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Correction Officers in This State Rake in Over $100K Per Year

Police officers locks the door in prison corridor.
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Considering a career in criminal justice? You’ll certainly have plenty of job opportunities. Currently, about 5 million people are under some level of supervision in the criminal justice system. 2 million of those are locked up in federal or state incarceration facilities. If you’d like to become a corrections officer, you’d do well to consider carefully where in the country to live, as the median pay differs widely by state. We’ve ranked the states by median pay for correction officers as reported by All Criminal Justice Schools.

24/7 Wall St. Insights

  • Annual salaries for correction officers range from a low of $25,330 to a high of $108,120.
  • Higher salaries may reflect not only the higher cost of living in some states but also the fact that some states have higher tax revenues and better-funded criminal justice systems.
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50. Mississippi

Mississippi | Jackson Mississippi Skyline
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Jackson, Mississippi
  • Median: $35,040
  • Bottom 10%: $25,330
  • Top 10%: $48,630

49. Kentucky

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Frankfort, Kentucky
  • Median: $36,940
  • Bottom 10%: $28,820
  • Top 10%: $61,640

48. Missouri

Jefferson City, Missouri | Jefferson City, Missouri, USA
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Jefferson City Missouri
  • Median: $38,000
  • Bottom 10%: $33,270
  • Top 10%: $47,700

47. Louisiana

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Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • Median: $39,420
  • Bottom 10%: $28,420
  • Top 10%: $58,800

46. Arkansas

Arkansas | Little Rock, Arkansas, USA Skyline
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Little Rock, Arkansas
  • Median: $40,480
  • Bottom 10%: $29,760
  • Top 10%: $51,670

45. Alabama

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Montgomery, Alabama
  • Median: $40,760
  • Bottom 10%: $28,200
  • Top 10%: $63,170

44. Florida

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Tallahassee, Florida
  • Median: $41,180
  • Bottom 10%: $38,730
  • Top 10%: $71,840

43. New Mexico

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Santa Fe, New Mexico
  • Median: $41,600
  • Bottom 10%: $35,590
  • Top 10%: $51,020

42. Georgia

Fulton County Georgia | Atlanta Skyine
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Atlanta, Georgia
  • Median: $41,880
  • Bottom 10%: $32,660
  • Top 10%: $53,910

41. Kansas

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Topeka, Kansas
  • Median: $42,020
  • Bottom 10%: $36,250
  • Top 10%: $53,010

40. South Carolina

Columbia, South Carolina | Drone Aerial View of Downtown Columbia, South Carolina, USA
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Columbia, South Carolina
  • Median: $43,040
  • Bottom 10%: $36,070
  • Top 10%: $61,650

39. Oklahoma

Oklahoma | Bricktown, Oklahoma City
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Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  • Median: $43,690
  • Bottom 10%: $29,820
  • Top 10%: $53,060

38. Indiana

Indiana | Indiana Statehouse and Indianapolis skyline on a sunny afternoon.
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Indianapolis, Indiana
  • Median: $44,370
  • Bottom 10%: $37,960
  • Top 10%: $58,680

37. West Virginia

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Charleston, West Virginia
  • Median: $45,550
  • Bottom 10%: $33,200
  • Top 10%: $72,050

36. North Carolina

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Raleigh, North Carolina
  • Median: $46,440
  • Bottom 10%: $37,670
  • Top 10%: $38,080

35. Tennessee

Tennessee | Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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Nashville, Tennessee
  • Median: $46,850
  • Bottom 10%: $32,960
  • Top 10%: $61,170

34. Virginia

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Richmond, Virginia
  • Median: $47,010
  • Bottom 10%: $42,000
  • Top 10%: $63,520

33. Texas

Modern architecture and high-rise buildings of Austin, Texas with summer sunlight reflections on Lady Bird Lake. A ground-level view of the lake and boats on the water.
BrigitteT / Shutterstock.com
Austin, Texas
  • Median: $48,030
  • Bottom 10%: $41,660
  • Top 10%: $60,010

32. Maine

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Augusta, Maine

 

  • Median: $48,360
  • Bottom 10%: $39,650
  • Top 10%: $57,280

31. Idaho

Idaho | File:Boise Idaho.jpg
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Boise, Idaho
  • Median: $48,400
  • Bottom 10%: $42,120
  • Top 10%: $67,970

30. North Dakota

North Dakota state image | North Dakota Capital Building
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Bismarck, North Dakota
  • Median: $48,560
  • Bottom 10%: $40,300
  • Top 10%: $60,970

29. Wyoming

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Cheyenne, Wyoming
  • Median: $48,830
  • Bottom 10%: $41,930
  • Top 10%: $62,220

28. Montana

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Helena, Montana
  • Median: $48,870
  • Bottom 10%: $38,640
  • Top 10%: $61,790

27. Iowa

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Des Moines, Iowa
  • Median: $48,920
  • Bottom 10%: $42,500
  • Top 10%: $64,460

26. South Dakota

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Pierre, South Dakota
  • Median: $49,950
  • Bottom 10%: $38,330
  • Top 10%: $62,360

25. Vermont

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  • Median: $50,250
  • Bottom 10%: $41,600
  • Top 10%: $64,540

24. New Hampshire

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Concord, New Hampshire
  • Median: $52,350
  • Bottom 10%: $40,840
  • Top 10%: $72,150

23. Arizona

Maricopa County Arizona | Phoenix, Arizona skyline at dusk
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Phoenix, Arizona
  • Median: $53,260
  • Bottom 10%: $45,620
  • Top 10%: $64,880

22. Delaware

Delaware state image | Delaware Capital Building
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Dover, Delaware
  • Median: $53,710
  • Bottom 10%: $40,680
  • Top 10%: $65,450

21. Ohio

Columbus, Ohio | Columbus, Ohio, USA Skyline on the Scioto River
Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
Columbus, Ohio
  • Median: $56,530
  • Bottom 10%: $43,070
  • Top 10%: $63,770

20. Nebraska

Nebraska state image | Aerial View of Lincoln, Nebraska in Autumn
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Lincoln, Nebraska
  • Median: $58,240
  • Bottom 10%: $44,550
  • Top 10%: $69,080

19. Colorado

Colorado | Denver Colorado skyscrapers snowy Longs Peak Rocky Mountains summer
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Denver, Colorado
  • Median: $58,470
  • Bottom 10%: $48,870
  • Top 10%: $83,700

18. Minnesota

St. Paul, Minnesota | St. Paul, Minnesota Skyline
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St. Paul, Minnesota
  • Median: $58,620
  • Bottom 10%: $46,030
  • Top 10%: $77,730

17. Connecticut

Connecticut state image | Hartford Connecticut Aerial View Capital Building Statehouse Downtown
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Hartford, Connecticut
  • Median: $59,680
  • Bottom 10%: $51,080
  • Top 10%: $67,290

16. Maryland

Annapolis, Maryland | Annapolis Skyline
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  • Median: $58,950
  • Bottom 10%: $50,540
  • Top 10%: $73,960

15. Pennsylvania

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  • Median: $59,240
  • Bottom 10%: $43,750
  • Top 10%: $80,160

14. Utah

Salt Lake City, Utah | Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Downtown
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Salt Lake City
  • Median: $60,030
  • Bottom 10%: $41,720
  • Top 10%: $73,340

13. Wisconsin

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Madison, Wisconsin
  • Median: $60,630
  • Bottom 10%: $49,690
  • Top 10%: $75,030

12. Washington

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Olympia, Washington
  • Median: $62,820
  • Bottom 10%: $50,090
  • Top 10%: $89,130

11. Michigan

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Lansing, Michigan
  • Median: $62,460
  • Bottom 10%: $43,040
  • Top 10%: $67,870

10. Hawaii

Honolulu, Hawaii | Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head Crater including the hotels and buildings in Waikiki, Honolulu, Oahu island, Hawaii. Waikiki Beach in the center of Honolulu has the largest number of visitors in Hawaii
okimo / iStock via Getty Images
Honolulu, Hawaii
  • Median: $63,110
  • Bottom 10%: $55,870
  • Top 10%: $74,940

9. Nevada

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Carson City, Nevada
  • Median: $63,500
  • Bottom 10%: $46,220
  • Top 10%: $101,450

8. Illinois

Aerial view of the Illinois State Capitol dome and Springfield skyline under a dramatic sunset. Springfield is the capital of the U.S. state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County
Mihai_Andritoiu / Shutterstock.com
Springfield, Illinois
  • Median: $64,440
  • Bottom 10%: $47,490
  • Top 10%: $90,970

7. Alaska

Aerial view of the historic city center of Juneau, the capital city of Alaska, USA - State capitol and State Courthouse of Alaska surrounded by wild mountains covered with forests
Alexandre.ROSA / Shutterstock.com
Juneau, Alaska
  • Median: $70,870
  • Bottom 10%: $53,830
  • Top 10%: $96,760

6. New York

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Albany, New York
  • Median: $71,300
  • Bottom 10%: $55,210
  • Top 10%: $108,930

5. Rhode Island

Rhode Island state image | HDR image of the Providence, Rhode Island skyline
sgoodwin4813 / iStock via Getty Images
Providence, Rhode Island
  • Median: $76,000
  • Bottom 10%: $52,000
  • Top 10%: $100,000

4. Oregon

Oregon state image | State Calital Building
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Salem, Oregon
  • Median: $78,070
  • Bottom 10%: $54,910
  • Top 10%: $90,490

3. Massachusetts

Boston, Massachusetts | Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Boston, Massachusetts
  • Median: $78,810
  • Bottom 10%: $59,530
  • Top 10%: $90,540

2. New Jersey

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Trenton, New Jersey
  • Median: $87,460
  • Bottom 10%: $50,120
  • Top 10%: $99,490

1. California

California | California State Capital
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Sacramento, California
  • Median: $93,160
  • Bottom 10%: $62,590
  • Top 10%: $108,120

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