Correctional officers and jailers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $42,760 | $20.56 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $58,940 | $28.34 |
| Mean (average) | $63,630 | $30.59 |
| 90th percentile | $93,220 | $44.82 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Correctional officers and jailers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 50 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $46,660 | $30,430 | $74,290 | 4,970 | 0.96 |
| Alaska | $71,360 | $60,340 | $94,930 | 850 | 1.06 |
| Arizona | $54,970 | $45,620 | $65,030 | 14,230 | 1.79 |
| Arkansas | $40,330 | $31,200 | $49,360 | 4,460 | 1.4 |
| California | $96,370 | $63,380 | $114,730 | 37,860 | 0.85 |
| Colorado | $62,140 | $52,370 | $87,690 | 7,290 | 1.04 |
| Connecticut | $64,750 | $55,520 | $70,710 | 3,780 | 0.91 |
| Delaware | $65,880 | $46,520 | $79,260 | 1,730 | 1.46 |
| Florida | $49,710 | $45,760 | $80,500 | 24,280 | 1 |
| Georgia | $47,520 | $36,820 | $58,430 | 10,640 | 0.89 |
| Hawaii | $69,570 | $64,250 | $82,240 | 1,310 | 0.85 |
| Idaho | $53,580 | $45,430 | $74,720 | 2,370 | 1.13 |
| Illinois | $79,190 | $50,520 | $102,770 | 12,190 | 0.82 |
| Indiana | $48,340 | $41,670 | $61,840 | 8,060 | 1.03 |
| Iowa | $53,040 | $47,670 | $73,530 | 3,440 | 0.9 |
| Kansas | $56,120 | $37,000 | $64,940 | 3,380 | 0.96 |
| Kentucky | $42,310 | $29,910 | $61,820 | 6,770 | 1.38 |
| Louisiana | $39,850 | $30,770 | $55,260 | 7,960 | 1.68 |
| Maine | $52,730 | $44,640 | $60,510 | 1,090 | 0.69 |
| Maryland | $64,250 | $53,100 | $82,280 | 6,060 | 0.9 |
| Massachusetts | $86,310 | $63,520 | $101,620 | 6,360 | 0.71 |
| Michigan | $64,020 | $47,360 | $77,990 | 8,220 | 0.76 |
| Minnesota | $66,040 | $54,060 | $82,380 | 5,350 | 0.74 |
| Mississippi | $38,720 | $27,540 | $55,580 | 4,040 | 1.42 |
| Missouri | $42,620 | $37,210 | $63,940 | 6,670 | 0.93 |
| Montana | $49,180 | $44,690 | $62,730 | 1,430 | 1.15 |
| Nebraska | $63,380 | $47,630 | $78,270 | 3,250 | 1.29 |
| Nevada | $76,490 | $62,150 | $102,610 | 3,240 | 0.85 |
| New Hampshire | $61,360 | $47,480 | $82,240 | 680 | 0.4 |
| New Jersey | $94,770 | $51,410 | $106,570 | 7,570 | 0.72 |
| New Mexico | $47,940 | $37,900 | $59,330 | 2,740 | 1.29 |
| New York | $76,820 | $58,940 | $93,220 | 27,770 | 1.17 |
| North Carolina | $50,550 | $38,850 | $63,150 | 11,900 | 0.98 |
| North Dakota | $52,460 | $47,580 | $62,870 | 1,290 | 1.23 |
| Ohio | $59,370 | $46,930 | $68,060 | 12,610 | 0.93 |
| Oklahoma | $45,690 | $34,530 | $58,380 | 3,730 | 0.89 |
| Oregon | $83,690 | $64,200 | $95,820 | 3,650 | 0.76 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,460 | $46,840 | $85,630 | 15,560 | 1.05 |
| Puerto Rico | $36,030 | $30,080 | $42,540 | 3,740 | 1.63 |
| South Carolina | $47,890 | $40,090 | $71,390 | 4,870 | 0.86 |
| South Dakota | $53,040 | $43,240 | $66,390 | 1,490 | 1.33 |
| Tennessee | $50,940 | $38,690 | $62,790 | 6,990 | 0.87 |
| Texas | $52,670 | $44,870 | $60,550 | 44,700 | 1.3 |
| Utah | $67,290 | $47,700 | $84,680 | 2,050 | 0.48 |
| Vermont | $53,810 | $46,010 | $71,660 | 450 | 0.6 |
| Virginia | $50,140 | $46,320 | $70,570 | 11,270 | 1.12 |
| Washington | $79,460 | $64,460 | $95,430 | 6,800 | 0.78 |
| West Virginia | $52,890 | $45,390 | $75,610 | 2,980 | 1.74 |
| Wisconsin | $73,470 | $56,540 | $92,140 | 7,360 | 1.02 |
| Wyoming | $54,780 | $50,340 | $71,010 | 920 | 1.34 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for correctional officers and jailers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 28,400. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for correctional officers and jailers
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Criminal Justice and Corrections, General CIP 43.0100
- Corrections CIP 43.0102
- Juvenile Corrections CIP 43.0110
- Corrections and Criminal Justice, Other CIP 43.0199
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Conduct head counts to ensure that each prisoner is present.
- Inspect conditions of locks, window bars, grills, doors, and gates at correctional facilities to ensure security and help prevent escapes.
- Monitor conduct of prisoners in housing unit, or during work or recreational activities, according to established policies, regulations, and procedures, to prevent escape or violence.
- Search prisoners and vehicles and conduct shakedowns of cells for valuables and contraband, such as weapons or drugs.
- Guard facility entrances to screen visitors.
- Record information, such as prisoner identification, charges, and incidents of inmate disturbance, keeping daily logs of prisoner activities.
- Inspect mail for the presence of contraband.
- Maintain records of prisoners' identification and charges.
Technology skills
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Facebook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- 3M Electronic Monitoring
- Corrections housing software
- Guardian RFID
- Jail management software
- Web browser software
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Persuasion, Negotiation, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making.
Common job titles: Booking Officer, Community Services Officer (CSO), Correctional Officer, Corrections Officer (CO), Deputy Jailer, Detention Deputy, Detention Officer, Jail Officer, Jailer, Jailor.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do correctional officers and jailers make?
The national median annual wage for correctional officers and jailers was $58,940 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $42,760 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $93,220. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do correctional officers and jailers need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is correctional officers and jailers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of correctional officers and jailers to change -7.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 28,400 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay correctional officers and jailers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were California ($96,370), New Jersey ($94,770), Massachusetts ($86,310). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.