Correctional Officers and Jailers
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.
Also called: Booking Officer, Certified Detention Deputy, Civilian Jail Officer, Community Corrections Officer (CCO), Community Services Officer (CSO), Confinement Officer
Median pay
$58,940
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$42,760 – $93,220
People employed
380,500
Holland code
RCS
Realistic · Conventional · Social
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you OK repeating the same tasks most of the day?
- 2.Do you work well under tight deadlines?
- 3.Do you enjoy serving customers or the public?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
- Dealing with conflict is part of the job
- May deal with aggressive people
Correctional Officers and Jailers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (49 states with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What correctional officers and jailers do
- 01Conduct head counts to ensure that each prisoner is present.
- 02Inspect conditions of locks, window bars, grills, doors, and gates at correctional facilities to ensure security and help prevent escapes.
- 03Monitor conduct of prisoners in housing unit, or during work or recreational activities, according to established policies, regulations, and procedures, to prevent escape or violence.
- 04Search prisoners and vehicles and conduct shakedowns of cells for valuables and contraband, such as weapons or drugs.
- 05Guard facility entrances to screen visitors.
- 06Record information, such as prisoner identification, charges, and incidents of inmate disturbance, keeping daily logs of prisoner activities.
Skills that matter most
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
Knowledge
- Public Safety and Security
- English Language
- Law and Government
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administration and Management
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
- Self-Control
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a high school diploma (O*NET Job Zone 2).
- Related work experience: none.
- On-the-job training: over 1 month, up to and including 3 months.
- A certification can help.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from correctional officers and jailers
- First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers84% · −5%
- First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives83% · +80%
- First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers83% · +32%
- Public Safety Telecommunicators77% · −10%
- Transportation Security Screeners75% · +13%
Change into correctional officers and jailers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Security Guards88% · $38,020
- Animal Control Workers78% · $45,660
- First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers77% · $55,940
- Public Safety Telecommunicators77% · $53,040
- Retail Loss Prevention Specialists77% · $42,540
Majors that lead here
- Criminal Justice and Corrections, General
- Corrections
- Juvenile Corrections
- Corrections and Criminal Justice, Other
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.