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Highest-paying police departments in North Carolina for laterals (2026)

All 21 North Carolina agencies we track that post a salary, ranked by the top of their annual pay range. Hillsborough Police Department leads at $105,039; the median top-of-range here is $89,009. Hourly and monthly rates are converted to annual (×2,080, ×12), and hiring bonuses are shown separately, not added to pay.

Last verified: 2026-10-18. Every row links to the agency's official posting or announcement; blank fields mean the source did not state the value. Bonuses are usually paid in installments with a service commitment, so confirm with the agency before applying.

#AgencyStateLateral bonusPay (annual)Out-of-stateClosesSource
1Hillsborough Police Department
Hillsborough · Municipal police
NCNone listed$52,466 - $105,039UnknownUnknownOfficial source
2Morrisville Police Department
Morrisville · Municipal police
NCNone listed$63,356 - $101,369UnknownContinuousOfficial source
3Gastonia Police Department
Gastonia · Municipal police
NC$15,000$57,953 - $99,810Unknown2026-12-31Official source
4Fuquay-Varina Police Department
Fuquay-Varina · Municipal police
NC$5,500$62,292 - $99,667UnknownContinuousOfficial source
5Burlington Police Department
Burlington · Municipal police
NCNone listed$60,400 - $94,380Unknown2026-12-31Official source
6Davidson Police Department
Davidson · Municipal police
NCNone listed$63,000 - $93,995Unknown2026-12-31Official source
7Huntersville Police Department
Huntersville · Municipal police
NC$6,000$62,647 - $93,970Unknown2027-06-30Official source
8Holly Springs Police Department
Holly Springs · Municipal police
NCNone listed$61,440 - $91,753Unknown2026-10-23Official source
9Wendell Police Department
Wendell · Municipal police
NCNone listed$58,588 - $90,811UnknownUnknownOfficial source
10Elon Police Department
Elon · Municipal police
NCNone listed$54,207 - $89,645Unknown2027-07-24Official source
11Rocky Mount Police Department
Rocky Mount · Municipal police
NCNone listed$59,339 - $89,009UnknownContinuousOfficial source
12Forsyth County Sheriff's Office
Winston-Salem · Sheriff's office
NCNone listed$51,537 - $87,604UnknownUnknownOfficial source
13Raleigh Police Department
Raleigh · Municipal police
NC$5,000$64,209 - $81,948
lateral salary by years of experience, effective Sept 19, 2026
YesUnknownOfficial source
14Asheville Police Department
Asheville · Municipal police
NC$5,000$51,064 - $76,606
converted from $24.55 - $36.83 Hourly
Yes2026-12-31Official source
15Winston-Salem Police Department
Winston-Salem · Municipal police
NCNone listed$56,524 - $72,141UnknownContinuousOfficial source
16Hickory Police Department
Hickory · Municipal police
NCNone listed$58,716 - $70,460UnknownUnknownOfficial source
17Southport Police Department
Southport · Municipal police
NCNone listed$54,878 - $69,695YesUnknownOfficial source
18Nags Head Police Department
Nags Head · Municipal police
NCNone listed$62,866UnknownUnknownOfficial source
19Carolina Beach Police Department
Carolina Beach · Municipal police
NCNone listed$54,013 - $59,415UnknownContinuousOfficial source
20Graham Police Department
Graham · Municipal police
NCNone listed$57,875UnknownContinuousOfficial source
21Cumberland County Sheriff's Office
Fayetteville · Sheriff's office
NCNone listed$54,765UnknownUnknownOfficial source

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