The average salary for a correctional officer in the United States is around $41,701 per year.
Avg Salary
Correctional officers earn an average yearly salary of $41,701.
Wages typically start from $29,296 and go up to $59,359.
35% below national average Updated in 2019
Correctional officer earnings by seniority
Top-level correctional officer earnings begin at:
$28.54 per hour
$59,359 per year
Senior-level correctional officer earnings begin at:
$24.14 per hour
$50,217 per year
Mid-level correctional officer earnings begin at:
$20.05 per hour
$41,701 per year
Junior-level correctional officer earnings begin at:
$16.65 per hour
$34,629 per year
Starting level correctional officer earnings begin at:
$14.08 per hour
$29,296 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Correctional officer salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $77,520 |
| New Jersey | $71,700 |
| Rhode Island | $69,710 |
| Massachusetts | $69,560 |
| New York | $63,600 |
| Alaska | $62,330 |
| Illinois | $61,415 |
| Oregon | $61,090 |
| Hawaii | $58,650 |
| Nevada | $57,450 |
| Michigan | $56,330 |
| Washington | $55,290 |
| Connecticut | $54,300 |
| Minnesota | $50,580 |
| Pennsylvania | $49,906 |
| District of Columbia | $49,640 |
| Iowa | $49,293 |
| New Hampshire | $47,300 |
| Maryland | $47,150 |
| Ohio | $46,770 |
| Colorado | $46,060 |
| Utah | $44,470 |
| Vermont | $44,470 |
| Florida | $43,410 |
| North Dakota | $43,380 |
| Wisconsin | $42,680 |
| Texas | $42,620 |
| Arizona | $42,157 |
| Montana | $40,550 |
| Maine | $39,580 |
| Wyoming | $39,160 |
| South Dakota | $38,580 |
| Nebraska | $38,040 |
| Virginia | $37,990 |
| Idaho | $37,800 |
| Indiana | $36,960 |
| North Carolina | $36,770 |
| South Carolina | $36,200 |
| New Mexico | $35,860 |
| Tennessee | $34,890 |
| Alabama | $34,745 |
| Kentucky | $34,722 |
| Louisiana | $34,370 |
| Georgia | $34,170 |
| Arkansas | $33,390 |
| Kansas | $32,065 |
| Oklahoma | $31,910 |
| West Virginia | $30,520 |
| Missouri | $30,050 |
| Mississippi | $28,190 |
| Puerto Rico | $26,800 |
How do correctional officer salaries compare to similar careers?
Correctional officers earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than precious metal workers but more than maintenance workers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Precious metal worker salary | $41K |
| Postal service clerk salary | $44K |
| Locksmith salary | $42K |
| Family social worker salary | $42K |
| Travel agent salary | $40K |
| Correctional officer salary | $42K |
| Highway maintenance worker salary | $41K |
| Ambulance dispatcher salary | $40K |
| Financial clerk salary | $39K |
| Maintenance worker salary | $39K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)