Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers Salary in North Carolina
In North Carolina, police and sheriff's patrol officers earn a median $59,300 a year, well below the national median of $76,210 (−22%); the state ranks 42nd of 51 states by median. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers earn 24% more than the median across all occupations in North Carolina ($47,970). Among neighbouring states, Virginia pays more (up to $65,870 in Virginia) and Tennessee, Georgia and South Carolina pay less (down to $58,070 in South Carolina). North Carolina employs 22,370 police and sheriff's patrol officers, 4.53 per 1,000 jobs, the 8th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.05 is close to the national share.
North Carolina vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $22.14 | $23.78 | $28.51 | $34.95 | $38.58 | $29.51 | 22,370 | 4.53 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $46,040 | $49,460 | $59,300 | $72,700 | $80,240 | $61,390 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $22.84 | $28.50 | $36.64 | $46.93 | $55.35 | $38.08 | 670,520 | – | – |
| Annual | $47,510 | $59,290 | $76,210 | $97,600 | $115,120 | $79,200 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 42nd of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 8th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.05
- Jobs per 1,000
- 4.53
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of North Carolina's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in North Carolina
16 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching North Carolina publish a row for police and sheriff's patrol officers, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $31.66 | $65,860 | $55,620 | $80,870 | 2,430 | 3.28 | 0.76 |
| Burlington, NC | $31.59 | $65,700 | $55,650 | $83,190 | 370 | 5.47 | 1.27 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $30.38 | $63,190 | $49,850 | $94,430 | 5,770 | 4.25 | 0.99 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $30.17 | $62,750 | $48,370 | $77,110 | 390 | 7.18 | 1.66 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $29.25 | $60,830 | $50,790 | $81,550 | 1,700 | 4.66 | 1.08 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $28.89 | $60,100 | $47,420 | $78,020 | 1,040 | 3.01 | 0.70 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $28.70 | $59,690 | $52,050 | $94,030 | 4,320 | 5.66 | 1.31 |
| Jacksonville, NC | $28.63 | $59,540 | $46,070 | $73,320 | 440 | 8.28 | 1.92 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $28.15 | $58,560 | $46,350 | $70,540 | 170 | 4.03 | 0.93 |
| Asheville, NC | $27.93 | $58,090 | $46,190 | $77,840 | 710 | 3.94 | 0.91 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $27.62 | $57,440 | $43,810 | $75,750 | 1,310 | 4.82 | 1.12 |
| Greenville, NC | $27.49 | $57,190 | $45,830 | $75,050 | 520 | 6.49 | 1.50 |
| Wilmington, NC | $25.73 | $53,520 | $46,550 | $72,560 | 1,210 | 6.34 | 1.47 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $25.13 | $52,260 | $44,460 | $72,700 | 770 | 5.02 | 1.16 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $23.15 | $48,160 | $45,360 | $73,060 | 740 | 5.65 | 1.31 |
| Goldsboro, NC | $22.39 | $46,570 | $41,820 | $75,150 | 210 | 5.25 | 1.22 |
| Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $26.04 | $54,160 | $41,560 | $72,710 | 1,790 | 6.77 | 1.57 |
| Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $24.88 | $51,740 | $45,470 | $75,000 | 1,590 | 6.69 | 1.55 |
| Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $23.27 | $48,390 | $39,700 | $66,430 | 1,760 | 6.94 | 1.61 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | $28.51 | $59,300 | 22,370 | 1.05 |
| Georgia | $27.94 | $58,120 | 22,170 | 1.05 |
| South Carolina | $27.92 | $58,070 | 12,930 | 1.30 |
| Tennessee | $28.50 | $59,280 | 15,630 | 1.11 |
| Virginia | $31.67 | $65,870 | 19,970 | 1.13 |
See the national page for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (every state ranked) and the North Carolina wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS North Carolina estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.