North Carolina Unemployment Calculator
Enter your wages for the four quarters of your base period to estimate your North Carolina weekly unemployment benefit, the most you could collect, and what a week of part-time work does to it. The figures follow DES's published formula, checked November 6, 2026.
North Carolina unemployment at a glance
- Maximum a week
- $350
- Minimum a week
- $15
- Weeks
- 12–20
- Waiting week
- Yes, unpaid
Example: $6,500 in each base-period quarter ($26,000 a year) gives an estimated $250 a week and up to $3,000.00 for the benefit year. Sources: North Carolina Division of Employment Security and the other official sources listed below, checked November 6, 2026.
Enter gross wages for each of the four quarters in your base period, usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file.
Gross pay for a week you work part time while claiming.
- Weekly benefit
- $259
- Most for the benefit year
- $3,108.00
- Base-period wages
- $26,000.00
- Weekly range in NC
- $15–$350
- Last two base-period quarters $13,500 ÷ 52 = $2.60, rounded down: $259.
Assumes the 12-week duration that applies when North Carolina's unemployment rate is 5.5% or less: 12 × $259.
This is an estimate for information only, not legal or benefits advice. The North Carolina Division of Employment Security decides whether you are eligible and how much you receive, based on the wages your employers reported and the reason you left work.
How North Carolina works out your weekly benefit
North Carolina adds the wages from the last two completed quarters of your base period, divides by 52 and rounds down to the dollar, up to $350 a week. Under $15 means no benefit.
You need wages in at least two base-period quarters, and total base-period wages of at least six times the state's average weekly insured wage.
North Carolina's $350 maximum and $15 minimum are set in state law (G.S. 96-14.2) and are not indexed. They change only if the General Assembly amends the law; no change for 2027 had been enacted when we checked.
North Carolina weekly unemployment by quarterly pay
| Pay per quarter | Per year | Weekly benefit | Most for the year |
|---|---|---|---|
| $2,000 | $8,000 | $76 | $912.00 |
| $3,000 | $12,000 | $115 | $1,380.00 |
| $4,000 | $16,000 | $153 | $1,836.00 |
| $5,000 | $20,000 | $192 | $2,304.00 |
| $6,500 | $26,000 | $250 | $3,000.00 |
| $8,000 | $32,000 | $307 | $3,684.00 |
| $10,000 | $40,000 | $350 (max) | $4,200.00 |
| $12,500 | $50,000 | $350 (max) | $4,200.00 |
| $15,000 | $60,000 | $350 (max) | $4,200.00 |
Same pay in all four quarters, claim filed now. With equal quarters you reach the $350 maximum at about $9,100 a quarter.The yearly figure assumes the shortest duration (12 weeks), which applies when the state's unemployment rate is low. This is an estimate for information only; the DES decides your actual amount.
Weeks, waiting week and part-time work
- How long benefits last
- Between 12 and 20 weeks, depending on the statewide unemployment rate, which DES sets each January 1 and July 1: 12 weeks when the rate is 5.5% or less. DES's own FAQ currently gives the maximum as 12 weeks.
- Waiting week
- North Carolina requires an unpaid waiting week; you still file a weekly certification for it.
- Part-time earnings
- If you work part time, earnings above 20% of your weekly benefit are subtracted from it, rounded down to the dollar.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- N.C. G.S. 96-14.2 — Weekly benefit amountWages in the last two completed quarters of the base period ÷ 52, rounded down; not over $350; under $15 is not eligible; partial benefit reduced by earnings over 20% of the weekly benefit, rounded down.
- N.C. G.S. Chapter 96, Article 2C (96-14.1, 96-14.3)One-week waiting period; 12 weeks when the unemployment rate is 5.5% or less, up to 20 weeks above 9%; wages in two quarters and at least six times the average weekly insured wage.
- DES — Unemployment Benefits FAQsBetween $15 and $350 a week; between 12 and 20 weeks, recalculated January 1 and July 1; the maximum number of weeks is 12; an unpaid waiting week is required.
Checked November 6, 2026.
This is an estimate for information only, not legal or benefits advice. The North Carolina Division of Employment Security decides whether you qualify and the amount you receive.