Correctional Officers and Jailers in Kentucky

Is Kentucky a good place for you to work as a Correctional Officer or Jailer?

While jobs for Correctional Officers and Jailers in Kentucky are decreasing, those who do work in these jobs get paid higher than average.

• Employment for Correctional Officers and Jailers in Kentucky is expected to decrease.

• Correctional Officers and Jailers in Kentucky earn lower salaries than the typical U.S. wage earner.

What Major Will Prepare You For a Correctional Officer or Jailer Career?

• Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting
• Criminal Justice & Corrections
• Corrections
• Juvenile Corrections
• Other Corrections & Criminal Justice

How Many Correctional Officers and Jailers Work in Kentucky?

In 2018, there were 5,850 Correctional Officers and Jailers working in the state.

There were 6,040 Correctional Officers and Jailers employed in this state in 2017.

That’s a decline of 190 jobs between 2017 and 2018.

The typical state has 5,215 Correctional Officers and Jailers working in it, which means Kentucky has more Correctional Officers and Jailers than average.

Job Projections for Kentucky

Jobs for Correctional Officers and Jailers in this state are declining at a rate of 6.4% which is a slower decline than the nationwide estimated projection of %.

Kentucky Annual Job Openings

The BLS estimates 480 annual job openings, and a total of 6,310 jobs for Kentucky Correctional Officers and Jailers in 2026.

Nationwide, the prediction is 31,300 annual jobs and 415,500 total jobs in 2026.

What do Correctional Officers and Jailers Make in Kentucky?

In 2018 wages for Correctional Officers and Jailers ranged from $22,070 to $55,970 with $33,830 being the median annual salary.

Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $10.61 to $26.91. The median hourly rate was $16.27.

In 2017 the median pay for this field was $16.09 an hour.

The hourly rate grew by $0.18.

The median salary in Kentucky is higher than the nationwide median salary.

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Top Kentucky Metros for Correctional Officers and Jailers

The table below shows some of the metros in this state with the most Correctional Officers and Jailers.

Metro	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	1,510	$45,290
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	900	$34,860
Lexington-Fayette, KY	530	$40,630
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH	280	$36,780
Clarksville, TN-KY	250	$34,890
Evansville, IN-KY	140	$36,720
Bowling Green, KY	120	$26,130

Top States for Correctional Officers and Jailers Employment

View the list below to see where most Correctional Officers and Jailers work.

State	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
New York	35,460	$63,600
California	34,980	$77,520
Florida	33,060	$37,920
Pennsylvania	16,850	$51,010
North Carolina	15,720	$36,770
Georgia	15,500	$34,170
Virginia	14,910	$37,990
Illinois	14,050	$63,330
Arizona	13,810	$43,110
Ohio	13,310	$46,770
New Jersey	11,240	$71,700
Tennessee	9,670	$34,890
Michigan	9,100	$56,330
Missouri	8,420	$30,050
Indiana	7,990	$33,890
Louisiana	7,890	$30,760
Washington	7,190	$55,290
Colorado	6,990	$46,060
Wisconsin	6,870	$42,680
Maryland	6,780	$47,150

Below are the states where Correctional Officers and Jailers get paid the most:

State	Annual Median Salary
California	$77,520
New Jersey	$71,700
Rhode Island	$69,710
Massachusetts	$69,560
New York	$63,600
Illinois	$63,330
Alaska	$62,330
Oregon	$61,090
Hawaii	$58,650
Nevada	$57,450

Related Careers in Kentucky

You may also be interested in the following careers:

Occupation	Kentucky Employment Total
Bailiffs	760

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online

More about our data sources and methodologies.