By State · North Carolina

Women in North Carolina: Pay, Representation, and Firsts

Everything the data says about women in North Carolina — pay, legislature representation, historical firsts, and how the state ranks against the rest of the US.

84.9%
Women’s earnings as % of men’s in North Carolina
Census ACS S2001
#13
of 51 US jurisdictions for pay equity (1 = highest)
Computed from state ratios
29.4%
Women in the North Carolina state legislature
CAWP Rutgers 2024
#29
Rank for women’s legislative representation
Computed from CAWP data
4
Women from North Carolina in 119th US Congress
CAWP 2025
2009
Year of first woman governor
CAWP State Executive

Where North Carolina sits

Women in North Carolina earn 84.9 cents for every dollar men earn — a gap of 15.1%. That puts North Carolina #13 out of the 51 US jurisdictions on pay equity. The women-in-legislature figure of 29.4% ranks North Carolina #29 nationally.

Notable firsts & figures

Beverly Perdue (2009-13) — first woman governor. Thom Tillis and the current Senate delegation has not yet included a woman as of 2024; Kay Hagan (2009-15) was the most recent.

Professions in North Carolina

State-adjusted pay and gap figures for women in 20 common professions in North Carolina. Each page combines national BLS medians with North Carolina’s Census ACS wage environment.

SurgeonsWomen surgeons in North CarolinaDoctorsWomen doctors in North CarolinaLawyersWomen lawyers in North CarolinaRegistered NursesWomen nurses in North CarolinaSoftware DevelopersWomen software developers in North CarolinaChief ExecutivesWomen CEOs in North CarolinaEngineersWomen engineers in North CarolinaElementary TeachersWomen teachers in North CarolinaAccountantsWomen accountants in North CarolinaProfessorsWomen professors in North CarolinaDentistsWomen dentists in North CarolinaPharmacistsWomen pharmacists in North CarolinaArchitectsWomen architects in North CarolinaPsychologistsWomen psychologists in North CarolinaAirline PilotsWomen airline pilots in North CarolinaElectriciansWomen electricians in North CarolinaPlumbersWomen plumbers in North CarolinaPolice OfficersWomen police officers in North CarolinaJournalistsWomen journalists in North CarolinaFinancial AnalystsWomen financial analysts in North Carolina

Fields in North Carolina

AcademiaWomen in Academia in North CarolinaConstruction and the Skilled Trades (2026)Women in Construction and the Skilled Trades (2026) in North CarolinaEngineeringWomen in Engineering in North CarolinaFinanceWomen in Finance in North CarolinaLawWomen in Law in North CarolinaMedicineWomen in Medicine in North CarolinaSportsWomen in Sports in North CarolinaTechWomen in Tech in North CarolinaUS PoliticsWomen in US Politics in North Carolina

Related national data

HistoricalWomen at work, 2000 NationalWomen in US politics ToolPay Gap Lookup (North Carolina) CompareWomen vs men at work HubAll 51 US states

Frequently asked

What is the gender pay gap in North Carolina?

Women in North Carolina earn 84.9% of what men earn — a gap of 15.1%. Census ACS S2001 data.

How many women are in North Carolina’s state legislature?

29.4% of North Carolina state legislators are women — rank #29 nationally among 51 US jurisdictions (CAWP 2024).

Has North Carolina elected a woman governor?

Yes — the first woman governor of North Carolina took office in 2009.

Has North Carolina elected a woman US Senator?

Yes — the first woman US Senator from North Carolina took office in 2015.

How many women does North Carolina send to Congress?

4 women from North Carolina serve in the 119th US Congress (House + Senate, 2025-27).