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Correction officer salary
Average correction officer salary
$39,369
Average Correction Officer Salary
The average salary for a correction officer in the United States is approximately $39,369 annually or $19 per hour. This figure can vary significantly based on geographical location, years of experience, and specific roles within the corrections system. For instance, those with more years of experience typically earn higher salaries.
Where Can a Correction Officer Earn More?
Understanding the highest paying states and cities can help aspiring correction officers target their job search effectively. States such as California and New York often offer higher compensation due to the cost of living and demand for correctional services. Major urban areas, particularly those with larger prison systems, also tend to provide more lucrative opportunities.
Correction Officer Salaries by Experience Level
Experience plays a vital role in salary progression. Entry-level correction officers may start at a lower salary, but as they gain experience and potentially take on supervisory roles, their earnings can increase significantly. For example, a senior correction officer may command a salary well above the average.
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Where can a Correction Officer earn more?
Correction officer salaries by experience level
Average correction officer salary by state
The average correction officer salary in Hawaii, New York, and Washington are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average correction officer salary states are Montana, Mississippi, and Georgia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for correction officers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $49,301 | $23.70 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $59,246 | $28.48 |
| 3 | Washington | $51,191 | $24.61 |
| 4 | New York | $52,522 | $25.25 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $50,721 | $24.39 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $44,329 | $21.31 |
| 7 | Oregon | $48,252 | $23.20 |
| 8 | Colorado | $46,222 | $22.22 |
| 9 | California | $50,335 | $24.20 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $47,867 | $23.01 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $48,350 | $23.25 |
| 12 | Illinois | $48,164 | $23.16 |
| 13 | Ohio | $40,569 | $19.50 |
| 14 | Vermont | $43,576 | $20.95 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $43,804 | $21.06 |
| 16 | Maryland | $44,438 | $21.36 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $38,818 | $18.66 |
| 18 | Michigan | $41,194 | $19.80 |
| 19 | Alaska | $43,886 | $21.10 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $40,613 | $19.53 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $44,907 | $21.59 |
| 22 | Delaware | $40,822 | $19.63 |
| 23 | Iowa | $40,246 | $19.35 |
| 24 | Arizona | $36,624 | $17.61 |
| 25 | Alabama | $37,269 | $17.92 |
| 26 | Idaho | $35,119 | $16.88 |
| 27 | Maine | $38,946 | $18.72 |
| 28 | North Dakota | $36,413 | $17.51 |
| 29 | Virginia | $35,422 | $17.03 |
| 30 | Nebraska | $34,120 | $16.40 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $36,440 | $17.52 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $36,166 | $17.39 |
| 33 | Utah | $37,730 | $18.14 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $33,858 | $16.28 |
| 35 | District of Columbia | $39,664 | $19.07 |
| 36 | Kansas | $36,517 | $17.56 |
| 37 | Florida | $31,273 | $15.04 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $28,841 | $13.87 |
| 39 | Wyoming | $35,731 | $17.18 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $34,273 | $16.48 |
| 41 | Missouri | $28,949 | $13.92 |
| 42 | South Dakota | $33,516 | $16.11 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $29,079 | $13.98 |
| 44 | Indiana | $32,637 | $15.69 |
| 45 | Texas | $33,252 | $15.99 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $31,406 | $15.10 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $27,584 | $13.26 |
| 48 | North Carolina | $31,387 | $15.09 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $30,205 | $14.52 |
| 50 | Georgia | $28,977 | $13.93 |
| 51 | Montana | $29,322 | $14.10 |
Highest paying cities for correction officers
The highest-paying cities for correction officers are Urban Honolulu, HI, Santa Cruz, CA, and Olympia, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $59,248 | $28.48 |
| 2 | Santa Cruz, CA | $52,405 | $25.19 |
| 3 | Olympia, WA | $52,271 | $25.13 |
| 4 | Bloomington, IL | $47,445 | $22.81 |
| 5 | Denver, CO | $46,280 | $22.25 |
| 6 | Saint Cloud, MN | $43,920 | $21.12 |
| 7 | Marion, OH | $40,445 | $19.44 |
| 8 | Phoenix, AZ | $36,795 | $17.69 |
| 9 | Kansas City, KS | $36,516 | $17.56 |
| 10 | Bismarck, ND | $35,926 | $17.27 |
| 11 | Pocatello, ID | $34,388 | $16.53 |
| 12 | Sioux Falls, SD | $33,636 | $16.17 |
| 13 | Austin, TX | $33,442 | $16.08 |
| 14 | Indianapolis, IN | $32,474 | $15.61 |
| 15 | Columbia, TN | $31,399 | $15.10 |
| 16 | Ocala, FL | $31,357 | $15.08 |
| 17 | Columbia, SC | $30,225 | $14.53 |
| 18 | Lawrenceville, GA | $29,087 | $13.98 |
| 19 | Kansas City, MO | $28,958 | $13.92 |
| 20 | Henderson, KY | $28,727 | $13.81 |
Correction Officers are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Correction officer salary details
A correction officer's salary ranges from $28,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $54,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a correction officer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $54,000 | $4,500 | $26 |
| 75th Percentile | $46,000 | $3,833 | $22 |
| Average | $39,369 | $3,281 | $19 |
| 25th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
| 10th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
Highest paying correction officer jobs
The highest paying types of correction officers are detective, criminal investigator, and deputy.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Criminal Investigator | $54,520 | $4,543 | $26.21 | 5,131 |
| Deputy | $53,682 | $4,473 | $25.81 | 56,150 |
| Police Cadet | $33,243 | $2,770 | $15.98 | 94,220 |
| Detective | $57,984 | $4,832 | $27.88 | 56,521 |
| Loss Prevention Analyst | $38,684 | $3,224 | $18.60 | 62,658 |
| Loss Prevention Agent | $36,455 | $3,038 | $17.53 | 103,534 |
Which companies pay correction officers the most?
Correction officer salaries at Careerstaff Unlimited - A Genesis Healthcare Company and Washington State University are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average correction officer salary at companies like King County and Clark County are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Careerstaff Unlimited - A Genesis Healthcare Company | $53,771 | $25.85 |
| 2 | Washington State University | $51,036 | $24.54 |
| 3 | King County | $46,979 | $22.59 |
| 4 | Clark County | $46,165 | $22.19 |
| 5 | Minnesota State Fair | $45,146 | $21.70 |
| 6 | Minnehaha County | $44,873 | $21.57 |
| 7 | Williams International | $44,033 | $21.17 |
| 8 | Fort Bend County | $43,719 | $21.02 |
| 9 | Steele County Free Fair | $43,646 | $20.98 |
| 10 | Wright County | $43,449 | $20.89 |
| 11 | Iowa Department of Transportation | $43,187 | $20.76 |
| 12 | Travis County | $42,980 | $20.66 |
| 13 | Outagamie County | $42,954 | $20.65 |
| 14 | Meade County | $42,858 | $20.60 |
| 15 | Weber County Library System | $42,714 | $20.54 |
| 16 | The State of Oregon | $42,487 | $20.43 |
| 17 | State Bar of Michigan | $42,364 | $20.37 |
| 18 | Brown County | $42,163 | $20.27 |
| 19 | Delaware State Government | $42,003 | $20.19 |
| 20 | Lincoln Holdings LLC | $41,995 | $20.19 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Correction Officer salary by industry
The average correction officer salary varies across industries:
- The average correction officer salary in the government industry is $40,354, the highest of any industry.
- The average correction officer salary in the finance industry is $39,438.
- Correction officers in the professional industry earn an average salary of $37,696, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for correction officers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Government | $40,354 | $19.40 |
| 2 | Utilities | $39,438 | $18.96 |
| 3 | Telecommunication | $38,582 | $18.55 |
| 4 | Professional | $37,696 | $18.12 |
High paying correction officer jobs
Correction officer salary trends
The average correction officer salary has risen by $6,992 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average correction officer earned $32,377 annually, but today, they earn $39,369 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for correction officers over the last decade.
Compare correction officer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average correction officer salary over time
Compare correction officer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Correction officer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $39,400 | $18.93 | +4.7% |
| 2024 | $37,500 | $18.04 | +1.9% |
| 2023 | $36,800 | $17.70 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $36,200 | $17.38 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $35,600 | $17.10 | +5.3% |
Recently added correction officer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pico de Gallo | Correctional Officer | Panama City, FL | 06/29/2025 | $49,045 |
| Pico de Gallo | Correctional Officer | Meridian, MS | 06/29/2025 | $33,392 |
| State of Ohio | SCI Correction Officer | Lancaster, OH | 06/29/2025 | $48,251 |
| State of South Dakota | Correctional Officer | Sioux Falls, SD | 06/29/2025 | $53,219 |
| Jacksonville Sheriff's Office | Certified Corrections Officer Recruit | Jacksonville, FL | 06/29/2025 | $57,912 |
| National Testing Network | Correction Officer | North Olmsted, OH | 06/29/2025 | $45,988 |
| Oklahoma Department of Corrections | Correctional Officer | Le Flore, OK | 06/28/2025 | $44,681 |
| Corecivic | Correctional Officer | Nicholls, GA | 06/28/2025 | $45,977 |
| Corecivic | Correctional Officer | Clifton, TN | 06/27/2025 | $51,382 |
| Corecivic | Correctional Officer-Saguaro | Eloy, AZ | 06/27/2025 | $42,784 |
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