A correctional officer has the responsibility to protect and enforce the law in a prison system. Correctional officers must take orders directly from the warden of a correctional facility, a warden’s representative, or another member of management who has been appointed by the warden to supervise and control the execution of all operational directives. A correctional officer can earn a starting salary from $15 to $22 hourly as reported in some industries.
A correctional officer works in prisons and jails to protect those incarcerated and to ensure the safety of the entire facility. They work closely with other correctional officers, as well as inmates and administrators, and have numerous duties such as supervising inmates in their cellblocks, monitoring cells for rule violations and responding to emergencies.
The starting salary for a correctional officer is $22,000 to $31,000 annually. The salary will increase as an officer gains experience.
Starting Salary For A Correctional Officer Overview
The starting salary for a correctional officer varies widely by state and locality. The average starting salary for a correctional officer in the U.S. is $35,000, but can be as low as $25,000 or as high as $50,000. The exact amount will depend on where you live and what type of facility you work in.
What Type of Facility Do I Work In?
The minimum pay for correctional officers tends to be higher if you are working in a jail or prison than if you are working in a juvenile detention facility or other type of correctional institution. The minimum hourly wage is also higher at federal facilities than at state facilities.
What Is My Experience Level?
The more experience you have as a correctional officer, the higher your starting salary will be. If you have worked as an assistant to another correctional officer before becoming one yourself, then your new employer may offer you more money as compensation for your previous experience and training (which they will not have had to provide). If you are able to obtain certification through an educational program while working full time at another institution (such as college), this will also help increase your potential earnings when seeking employment elsewhere later on down the road
The Average Starting Salary for a Corrections Officer
A corrections officer has normally gone through a training academy or school based on guidelines by the American Correctional Association. Entry-level corrections officers — the formal name for a prison guard or jailer — then usually receive further on-the-job training at the institution where they work.
Thus, when they are walking or standing their post, they are familiar with protocols for incident management and self-defense techniques. Their salaries depend in part on the type of correctional facility at which they work and geographic location.
Training for New Hires
Corrections officers working in state and federal facilities often have prior experience in the military, or coursework in government and law enforcement, that helps them understand how government facilities operate. All new hires, regardless of their background, receive training specific to the rules and procedures of the facility where they will be employed.
For example, the Minnesota Department of Corrections requires newly hired corrections officers to complete a 6-week training program. Entry-level corrections officers learn how to enforce facility rules, monitor inmates, supervise work crews and write reports.
Corrections Officer Average Salary
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 423,050 correctional officers worked nationwide as of May 2019. These prison guards earned an average annual wage of 50,130. Correctional officer hourly pay was $24.10. A starting salary was likely to fall between the 10th percentile wage of $31,740 annually and the 25th percentile wage of $37,110 annually.
Salaries in Government Facilities
Federal prisons paid the most, where 15,100 corrections officers earned an average annual salary of $57,870. The largest number of corrections officers worked at state prisons, according to the BLS. These 222,050 guards averaged $50,530 a year in salary.
The second largest number of correctional officers worked on the local government level, at county or municipal jails. These 160,070 guards averaged $49,890 a year. Thirdly, 24,030 worked in facility support services jobs annually earning $43,090.
Corrections Officer Salary by State
Correctional officer salary by state was highest on the East and West Coast.
Example:
- California: $78,510
- New Jersey: $71,190
- Rhode Island: $68,540
- Massachusetts: $68,270
- New York: $66,000
Correctional officer salaries were lowest in some of the southern states. For example, correctional officers working in Missouri, Arkansas, Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi and Louisiana earned an average annual wage between $31,490 and $37,920.
Corrections Officer Job Outlook
The BLS projects a job decline of 7 percent between 2019 and 2029 largely due to prison reform measures and shorter sentences. Fewer corrections officers will be needed to manage the smaller prison population.