Correctional Officers and Jailers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for correctional officers and jailers is $58,940, or $28.34 per hour. About 380,500 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $96,370 in California to $38,720 in Mississippi.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 49 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $96,370 | $46.33 | 37,860 | 0.85 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $94,770 | $45.56 | 7,570 | 0.72 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $86,310 | $41.49 | 6,360 | 0.71 |
| 4 | Oregon | $83,690 | $40.24 | 3,650 | 0.76 |
| 5 | Washington | $79,460 | $38.20 | 6,800 | 0.78 |
| 6 | Illinois | $79,190 | $38.07 | 12,190 | 0.82 |
| 7 | New York | $76,820 | $36.93 | 27,770 | 1.17 |
| 8 | Nevada | $76,490 | $36.77 | 3,240 | 0.85 |
| 9 | Wisconsin | $73,470 | $35.32 | 7,360 | 1.02 |
| 10 | Alaska | $71,360 | $34.31 | 850 | 1.06 |
| 11 | Hawaii | $69,570 | $33.45 | 1,310 | 0.85 |
| 12 | Utah | $67,290 | $32.35 | 2,050 | 0.48 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $66,040 | $31.75 | 5,350 | 0.74 |
| 14 | Delaware | $65,880 | $31.67 | 1,730 | 1.46 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $64,750 | $31.13 | 3,780 | 0.91 |
| 16 | Maryland | $64,250 | $30.89 | 6,060 | 0.90 |
| 17 | Michigan | $64,020 | $30.78 | 8,220 | 0.76 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $63,460 | $30.51 | 15,560 | 1.05 |
| 19 | Nebraska | $63,380 | $30.47 | 3,250 | 1.29 |
| 20 | Colorado | $62,140 | $29.87 | 7,290 | 1.04 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $61,360 | $29.50 | 680 | 0.40 |
| 22 | Ohio | $59,370 | $28.55 | 12,610 | 0.93 |
| 23 | Kansas | $56,120 | $26.98 | 3,380 | 0.96 |
| 24 | Arizona | $54,970 | $26.43 | 14,230 | 1.79 |
| 25 | Wyoming | $54,780 | $26.34 | 920 | 1.34 |
| 26 | Vermont | $53,810 | $25.87 | 450 | 0.60 |
| 27 | Idaho | $53,580 | $25.76 | 2,370 | 1.13 |
| 28 | South Dakota | $53,040 | $25.50 | 1,490 | 1.33 |
| 29 | Iowa | $53,040 | $25.50 | 3,440 | 0.90 |
| 30 | West Virginia | $52,890 | $25.43 | 2,980 | 1.74 |
| 31 | Maine | $52,730 | $25.35 | 1,090 | 0.69 |
| 32 | Texas | $52,670 | $25.32 | 44,700 | 1.30 |
| 33 | North Dakota | $52,460 | $25.22 | 1,290 | 1.23 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $50,940 | $24.49 | 6,990 | 0.87 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $50,550 | $24.30 | 11,900 | 0.98 |
| 36 | Virginia | $50,140 | $24.11 | 11,270 | 1.12 |
| 37 | Florida | $49,710 | $23.90 | 24,280 | 1.00 |
| 38 | Montana | $49,180 | $23.64 | 1,430 | 1.15 |
| 39 | Indiana | $48,340 | $23.24 | 8,060 | 1.03 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $47,940 | $23.05 | 2,740 | 1.29 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $47,890 | $23.02 | 4,870 | 0.86 |
| 42 | Georgia | $47,520 | $22.84 | 10,640 | 0.89 |
| 43 | Alabama | $46,660 | $22.43 | 4,970 | 0.96 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $45,690 | $21.97 | 3,730 | 0.89 |
| 45 | Missouri | $42,620 | $20.49 | 6,670 | 0.93 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $42,310 | $20.34 | 6,770 | 1.38 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $40,330 | $19.39 | 4,460 | 1.40 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $39,850 | $19.16 | 7,960 | 1.68 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $38,720 | $18.62 | 4,040 | 1.42 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do correctional officers and jailers make?
The median annual wage for correctional officers and jailers in the United States is $58,940, or $28.34 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $42,760, and the top 10% earn $93,220.
How many correctional officers and jailers are employed in the U.S.?
About 380,500 people work as correctional officers and jailers nationwide.
Which state pays correctional officers and jailers the most?
California pays the most at a median of $96,370, followed by New Jersey ($94,770) and Massachusetts ($86,310).
Which state pays correctional officers and jailers the least?
Mississippi has the lowest median at $38,720.
Where are correctional officers and jailers jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Arizona at 1.79×.