Atrium Health parent boosts pay for workers in Charlotte and the Carolinas
Employees making the minimum hourly starting rate for the Charlotte region’s largest hospital system are receiving pay increases this week, Advocate Health announced.
The Charlotte-based company is raising its hourly minimum wage from $17.50 to $18.85 across six states: Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Wisconsin. The increase, which affects Advocate Health employees, will be reflected in paychecks on Friday, Jan. 30.
The new wages apply to roles such as environmental services technicians, food service assistants, patient safety attendants, and equipment transporters.
The boost is part of $776 million compensation investment that also includes annual merit planning and pay-range adjustments for this year. It’s meant to ensure consistent, competitive pay for all staff members, stated Nakesha Lopez, executive vice president and chief people and culture officer.
Advocate improves employees’ health and retirement
The company is also allocating $40 million to enhance program benefits, including offering free virtual care and expanded support for mental health, women’s health and menopause care.
Advocate has steadily increased starting hourly pay since 2022, with annual raises often double the requirements of local minimum wage laws. According to company data, a full-time hourly Advocate worker now earns at least $24,000 more annually than an individual earning the federal minimum wage.
Advocate expands educational opportunities for workers
The health system is also prioritizing long-term career growth.
All full- and part-time workers now have access to up to $5,250 annually for tuition. This is an increase from $3,000 for full-time Atrium Health employees.
Nursing students have access to $7,500. These benefits are available starting on an employee’s first day and cover over 1,300 programs.
Advocate also said its student loan repayment program helped more than 4,000 employees reduce their collective debt by over $12 million last year.
Starting this year, Advocate will introduce 12 hours of annual paid time off for local volunteer work.
About Advocate Health
Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit health system in the U.S., serving 6 million patients.
The system operates 69 hospitals and more than 1,000 care locations.
Advocate partnered with Wake Forest University and Wexford Science & Technology to open the Wake Forest University School of Medicine–Charlotte, the city’s first four-year medical school, which welcomed its first class in July. The school is located in The Pearl, a $1.5 billion innovative district. Plans also include retail, offices, apartments, a parking structure and an outdoor plaza.
Atrium Health and Advocate Aurora Health completed a merger in December 2022 to form Advocate Health. The hospital system maintained its brands after coming together. This includes Advocate Health Care and Aurora Health Care brands in Wisconsin and Illinois and Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama.
Wake Forest University School of Medicine is the academic component for the health care system, including Charlotte’s new, four-year medical school.
This story was originally published January 30, 2026 at 6:00 AM.
