Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers Salary
The median pay for a police and sheriff's patrol officers in Winston-Salem, NC is $57,440/year ($27.62/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $76K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.04), which stretches that salary to about $62,408 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,232/month, about 32% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $57K get you in Winston-Salem?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Winston-Salem’s Regional Price Parity (92.04). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About police and sheriff's patrol officers
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What this looks like in Winston-Salem
Pay for police and sheriff's patrol officers in Winston-Salem runs about 25% below the U.S. median of $76K. Rent runs $1,232/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.04 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for police and sheriff's patrol officers in metros near Winston-Salem, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $63K | $65K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $66K | $67K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $61K | $66K |
| Wilmington | $54K | $56K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Winston-Salem, NC
Entry-level police and sheriff's patrol officers (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $76K or more, a $32K spread from bottom to top.
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $119K | +56% | 65,940 |
| Washington | $102K | +34% | 9,160 |
| Illinois | $101K | +32% | 29,180 |
| Alaska | $99K | +30% | 1,260 |
| Colorado | $97K | +28% | 9,610 |
| Delaware | $93K | +22% | 1,800 |
| New York | $93K | +22% | 53,470 |
| New Jersey | $93K | +22% | 21,780 |
| District of Columbia | $89K | +16% | 4,720 |
| Oregon | $88K | +16% | 5,030 |
| Pennsylvania | $85K | +12% | 26,510 |
| Hawaii | $84K | +10% | 2,420 |
| Minnesota | $83K | +9% | 9,160 |
| Connecticut | $82K | +8% | 6,500 |
| Massachusetts | $79K | +4% | 17,040 |
| Arizona | $79K | +4% | 12,010 |
| Nevada | $78K | +3% | 5,720 |
| Wisconsin | $78K | +2% | 12,320 |
| Maryland | $78K | +2% | 9,720 |
| Utah | $77K | +1% | 5,500 |
| Rhode Island | $77K | +1% | 1,940 |
| Ohio | $77K | +1% | 23,430 |
| Texas | $76K | -0% | 63,100 |
| Nebraska | $75K | -2% | 3,490 |
| North Dakota | $75K | -2% | 1,630 |
| Florida | $74K | -2% | 43,630 |
| Iowa | $74K | -2% | 5,130 |
| Michigan | $74K | -3% | 16,750 |
| Indiana | $73K | -4% | 12,980 |
| New Hampshire | $72K | -6% | 2,460 |
| Montana | $70K | -8% | 2,160 |
| New Mexico | $69K | -9% | 4,580 |
| Vermont | $69K | -10% | 1,020 |
| Maine | $67K | -12% | 2,120 |
| Idaho | $67K | -12% | 2,810 |
| Wyoming | $66K | -13% | 1,310 |
| Virginia | $66K | -14% | 19,970 |
| South Dakota | $61K | -20% | 2,000 |
| Kentucky | $60K | -21% | 7,890 |
| Oklahoma | $60K | -22% | 9,660 |
| Missouri | $59K | -22% | 13,570 |
| North Carolina | $59K | -22% | 22,370 |
| Tennessee | $59K | -22% | 15,630 |
| Kansas | $59K | -22% | 6,130 |
| Georgia | $58K | -24% | 22,170 |
| South Carolina | $58K | -24% | 12,930 |
| West Virginia | $57K | -25% | 2,900 |
| Alabama | $51K | -33% | 11,710 |
| Louisiana | $48K | -37% | 12,400 |
| Arkansas | $48K | -37% | 5,710 |
| Mississippi | $46K | -39% | 8,070 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
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Related careers in Public Safety
Frequently asked questions
Can a police and sheriff's patrol officer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Winston-Salem?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $57K, rent takes 32.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,232/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for police and sheriff's patrol officers in Winston-Salem?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new police and sheriff's patrol officers typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,629/month. At HUD’s $1,232/month FMR, rent would take 47% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is police and sheriff's patrol officer a high-paying job in Winston-Salem?
Local pay runs 25% below the national median — $57K here vs. $76K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Winston-Salem compare to the national average for police and sheriff's patrol officers?
Winston-Salem pays $57K median vs. the U.S. average of $76K — that’s -25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.04), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — below the national median.
How much do police and sheriff's patrol officers make in Winston-Salem, NC?
The median is $57,440 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,810, and experienced police and sheriff's patrol officers can clear $75,750. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in Winston-Salem?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,801/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,232/month, which eats 32.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a police and sheriff's patrol officers salary go in Winston-Salem?
Winston-Salem has a Regional Price Parity of 92.04 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median police and sheriff's patrol officers salary is worth about $62,408 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do police and sheriff's patrol officers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.