How To Become A Correctional Sergeant: What It Is and Career Path

What is a correctional sergeant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. Durmus Alper CAMLIBEL Ph.D.

A correctional sergeant is usually responsible for the supervision and safety of prisoners in their care. When an accused is convicted and sentenced to prison, the correctional sergeant must take care of such an individual.

Also, they are the ones to secure the facility to prevent any form of burgling or jailbreak. By implication, they must be very vigilant at all times.

A correctional sergeant monitors the activities of inmates to make sure no one injures themselves and to also watch out for the dangerous ones among them to ensure they are put into check. They must be alert and active at all times and ensure that inmates abide by all rules and regulations of the correctional facility.

If you want to be a correctional sergeant, you can earn $17.7 per hour or $36,811 annually. A bachelor's degree could get you a correctional sergeant job. However, you must be physically strong to fit into this position.

What general advice would you give to a correctional sergeant?

Dr. Durmus Alper CAMLIBEL Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh

They need to avoid being overzealous officers. They should not put their career at the center of their life. They need to spend quality time with their family. In law enforcement, good relations with the public and colleagues are essential. They need to develop good relationships with the people and their colleagues and expand their professional network. They always try to be a "problem solver officer" rather than a "problem creator officer." If someone asks for help from them, they should treat this person with dignity and respect. They should avoid being arrogant in their interaction with the public. Because arrogance is the worst plague, and Humility is the greatest virtue.

ScoreCorrectional SergeantUS Average

Salary

3.0

Avg. Salary $37,962

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

10.0

Growth rate -10%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

1.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.87%

Asian 0.65%

Black or African American 14.94%

Hispanic or Latino 14.50%

Unknown 3.68%

White 65.37%

Gender

female 28.11%

male 71.89%

Age - 48

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 48

Stress level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.1

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.2

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a correctional sergeant

Explore correctional sergeant education requirements

Most common correctional sergeant degrees

Bachelor's

31.2 %

Associate

29.4 %

High School Diploma

26.2 %

Start to develop specific correctional sergeant skills

Skills	Percentages
Security Procedures	12.14%
Public Safety	10.55%
Direct Supervision	9.38%
Cleanliness	7.47%
Disciplinary Actions	6.41%

Complete relevant correctional sergeant training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New correctional sergeants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a correctional sergeant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real correctional sergeant resumes.

Gain additional correctional sergeant certifications

Correctional sergeant certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific correctional sergeant certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for correctional sergeants include Certified Corrections Officer (CCO) and First Aid, CPR and AED Instructor.

More About Certifications

Research correctional sergeant duties and responsibilities

Monitor and manage enlisted promotion boards and actions; publish promotion orders for soldiers being promote to SGT and SSG.
Join tactical unit, train in advance handcuffing techniques & defensive tactics, certify with chemical agents & firearms.
Prepare ACA files and review the same for compliance.
Serve as a CPR and first aid instructor, all annual in-service for facility.

Prepare your correctional sergeant resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your correctional sergeant resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a correctional sergeant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable correctional sergeant resume templates

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