UNC System Board of Governors approves substantial raise for NC State Co-DC Charlton Warren

After arriving to NC State prior to last season to take over leading the secondary, NC State co-defensive coordinator Charlton Warren is in line for a substantial raise heading into his second year with the Wolfpack.

Warren, who signed a two-year deal upon his hiring, had a salary increase approved by the University of North Carolina System Board of Governors on Wednesday.

UNC System chief operating officer Michael Vollmer noted the proposition was in order to keep Warren from taking a new position elsewhere in the conference.

“Coach Warren has received another offer from the ACC school and is actively being pursued,” Vollmer told the board. “He’s a key and valuable member of NC State’s football program, and the university is seeking to retain him. The increase would raise his base by 32% to a new base of $700,000 per year. His new salary will be within the compensation of similar coaches in the ACC.”

Warren made $470,000 during the 2025 season and had a built-in raise to $530,000 for the upcoming 2027 campaign in its initial contract. This new deal is for two seasons, paying $700,000 with a raise to $750,000 for the 2027 season, according to the terms of the deal provided to TheWolfpacker.com via an open records request.

The former UNC co-defensive coordinator, who also spent time at Georgia, Florida, Tennessee and Indiana during his career, was the only assistant to not sign a new contract this offseason prior to the raise. That, however, seems to be changing in the near future once this raise goes into effect.

Warren, a 1999 Air Force Academy graduate, spent a decade as active duty military before beginning his coaching career. In his first season at NC State, Warren was integral in keeping the safety room intact as it sustained numerous injuries, while he also filled in as the Wolfpack’s defensive play-caller against Virginia Tech after the death of D.J. Eliot’s daughter, Drue, during the season.

A look at NC State’s current coaching contracts

Head coach Dave Doeren: $5.750 million ($125k increase each season) through 2029 season
Offensive coordinator (QB) Kurt Roper: $972,000 through 2027 season
Defensive coordinator (OLB) D.J. Eliot: $900,000 through 2027 season
Co-defensive coordinator (S/Nickel) Charlton Warren: $700,000 for 2026, $750,000 for 2027 season
Offensive line Garett Tujague: $570,900 through 2027 season
Running backs/special team Todd Goebbel: $591,800 through 2027 season
Wide receivers Joker Phillips: $504,700 through 2027 season
Tight ends Gavin Locklear: $300,000 through 2027 season
Defensive tackles Elisha Shaw: $290,000 through 2027 season
Cornerbacks Brian Mitchell: $575,000 through 2027 season
Inside linebackers Isaiah Moore: $113,056 through 2027 season