Detectives and Criminal Investigators pay in North Carolina

$76,020avg. a year
$36.55 an hour · 3,360 employed

Detectives and Criminal Investigators in North Carolina earn an average of $76,020 a year. That is $23,410 (24%) less than the U.S. average of $99,430. The best-paying metro area is Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC at $100,380.

$63,280Median pay
$36.55Average hourly
+17%Avg. pay since 2020
#48Of 50 states + D.C.

Top-paying North Carolina metro areas

Average pay for detectives and criminal investigators by metro area. Swipe to see all 15.

1460 jobs
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
$100,380
$48.26 an hour
2100 jobs
Jacksonville, NC
$95,170
$45.76 an hour
3600 jobs
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
$87,800
$42.21 an hour
4630 jobs
Raleigh-Cary, NC
$84,340
$40.55 an hour
5240 jobs
Greensboro-High Point, NC
$80,680
$38.79 an hour
6170 jobs
Fayetteville, NC
$80,170
$38.55 an hour
7210 jobs
Wilmington, NC
$78,010
$37.51 an hour
8140 jobs
Asheville, NC
$74,700
$35.91 an hour
9160 jobs
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
$71,820
$34.53 an hour
1040 jobs
Greenville, NC
$66,850
$32.14 an hour
11140 jobs
Winston-Salem, NC
$65,880
$31.67 an hour
1230 jobs
Rocky Mount, NC
$63,920
$30.73 an hour
1340 jobs
Goldsboro, NC
$63,190
$30.38 an hour
1450 jobs
Burlington, NC
$62,620
$30.11 an hour
15100 jobs
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
$58,020
$27.89 an hour

Why people trust JobPayFacts

Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
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Detectives and Criminal Investigators pay in North Carolina, charted

Pay over time

North Carolina, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian

Where North Carolina detectives and criminal investigators work

Employment by metro area, May 2025

Average pay by state

May 2025 · North Carolina highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $87k$87k–$93k$93k–$106k$106k+North Carolina

North Carolina vs. neighbors

Average pay, May 2025
AreaAvg. payHourly
United States$99,430$47.80
North Carolina$76,020$36.55
Virginia$119,620$57.51
Tennessee$87,790$42.21
Georgia$78,140$37.57
South Carolina$77,020$37.03

Questions and answers

How much do detectives and criminal investigators make in North Carolina?

The average is $76,020 a year, and the median is $63,280. That is $23,410 (24%) less than the U.S. average of $99,430.

What is the hourly wage in North Carolina?

$36.55 an hour on average; the median is $30.43.

Where in North Carolina do they earn the most?

Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC ($100,380), followed by Jacksonville, NC ($95,170). The lowest average among 15 metro areas with data is Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC ($58,020).

How does North Carolina rank?

North Carolina ranks #48 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.

Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 33-3021. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national detectives and criminal investigators page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.