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Correctional Officers and Jailers: Career Profile
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.
What Do Correctional Officers and Jailers Do?
Typical responsibilities of correctional officers and jailers cover:
- Conduct head counts to ensure that each prisoner is present.
- Inspect conditions of locks, window bars, grills, doors, and gates at correctional facilities to ensure security and help prevent escapes.
- Monitor conduct of prisoners in housing unit, or during work or recreational activities, according to established policies, regulations, and procedures, to prevent escape or violence.
- Search prisoners and vehicles and conduct shakedowns of cells for valuables and contraband, such as weapons or drugs.
- Guard facility entrances to screen visitors.
- Record information, such as prisoner identification, charges, and incidents of inmate disturbance, keeping daily logs of prisoner activities.
- Inspect mail for the presence of contraband.
- Maintain records of prisoners' identification and charges.
What Correctional Officers and Jailers Need to Know
Effective correctional officers and jailers rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
These are the skills most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Other Correctional Officers and Jailers Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Booking Officer
- Certified Detention Deputy
- Civilian Jail Officer
- Community Corrections Officer (CCO)
- Community Services Officer (CSO)
- Confinement Officer
- Convict Guard
- Correction Officer
Job Outlook
There are about 473,544 correctional officers and jailers working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +8.7% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Correctional Officers and Jailers Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $59,482 |
| Hourly median | $28.60 |
| 10th percentile | $42,360 |
| 25th percentile | $50,921 |
| 75th percentile | $68,043 |
| 90th percentile | $76,604 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Correctional Officers and Jailers Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $95,840 |
| New Jersey | $90,150 |
| Oregon | $83,120 |
| Massachusetts | $78,830 |
| Illinois | $78,750 |
| Nevada | $76,800 |
| Washington | $76,400 |
| New York | $75,330 |
| Wisconsin | $74,490 |
| Alaska | $71,360 |
| Hawaii | $66,250 |
| Michigan | $65,250 |
| Minnesota | $64,670 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,540 |
| Connecticut | $62,690 |
| Nebraska | $62,680 |
| Maryland | $62,380 |
| New Hampshire | $61,420 |
| Utah | $61,340 |
| Delaware | $61,000 |
| Colorado | $60,670 |
| Rhode Island | $60,170 |
| Ohio | $58,840 |
| North Dakota | $55,760 |
| Arizona | $54,970 |
| South Dakota | $52,310 |
| Wyoming | $51,740 |
| Tennessee | $51,490 |
| Idaho | $51,440 |
| Iowa | $51,420 |
| Maine | $51,270 |
| Texas | $51,020 |
| West Virginia | $49,990 |
| Virginia | $49,980 |
| Montana | $49,700 |
| Vermont | $49,110 |
| North Carolina | $49,080 |
| South Carolina | $48,470 |
| Florida | $48,260 |
| New Mexico | $47,420 |
| Alabama | $46,400 |
| Kansas | $46,080 |
| Indiana | $45,970 |
| Oklahoma | $45,970 |
| Georgia | $44,500 |
| Louisiana | $41,820 |
| Missouri | $41,310 |
| Arkansas | $40,330 |
| Kentucky | $40,230 |
| Mississippi | $36,710 |
Where Correctional Officers and Jailers Earn the Most
Compensation for correctional officers and jailers differ across the country. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $90,392 | 14.6% | 0.86 |
| Middle Atlantic | $72,615 | 16.6% | 1.14 |
| New England | $68,460 | 3.5% | 0.74 |
| Great Lakes | $65,496 | 12.6% | 0.88 |
| Rocky Mountains | $57,553 | 3.6% | 0.98 |
| Plains States | $51,778 | 6.0% | 0.94 |
| Southwest | $51,445 | 16.4% | 1.33 |
| Southeast | $46,554 | 26.8% | 1.12 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $131,210 | 1,050 |
| Salinas, CA | CA | $106,490 | 1,490 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | CA | $104,090 | 3,290 |
| El Centro, CA | CA | $104,090 | 1,320 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | CA | $104,090 | 700 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $100,540 | 1,620 |
| Vineland, NJ | NJ | $99,480 | 1,160 |
| Merced, CA | CA | $98,550 | 240 |
Top Industries Employing Correctional Officers and Jailers
Most correctional officers and jailers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 16,270 | $49,140 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 840 | $40,260 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Web page creation and editing software: Facebook (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of correctional officers and jailers reflects the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Telephone Conversations
- Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People
- Contact With Others
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
Education and Training
Typical correctional officers and jailers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Medical and Health Services Managers (Supplemental)
- Social and Community Service Managers (Supplemental)
- Coroners (Supplemental)
- Rehabilitation Counselors (Supplemental)
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers (Supplemental)
- Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists (Primary-Short)
- Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Psychiatric Aides (Supplemental)
About the Data
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 33-3012.00 (Correctional Officers and Jailers).
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