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The differences between correction officers and law enforcement officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a correction officer has an average salary of $39,369, which is higher than the $39,219 average annual salary of a law enforcement officer.
The top three skills for a correction officer include public safety, correctional facility and emergency situations. The most important skills for a law enforcement officer are patrol, public safety, and emergency situations.
| Correction Officer | Law Enforcement Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $39,369 | $39,219 |
| Hourly rate | $18.93 | $18.86 |
| Growth rate | -10% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 103,383 | 105,817 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | 4 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 30% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A correction officer is responsible for monitoring the daily activities of individuals serving time in prison, enforcing the standard rules and regulatory procedures to maintain safety and security within the premises. Correction officers' duties include searching for restricted items, inspecting the facilities' condition, observing unusual and suspicious behaviors, generating incident reports, and providing assistance during counseling and trial schedules. Correction officers must be highly knowledgeable of legal regulations. They must also cooperate with court procedures for any investigations within their place of work.
The duties of a law enforcement officer depend on their line of work or agency of employment. In general, they are responsible for enforcing laws and regulations, prioritizing the safety of citizens and the protection of the city. Typically, their responsibilities include patrolling their designated area, responding to distress, monitoring suspicious activities and characters, conducting investigations and inspections, and coordinating various services to assist citizens. Moreover, as a law enforcement officer, it is essential to serve as a role model for citizens and uphold the oath to serve and protect.
Correction officers and law enforcement officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Correction Officer | Law Enforcement Officer | |
| Average salary | $39,369 | $39,219 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $54,000 | Between $30,000 And $50,000 |
| Highest paying City | Urban Honolulu, HI | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Washington |
| Best paying company | Careerstaff Unlimited - A Genesis Healthcare Company | University of Nebraska System |
| Best paying industry | Government | Government |
There are a few differences between a correction officer and a law enforcement officer in terms of educational background:
| Correction Officer | Law Enforcement Officer | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 30% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | Pennsylvania State University |
Here are the differences between correction officers' and law enforcement officers' demographics:
| Correction Officer | Law Enforcement Officer | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 62.5% Female, 37.5% | Male, 80.3% Female, 19.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 16.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.4% Asian, 2.0% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 13.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 3.1% White, 59.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 7% |