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First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers: Career Overview
Directly supervise and coordinate activities of correctional officers and jailers.
The Daily Work of First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers Perform?
The day-to-day responsibilities of first-line supervisors of correctional officers span:
- Take, receive, or check periodic inmate counts.
- Maintain order, discipline, and security within assigned areas in accordance with relevant rules, regulations, policies, and laws.
- Maintain knowledge of, comply with, and enforce all institutional policies, rules, procedures, and regulations.
- Respond to emergencies, such as escapes.
- Supervise and direct the work of correctional officers to ensure the safe custody, discipline, and welfare of inmates.
- Supervise or perform searches of inmates or their quarters to locate contraband items.
- Monitor behavior of subordinates to ensure alert, courteous, and professional behavior toward inmates, parolees, fellow employees, visitors, and the public.
- Restrain, secure, or control offenders, using chemical agents, firearms, or other weapons of force as necessary.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful first-line supervisors of correctional officers combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Types of First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Commissary Manager
- Correction Officer Supervisor
- Correction Warden
- Correctional Captain
- Correctional Case Records Supervisor
- Correctional Housing Unit Manager
- Correctional Officer Captain
- Correctional Program Supervisor
Employment and Demand
There are about 242,460 first-line supervisors of correctional officers working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +8.8% over the projection horizon.
First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $78,129 |
| Hourly median | $37.56 |
| 10th percentile | $56,179 |
| 25th percentile | $67,154 |
| 75th percentile | $89,104 |
| 90th percentile | $100,079 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $127,380 |
| New Jersey | $110,850 |
| Oregon | $108,060 |
| Illinois | $106,510 |
| Nevada | $103,230 |
| Utah | $97,430 |
| New York | $97,390 |
| Massachusetts | $96,450 |
| Alaska | $95,120 |
| Washington | $94,070 |
| Hawaii | $93,840 |
| Pennsylvania | $92,480 |
| Wisconsin | $92,410 |
| Minnesota | $91,790 |
| Connecticut | $84,040 |
| New Hampshire | $80,620 |
| Alabama | $80,570 |
| Delaware | $79,960 |
| Nebraska | $79,610 |
| Ohio | $78,480 |
| Maryland | $78,280 |
| North Dakota | $76,980 |
| Michigan | $75,460 |
| Arizona | $75,400 |
| South Dakota | $75,320 |
| Colorado | $74,420 |
| Iowa | $73,880 |
| Wyoming | $72,550 |
| Tennessee | $70,510 |
| Idaho | $69,720 |
| Vermont | $69,330 |
| South Carolina | $68,310 |
| North Carolina | $66,800 |
| Montana | $65,120 |
| Virginia | $64,830 |
| Maine | $64,500 |
| Kansas | $61,730 |
| New Mexico | $61,360 |
| Texas | $59,590 |
| Louisiana | $59,290 |
| Oklahoma | $57,390 |
| West Virginia | $56,720 |
| Indiana | $55,160 |
| Florida | $54,270 |
| Georgia | $54,080 |
| Kentucky | $50,950 |
| Mississippi | $48,830 |
| Arkansas | $48,620 |
| Missouri | $45,390 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Pay for first-line supervisors of correctional officers shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $117,334 | 12.7% | 0.86 |
| Middle Atlantic | $94,364 | 15.6% | 1.13 |
| Great Lakes | $88,433 | 12.8% | 1.11 |
| New England | $84,137 | 2.3% | 0.68 |
| Rocky Mountains | $76,066 | 3.1% | 0.82 |
| Plains States | $66,491 | 6.7% | 1.21 |
| Southwest | $61,927 | 12.3% | 1.01 |
| Southeast | $57,593 | 34.4% | 1.69 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $130,830 | 580 |
| Fresno, CA | CA | $129,860 | 340 |
| El Centro, CA | CA | $127,920 | 210 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $127,850 | 180 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | CA | $127,850 | 110 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | CA | $127,380 | 620 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $123,670 | 240 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $120,270 | 2,020 |
Industry Breakdown
Most first-line supervisors of correctional officers are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1,360 | $68,800 |
First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers work in the following industries:
Software First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers Use
- 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 work environment for first-line supervisors of correctional officers reflects the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Contact With Others
- Health and Safety of Other Workers
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How to Become First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers
Typical first-line supervisors of correctional officers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Medical and Health Services Managers (Supplemental)
- Social and Community Service Managers (Supplemental)
- Rehabilitation Counselors (Supplemental)
- Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists (Primary-Short)
- Social and Human Service Assistants (Supplemental)
- First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives (Primary-Short)
- First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers (Primary-Short)
- Bailiffs (Primary-Long)
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: 33-1011.00 (First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers).