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

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Police officers locks the door in prison corridor.

Published: August 26, 2024 8:02 pm

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.

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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 — Jackson, Mississippi

Median: $35,040
Bottom 10%: $25,330
Top 10%: $48,630

49. Kentucky

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

48. Missouri

Jefferson City, Missouri | Jefferson City, Missouri, USA — Jefferson City Missouri

Median: $38,000
Bottom 10%: $33,270
Top 10%: $47,700

47. Louisiana

Median: $39,420
Bottom 10%: $28,420
Top 10%: $58,800

46. Arkansas

Arkansas | Little Rock, Arkansas, USA Skyline — Little Rock, Arkansas

Median: $40,480
Bottom 10%: $29,760
Top 10%: $51,670

45. Alabama

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

44. Florida

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

43. New Mexico

Median: $41,600
Bottom 10%: $35,590
Top 10%: $51,020

42. Georgia

Fulton County Georgia | Atlanta Skyine — Atlanta, Georgia

Median: $41,880
Bottom 10%: $32,660
Top 10%: $53,910

41. 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 — Columbia, South Carolina

Median: $43,040
Bottom 10%: $36,070
Top 10%: $61,650

39. Oklahoma

Oklahoma | Bricktown, Oklahoma City — 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. — Indianapolis, Indiana

Median: $44,370
Bottom 10%: $37,960
Top 10%: $58,680

37. West Virginia

Median: $45,550
Bottom 10%: $33,200
Top 10%: $72,050

36. North Carolina

Median: $46,440
Bottom 10%: $37,670
Top 10%: $38,080

35. Tennessee

Tennessee | Nashville, Tennessee, USA — Nashville, Tennessee

Median: $46,850
Bottom 10%: $32,960
Top 10%: $61,170

34. 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. — Austin, Texas

Median: $48,030
Bottom 10%: $41,660
Top 10%: $60,010

32. Maine

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

31. Idaho

Idaho | File:Boise Idaho.jpg — Boise, Idaho

Median: $48,400
Bottom 10%: $42,120
Top 10%: $67,970

30. North Dakota

North Dakota state image | North Dakota Capital Building — Bismarck, North Dakota

Median: $48,560
Bottom 10%: $40,300
Top 10%: $60,970

29. Wyoming

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

28. Montana

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

27. Iowa

Median: $48,920
Bottom 10%: $42,500
Top 10%: $64,460

26. South Dakota

Median: $49,950
Bottom 10%: $38,330
Top 10%: $62,360

25. Vermont

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

24. New Hampshire

Median: $52,350
Bottom 10%: $40,840
Top 10%: $72,150

23. Arizona

Maricopa County Arizona | Phoenix, Arizona skyline at dusk — Phoenix, Arizona

Median: $53,260
Bottom 10%: $45,620
Top 10%: $64,880

22. Delaware

Delaware state image | Delaware Capital Building — 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 — 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 — 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 — Denver, Colorado

Median: $58,470
Bottom 10%: $48,870
Top 10%: $83,700

18. Minnesota

St. Paul, Minnesota | St. Paul, Minnesota Skyline — 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 — Hartford, Connecticut

Median: $59,680
Bottom 10%: $51,080
Top 10%: $67,290

16. Maryland

Median: $58,950
Bottom 10%: $50,540
Top 10%: $73,960

15. Pennsylvania

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

14. Utah

Salt Lake City, Utah | Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Downtown — Salt Lake City

Median: $60,030
Bottom 10%: $41,720
Top 10%: $73,340

13. Wisconsin

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

12. Washington

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

11. 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 — Honolulu, Hawaii

Median: $63,110
Bottom 10%: $55,870
Top 10%: $74,940

9. 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 — 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 — Juneau, Alaska

Median: $70,870
Bottom 10%: $53,830
Top 10%: $96,760

6. 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 — Providence, Rhode Island

Median: $76,000
Bottom 10%: $52,000
Top 10%: $100,000

4. Oregon

Oregon state image | State Calital Building — Salem, Oregon

Median: $78,070
Bottom 10%: $54,910
Top 10%: $90,490

3. Massachusetts

Boston, Massachusetts | Boston, Massachusetts, USA — Boston, Massachusetts

Median: $78,810
Bottom 10%: $59,530
Top 10%: $90,540

2. New Jersey

Median: $87,460
Bottom 10%: $50,120
Top 10%: $99,490

1. California

California | California State Capital — Sacramento, California

Median: $93,160
Bottom 10%: $62,590
Top 10%: $108,120

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Read more: Jobs, correction officer, criminal justice, jail, prison, public servants, salaries by state

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