- According to a study conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, correctional officers earned a nationwide salary of approximately $42,610 in 2009. California's officers fared significantly better than their correctional colleagues across the country, earning a median average salary of $67,060 per year, a difference of $24,450 per year.
- Reviewing the range of California's 42,060 correctional officers (as of May 2010) reveals just how far ahead the state's salary is compared to the country. Even California's lowest-earning 10th percentile of correctional officers received salaries above the nation's 50th percentile at $45,410 per year. Correctional officers in California's 90th percentile more than doubled the country's average, taking in $90,000 per year.
- The entry point to earning a salary as a California correctional officer varies, but requires a minimum of a high school diploma or GED. Some officers receive on-the-job training from experienced correctional officers or supervisory prison personnel. Others go through training programs offered both onsite and online through the American Correctional Association and the American Jail Association. California correctional officers must submit to random drug and alcohol screenings and background checks, must be at least 18 years old and have U.S. citizenship or permanent residency.
- The BLS expects a continued 9 percent growth rate in employment of correctional officers, adding 48,300 jobs to the profession across the country through 2018. An expanding prison population, reduced parole options and longer sentences contribute to the demand for additional correctional officers.
Facts
Ranges
Considerations
Outlook
SHARE
