — well below minimum wage, reflecting part-time workers) and Jacksonville NC MSA is the lowest in the state at $13.96/hr (10th: $10.74, 75th: $15.81), reflecting the military base economy around Camp Lejeune.
Wage percentile distribution (BLS OEWS 2024)
- 10th percentile: $11.41/hr
- 25th percentile: $13.56/hr
- Median (50th): $15.69/hr
- 75th percentile: $17.36/hr
- 90th percentile: $19.56/hr
North Carolina's $8.15/hr spread from 10th to 90th is moderate. The 10th percentile at $11.41/hr reflects part-time and rural workers significantly above the $7.25 federal minimum but below market norms for full-time commercial cleaning. The $2.13/hr spread between 25th and median suggests a large volume of workers in the $13.50–$16.00/hr range — likely the core commercial cleaning workforce in secondary cities and rural markets.
Union presence
North Carolina has one of the nation's lowest union densities at approximately 2.4% statewide (BLS 2024). As a right-to-work state, NC has historically been resistant to union organizing. SEIU 32BJ has no established commercial cleaning presence in North Carolina. UNITE HERE has a small presence in Charlotte and Raleigh hotel properties but does not represent general commercial cleaners. The Charlotte commercial real estate market — growing rapidly with major corporate relocations — is entirely non-union for commercial cleaning services. Wages are purely market-driven.
What this means for bid math
North Carolina offers some of the most favorable commercial cleaning cost structures in the Southeast. The $15.69/hr median wage combined with moderate workers' comp rates (~$2.24/$100 equivalent) and no union premium obligations produces total loaded labor costs of approximately $23–$29/hr (1.47–1.85× base). Charlotte and Research Triangle bids should budget $16–$17/hr as competitive base rates; rural and military market contracts can be priced at $13–$15/hr. The wide geographic spread in NC (nearly $3/hr median difference between Durham and Jacksonville) requires location-specific pricing for multi-site statewide contracts. No union complications, no local minimum wage ordinances, and a right-to-work environment make NC one of the simpler labor compliance environments in this batch.
Primary sources
- O*NET Local Wages — North Carolina (BLS OEWS May 2024 data)
- DOL WHD State Minimum Wage Laws
- NC Department of Labor — Wage and Hour Act
- Commercial Cleaning Licensing in North Carolina →
- OSHA Compliance for Janitorial in North Carolina →
- Workers' Comp Class 9014 in North Carolina →