Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers salary · North Carolina
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers Salary in North Carolina
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers in North Carolina earn a median of $59,300 a year, which is $28.51 an hour. That is $16,910 below the national median of $76,210, a difference of 22 percent. The state employs 22,370.
North Carolina against the US May 2025
| Figure | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $59,300 | $76,210 |
| Median hourly | $28.51 | $36.64 |
| Mean annual | $61,390 | $79,200 |
| 10th percentile | $46,040 | $47,510 |
| 90th percentile | $80,240 | $115,120 |
| Employment | 22,370 | 670,520 |
How North Carolina compares
By median pay, North Carolina ranks 11 of the 12 states this site reports for police and sheriff's patrol officers. Ranking is on the published median only. It says nothing about how far that salary goes once housing, state income tax and commuting are paid, and those differences between states are frequently larger than the pay gap itself.
Other states for police and sheriff's patrol officers May 2025
| State | Median | Hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $118,880 | $57.15 | 65,940 |
| Illinois | $100,520 | $48.33 | 29,180 |
| New York | $92,790 | $44.61 | 53,470 |
| New Jersey | $92,610 | $44.53 | 21,780 |
| Pennsylvania | $85,470 | $41.09 | 26,510 |
| Massachusetts | $78,940 | $37.95 | 17,040 |
| Ohio | $77,020 | $37.03 | 23,430 |
| Texas | $75,900 | $36.49 | 63,100 |
| Florida | $74,470 | $35.81 | 43,630 |
| Virginia | $65,870 | $31.67 | 19,970 |
| Georgia | $58,120 | $27.94 | 22,170 |
Common questions
How much do police and sheriff's patrol officers make in North Carolina?
The median salary for police and sheriff's patrol officers in North Carolina is $59,300 a year, or $28.51 an hour. That is $16,910 below the national median of $76,210, a difference of 22 percent. North Carolina employs 22,370 of them.
Is North Carolina a good state to work as a police and sheriff's patrol officer?
On pay alone, North Carolina ranks 11 of the 12 states this site reports for the occupation, by median salary. Pay is only half the question though: a state with a higher median can still leave you with less once housing and taxes are counted, and this site does not adjust for cost of living.
What is the pay range for police and sheriff's patrol officers in North Carolina?
The lowest-paid 10 percent earn $46,040 or less and the highest-paid 10 percent earn $80,240 or more. The middle half falls between $49,460 and $72,700.
Where these numbers come from
Published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 release, for SOC code 33-3051 in North Carolina. Nothing on this page is interpolated or averaged by this site. See the national police and sheriff's patrol officers salary page for the full picture, or how to read these figures for what the survey covers.