SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Guard inmates in penal or rehabilitative institutions in accordance with established regulations and procedures. May guard prisoners in transit between jail, courtroom, prison, or other point. Includes deputy sheriffs and police who spend the majority of their time guarding prisoners in correctional institutions.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 33-3012.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $42,760 | $3,563 | $822 | $20.56 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $48,640 | $4,053 | $935 | $23.38 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $58,940 | $4,912 | $1,133 | $28.34 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $75,850 | $6,321 | $1,459 | $36.47 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $93,220 | $7,768 | $1,793 | $44.82 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Correctional Officers and Jailers is $58,940, which is 16% higher. Among the 24 occupations of the field Protective Service, it ranks number 12 by median pay. With 380,500 jobs, it makes up about 24 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Correctional Officers and Jailers pay by state
The highest median pay was in California ($96,370), New Jersey ($94,770) and Massachusetts ($86,310). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($36,030), Mississippi ($38,720) and Louisiana ($39,850). The most jobs were in Texas (44,700), California (37,860) and New York (27,770). The occupation is most concentrated in Arizona, where its share of all jobs is 1.8 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 37,860 | $96,370 | $92,410 | $46.33 |
| New Jersey | 7,570 | $94,770 | $87,780 | $45.56 |
| Massachusetts | 6,360 | $86,310 | $82,890 | $41.49 |
| Oregon | 3,650 | $83,690 | $80,890 | $40.24 |
| Washington | 6,800 | $79,460 | $78,150 | $38.20 |
| Illinois | 12,190 | $79,190 | $78,080 | $38.07 |
| New York | 27,770 | $76,820 | $77,240 | $36.93 |
| Nevada | 3,240 | $76,490 | $82,150 | $36.77 |
| Wisconsin | 7,360 | $73,470 | $73,690 | $35.32 |
| Alaska | 850 | $71,360 | $74,430 | $34.31 |
| Hawaii | 1,310 | $69,570 | $72,280 | $33.45 |
| Utah | 2,050 | $67,290 | $67,930 | $32.35 |
| Minnesota | 5,350 | $66,040 | $67,870 | $31.75 |
| Delaware | 1,730 | $65,880 | $63,580 | $31.67 |
| Connecticut | 3,780 | $64,750 | $64,570 | $31.13 |
| Maryland | 6,060 | $64,250 | $66,140 | $30.89 |
| Michigan | 8,220 | $64,020 | $63,120 | $30.78 |
| Pennsylvania | 15,560 | $63,460 | $64,650 | $30.51 |
| Nebraska | 3,250 | $63,380 | $64,120 | $30.47 |
| Colorado | 7,290 | $62,140 | $66,360 | $29.87 |
| New Hampshire | 680 | $61,360 | $65,030 | $29.50 |
| Ohio | 12,610 | $59,370 | $58,660 | $28.55 |
| Kansas | 3,380 | $56,120 | $53,770 | $26.98 |
| Arizona | 14,230 | $54,970 | $56,080 | $26.43 |
| Wyoming | 920 | $54,780 | $57,310 | $26.34 |
| Vermont | 450 | $53,810 | $56,890 | $25.87 |
| Idaho | 2,370 | $53,580 | $57,350 | $25.76 |
| Iowa | 3,440 | $53,040 | $57,140 | $25.50 |
| South Dakota | 1,490 | $53,040 | $53,260 | $25.50 |
| West Virginia | 2,980 | $52,890 | $56,670 | $25.43 |
| Maine | 1,090 | $52,730 | $53,790 | $25.35 |
| Texas | 44,700 | $52,670 | $53,330 | $25.32 |
| North Dakota | 1,290 | $52,460 | $55,090 | $25.22 |
| Tennessee | 6,990 | $50,940 | $51,420 | $24.49 |
| North Carolina | 11,900 | $50,550 | $51,390 | $24.30 |
| Virginia | 11,270 | $50,140 | $54,450 | $24.11 |
| Florida | 24,280 | $49,710 | $57,900 | $23.90 |
| Montana | 1,430 | $49,180 | $52,980 | $23.64 |
| Indiana | 8,060 | $48,340 | $51,030 | $23.24 |
| New Mexico | 2,740 | $47,940 | $48,570 | $23.05 |
| South Carolina | 4,870 | $47,890 | $51,520 | $23.02 |
| Georgia | 10,640 | $47,520 | $47,980 | $22.84 |
| Alabama | 4,970 | $46,660 | $50,300 | $22.43 |
| Oklahoma | 3,730 | $45,690 | $45,380 | $21.97 |
| Missouri | 6,670 | $42,620 | $46,230 | $20.49 |
| Kentucky | 6,770 | $42,310 | $44,870 | $20.34 |
| Arkansas | 4,460 | $40,330 | $41,920 | $19.39 |
| Louisiana | 7,960 | $39,850 | $42,830 | $19.16 |
| Mississippi | 4,040 | $38,720 | $40,550 | $18.62 |
| Puerto Rico | 3,740 | $36,030 | $36,560 | $17.32 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Fish and Game Wardens$74,060 a year
- Transportation Security Screeners$66,770 a year
- Firefighters$59,280 a year
- Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists$56,870 a year
- Bailiffs$56,600 a year
- First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$55,940 a year
Common questions
How much do Correctional Officers and Jailers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $58,940 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $42,760 and the highest-paid 10% more than $93,220.
How many people work as Correctional Officers and Jailers?
About 380,500 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.