Correction officer demographics and statistics in the US
Correction officer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates correction officer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our correction officer estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about correction officers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 312,595 correction officers currently employed in the United States.
- 37.5% of all correction officers are women, while 62.5% are men.
- The average correction officer age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of correction officers is White (57.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.4%), Black or African American (16.0%) and Unknown (5.3%).
- Correction officers are most in-demand in Olympia, WA.
- The government industry is the highest-paying for correction officers.
- Urban Honolulu, HI pays an annual average wage of $59,248, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women correction officers earned 91% of what men earned.
- 6% of all correction officers are LGBT.
- Nevada is the best state for correction officers to live.
- Correction officers are 72% more likely to work at government companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Correction officer demographics by:
Correction officer gender statistics
37.5% of correction officers are women and 62.5% of correction officers are men.
- Male, 62.5%
- Female, 37.5%
Correction officer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 62.5% |
| Female | 37.5% |
Correction officer gender pay gap
Women earn 91¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$40,182
Female income
$36,687
Correction officer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in correction officer positions over time. Currently, 37.5% of correction officers are female.
Correction officer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 61.14% | 38.86% |
| 2011 | 61.83% | 38.17% |
| 2012 | 62.16% | 37.84% |
| 2013 | 62.93% | 37.07% |
| 2014 | 64.52% | 35.48% |
| 2015 | 62.32% | 37.68% |
| 2016 | 63.21% | 36.79% |
| 2017 | 61.41% | 38.59% |
| 2018 | 63.60% | 36.40% |
| 2019 | 62.34% | 37.66% |
| 2020 | 63.01% | 36.99% |
| 2021 | 62.48% | 37.52% |
Correction officer related jobs gender ratio
We compared correction officers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, deputy sheriff-k9 handler and fugitive investigator have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Matron | 8% | 92% |
| Deputy Treasurer | 19% | 81% |
| Unemployment Examiner | 29% | 71% |
| Correction Officer | 62% | 38% |
| Town Marshal | 96% | 4% |
| Fugitive Investigator | 97% | 3% |
| Deputy Sheriff-K9 Handler | 98% | 2% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Correction officer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among correction officers is White, which makes up 57.3% of all correction officers. Comparatively, 18.4% of correction officers are Hispanic or Latino and 16.0% of correction officers are Black or African American.
- White, 57.3%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.4%
- Black or African American, 16.0%
- Unknown, 5.3%
- Asian, 2.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
Correction officer race
| Correction officer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 57.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.4% |
| Black or African American | 16.0% |
| Unknown | 5.3% |
| Asian | 2.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.0% |
Correction officer race and ethnicity over time
See how correction officer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Correction officer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 64.46% | 17.06% | 1.04% | 15.10% |
| 2011 | 63.34% | 17.53% | 0.95% | 15.24% |
| 2012 | 64.15% | 17.29% | 1.56% | 13.99% |
| 2013 | 63.41% | 17.09% | 1.24% | 15.09% |
| 2014 | 63.05% | 17.85% | 1.06% | 14.98% |
| 2015 | 62.74% | 16.62% | 1.14% | 16.59% |
| 2016 | 63.23% | 15.64% | 1.51% | 16.92% |
| 2017 | 62.33% | 15.76% | 1.24% | 17.50% |
| 2018 | 61.36% | 15.82% | 1.66% | 17.82% |
| 2019 | 62.71% | 15.87% | 1.52% | 17.06% |
| 2020 | 60.76% | 13.98% | 1.42% | 17.65% |
| 2021 | 57.28% | 16.00% | 2.04% | 18.44% |
Correction officer wage gap by race
According to our data, asian correction officers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american correction officers have the lowest average salary at $38,210.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $39,644 |
| White | $40,782 |
| Black or African American | $38,210 |
| Asian | $41,196 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $41,161 |
Average correction officer age
See how the average age of correction officers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Correction officer age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 44 | 42 |
| Unknown | 40 | 34 |
| Asian | 41 | 40 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 35 | 39 |
| White | 39 | 40 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 41 |
Correction officer age breakdown
The average age of correction officers is 40+ years years old, representing 50% of the correction officer population.
Correction officer age breakdown
| Correction Officer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 50% |
| 30-40 years | 30% |
| 20-30 years | 19% |
Correction officer educational attainment
The most common degree for correction officers is high school diploma, with 30% of correction officers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 29% and bachelor's degree degree at 25%.
- High School Diploma, 30%
- Bachelor's, 29%
- Associate, 25%
- Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 9%
Correction officers by degree level
| Correction officer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 30% |
| Bachelor's | 29% |
| Associate | 25% |
| Diploma | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
Correction officer jobs you might like
Correction officer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, correction officers with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $42,545 annually. With a Associate degree, correction officers earn a median annual income of $41,375 compared to $39,391 for correction officers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $39,391 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $42,545 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $41,375 |
Correction officer employment statistics
Most correction officers work for a government in the government industry.
Company size where correction officers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where correction officers work.
Correction officer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 16% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 34% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 11% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 24% |
| > 10,000 employees | 7% |
Correction officer jobs by company type
Employees with the correction officer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most correction officers prefer to work at government companies over private companies.
Correction officer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 3% |
| Public | 1% |
| Private | 25% |
| Government | 72% |
Correction officer jobs by industry
The most common industries for correction officers are government, professional and health care.
Correction officer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 67% |
| Professional | 10% |
| Health Care | 7% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Education | 3% |
| Utilities | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
Correction officer turnover and employment statistics
Correction officer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for correction officers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Correction officer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Correction officer unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2.76% |
| 2011 | 3.47% |
| 2012 | 2.86% |
| 2013 | 2.78% |
| 2014 | 2.06% |
| 2015 | 1.74% |
| 2016 | 1.76% |
| 2017 | 2.08% |
| 2018 | 2.10% |
| 2019 | 2.16% |
| 2020 | 1.82% |
| 2021 | 2.53% |
Average correction officer tenure
The average correction officer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 109,741 correction officers resumes in Zippia's database.
Correction officer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 23% |
| 1-2 years | 31% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 11% |
Correction officer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of correction officers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Correction Officer | 5.55% | - |
| Supervising Deputy | 7.15% | 1,784 |
| All-Source Analyst | 8.65% | 15,373 |
| City Bailiff | 11.11% | 5,122 |
Similar correction officer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Supervising Deputy | 7.15% | 1,784 |
| All-Source Analyst | 8.65% | 15,373 |
| City Bailiff | 11.11% | 5,122 |
Foreign languages spoken by correction officers
The most common foreign language among correction officers is Spanish at 77.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 4.6% and German is the third-most popular at 3.1%.
- Spanish, 77.5%
- French, 4.6%
- German, 3.1%
- Arabic, 1.8%
- Portuguese, 1.7%
- Other, 11.3%
Correction officer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 77.5% |
| French | 4.6% |
| German | 3.1% |
| Arabic | 1.8% |
| Portuguese | 1.7% |
| Other | 11.3% |
