Correctional Officers and Jailers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for correctional officers and jailers in the U.S. is $58,940 ($28.34 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $58,940
- Mean annual wage
- $63,630
- Median hourly wage
- $28.34
- Employment
- 380,500
380,500 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $42,760 | $20.56 |
| 25th percentile | $48,640 | $23.38 |
| Median (50th) | $58,940 | $28.34 |
| 75th percentile | $75,850 | $36.47 |
| 90th percentile | $93,220 | $44.82 |
Highest-paying states for correctional officers and jailers
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| California | $96,370 | 37,860 |
| New Jersey | $94,770 | 7,570 |
| Massachusetts | $86,310 | 6,360 |
| Oregon | $83,690 | 3,650 |
| Washington | $79,460 | 6,800 |
| Illinois | $79,190 | 12,190 |
| New York | $76,820 | 27,770 |
| Nevada | $76,490 | 3,240 |
| Wisconsin | $73,470 | 7,360 |
| Alaska | $71,360 | 850 |
Lowest-paying states
- Mississippi: $38,720 median annual wage
- Louisiana: $39,850 median annual wage
- Arkansas: $40,330 median annual wage
- Kentucky: $42,310 median annual wage
- Missouri: $42,620 median annual wage
Related occupations
- Security Guards$38,020
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$76,210
- Firefighters$59,280
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.