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The differences between correction officers and patrol 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 $35,621 average annual salary of a patrol officer.
The top three skills for a correction officer include public safety, correctional facility and emergency situations. The most important skills for a patrol officer are patrol, customer service, and public safety.
| Correction Officer | Patrol Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $39,369 | $35,621 |
| Hourly rate | $18.93 | $17.13 |
| Growth rate | -10% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 103,383 | 123,265 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 30% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| 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 job of patrol officers is to enforce ordinances, laws, prevent crime, control crowds, arrest violators, and regulate traffic. They also perform other duties that may include monitoring an assigned area for unauthorized or suspicious activity, responding to reports of emergencies and possible crime such as robberies, and building good relationships with community members. To be a successful patrol officer, you should have solid judgment, excellent communication skills, and decision-making skills in stressful situations.
Correction officers and patrol officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Correction Officer | Patrol Officer | |
| Average salary | $39,369 | $35,621 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $54,000 | Between $27,000 And $46,000 |
| Highest paying City | Urban Honolulu, HI | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | Careerstaff Unlimited - A Genesis Healthcare Company | Mount St. Mary's University |
| Best paying industry | Government | Government |
There are a few differences between a correction officer and a patrol officer in terms of educational background:
| Correction Officer | Patrol Officer | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 30% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between correction officers' and patrol officers' demographics:
| Correction Officer | Patrol Officer | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 62.5% Female, 37.5% | Male, 82.9% Female, 17.1% |
| 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, 12.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 3.5% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 7% |