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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

33-3012 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.

National estimates for Correctional Officers and Jailers
Industry profile for Correctional Officers and Jailers
Geographic profile for Correctional Officers and Jailers

National estimates for Correctional Officers and Jailers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Correctional Officers and Jailers:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
392,600 0.4 % $ 25.69 $ 53,420 0.3 %

Percentile wage estimates for Correctional Officers and Jailers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 16.64 $ 18.55 $ 23.04 $ 30.26 $ 38.14
Annual Wage (2) $ 34,600 $ 38,590 $ 47,920 $ 62,940 $ 79,340

Industry profile for Correctional Officers and Jailers:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Correctional Officers and Jailers are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Correctional Officers and Jailers, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Correctional Officers and Jailers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 206,020 9.39 $ 25.71 $ 53,470
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 150,450 2.80 $ 25.92 $ 53,920
Facilities Support Services 19,260 11.50 $ 21.39 $ 44,480
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 15,680 0.74 $ 28.70 $ 59,690
Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals 410 0.17 $ 23.57 $ 49,030

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Correctional Officers and Jailers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Facilities Support Services 19,260 11.50 $ 21.39 $ 44,480
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 206,020 9.39 $ 25.71 $ 53,470
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 150,450 2.80 $ 25.92 $ 53,920
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 15,680 0.74 $ 28.70 $ 59,690
Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals 410 0.17 $ 23.57 $ 49,030

Top paying industries for Correctional Officers and Jailers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 15,680 0.74 $ 28.70 $ 59,690
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 150,450 2.80 $ 25.92 $ 53,920
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 206,020 9.39 $ 25.71 $ 53,470
Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals 410 0.17 $ 23.57 $ 49,030
Facilities Support Services 19,260 11.50 $ 21.39 $ 44,480

Geographic profile for Correctional Officers and Jailers:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Correctional Officers and Jailers are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Correctional Officers and Jailers, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of correctional officers and jailers by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Correctional Officers and Jailers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 39,030 3.19 1.15 $ 21.06 $ 43,800
California 37,640 2.28 0.82 $ 39.03 $ 81,170
New York 34,280 3.95 1.42 $ 34.21 $ 71,160
Florida 21,890 2.54 0.91 $ 21.95 $ 45,650
Pennsylvania 16,590 2.97 1.07 $ 28.01 $ 58,260


Map of location quotient of correctional officers and jailers by state, May 2021


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Correctional Officers and Jailers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Arkansas 6,020 5.06 1.81 $ 17.68 $ 36,770
West Virginia 3,270 4.98 1.79 $ 20.32 $ 42,270
Arizona 14,160 4.92 1.76 $ 21.67 $ 45,070
Louisiana 8,160 4.55 1.63 $ 18.25 $ 37,960
New Mexico 3,280 4.22 1.52 $ 18.83 $ 39,170


Map of annual mean wages of correctional officers and jailers by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Correctional Officers and Jailers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 37,640 2.28 0.82 $ 39.03 $ 81,170
New Jersey 9,670 2.51 0.90 $ 35.33 $ 73,490
Massachusetts 5,560 1.64 0.59 $ 34.74 $ 72,260
New York 34,280 3.95 1.42 $ 34.21 $ 71,160
Oregon 4,700 2.58 0.92 $ 33.07 $ 68,790



Map of employment of correctional officers and jailers by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Correctional Officers and Jailers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 20,470 2.36 0.85 $ 37.59 $ 78,190
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 8,510 4.02 1.44 $ 22.22 $ 46,220
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 7,560 2.61 0.94 $ 21.93 $ 45,610
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 6,170 2.32 0.83 $ 27.34 $ 56,870
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 5,850 1.38 0.50 $ 32.76 $ 68,140
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 5,130 0.90 0.32 $ 35.84 $ 74,550
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 4,990 1.93 0.69 $ 35.28 $ 73,380
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 4,610 1.28 0.46 $ 24.62 $ 51,210
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 4,170 2.72 0.98 $ 38.40 $ 79,870
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 4,070 1.66 0.60 $ 26.94 $ 56,040


Map of location quotient of correctional officers and jailers by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Correctional Officers and Jailers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Pine Bluff, AR 1,520 51.14 18.35 $ 18.45 $ 38,380
Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ 1,630 27.70 9.94 $ 33.54 $ 69,750
Walla Walla, WA 620 23.99 8.61 $ 28.48 $ 59,230
El Centro, CA 1,340 22.87 8.21 $ 41.40 $ 86,110
Cumberland, MD-WV 740 21.12 7.58 $ 24.02 $ 49,960
Glens Falls, NY 940 19.23 6.90 $ 29.96 $ 62,310
Yuma, AZ 1,140 18.31 6.57 $ 20.28 $ 42,170
Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ 600 17.62 6.32 $ 19.59 $ 40,750
Terre Haute, IN 890 14.35 5.15 $ 22.72 $ 47,260
Carson City, NV 410 13.69 4.91 $ 26.57 $ 55,260