Sort by any column. Employment is the number of correctional officers and jailers OEWS estimates in that state; blank cells are estimates BLS suppressed because the sample was too small.
Correctional Officer and Jailer Salary by State (2026)
Correctional Officers and Jailers earn the most in California at $96,370 a year and the least in Puerto Rico at $36,030 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $58,940. All 50 states and territories with reported data are ranked below, with a cost-of-living adjusted column.
- Highest median
- $96,370
- National median
- $58,940
- Lowest median
- $36,030
- States reporting
- 50
California
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Puerto Rico
of 54 OEWS areas
Top 5 states for Correctional Officers and Jailers
- 1. California$96,370 median · $87,039 adjusted · 37,860 employed
- 2. New Jersey$94,770 median · $87,101 adjusted · 7,570 employed
- 3. Massachusetts$86,310 median · $81,612 adjusted · 6,360 employed
- 4. Oregon$83,690 median · $80,969 adjusted · 3,650 employed
- 5. Washington$79,460 median · $74,253 adjusted · 6,800 employed
Lowest-paying states for Correctional Officers and Jailers
- 50. Puerto Rico$36,030 median · no price parity · 3,740 employed
- 49. Mississippi$38,720 median · $44,530 adjusted · 4,040 employed
- 48. Louisiana$39,850 median · $45,178 adjusted · 7,960 employed
- 47. Arkansas$40,330 median · $46,390 adjusted · 4,460 employed
- 46. Kentucky$42,310 median · $46,928 adjusted · 6,770 employed
Correctional Officer and Jailer salary in every state
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $96,370 | $76,370 | $109,580 | 37,860 | $87,039 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $94,770 | $72,420 | $106,570 | 7,570 | $87,101 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $86,310 | $71,280 | $91,980 | 6,360 | $81,612 |
| 4 | Oregon | $83,690 | $72,230 | $87,660 | 3,650 | $80,969 |
| 5 | Washington | $79,460 | $70,600 | $81,550 | 6,800 | $74,253 |
| 6 | Illinois | $79,190 | $65,900 | $88,790 | 12,190 | $79,223 |
| 7 | New York | $76,820 | $68,450 | $91,250 | 27,770 | $71,182 |
| 8 | Nevada | $76,490 | $72,010 | $93,790 | 3,240 | $76,506 |
| 9 | Wisconsin | $73,470 | $62,550 | $84,990 | 7,360 | $78,081 |
| 10 | Alaska | $71,360 | $64,440 | $79,560 | 850 | $69,715 |
| 11 | Hawaii | $69,570 | $69,570 | $76,780 | 1,310 | $63,274 |
| 12 | Utah | $67,290 | $59,120 | $79,190 | 2,050 | $68,063 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $66,040 | $59,630 | $76,250 | 5,350 | $66,963 |
| 14 | Delaware | $65,880 | $56,160 | $70,500 | 1,730 | $66,007 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $64,750 | $59,210 | $70,710 | 3,780 | $62,494 |
| 16 | Maryland | $64,250 | $59,700 | $66,680 | 6,060 | $61,214 |
| 17 | Michigan | $64,020 | $54,630 | $68,520 | 8,220 | $66,537 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $63,460 | $50,500 | $79,390 | 15,560 | $65,039 |
| 19 | Nebraska | $63,380 | $60,160 | $72,820 | 3,250 | $70,342 |
| 20 | Colorado | $62,140 | $56,350 | $75,350 | 7,290 | $60,300 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $61,360 | $56,700 | $72,380 | 680 | $58,907 |
| 22 | Ohio | $59,370 | $49,480 | $66,850 | 12,610 | $63,994 |
| 23 | Kansas | $56,120 | $46,210 | $59,650 | 3,380 | $62,308 |
| 24 | Arizona | $54,970 | $49,140 | $62,340 | 14,230 | $54,600 |
| 25 | Wyoming | $54,780 | $52,530 | $61,780 | 920 | $59,100 |
| 26 | Vermont | $53,810 | $48,320 | $64,170 | 450 | $54,932 |
| 27 | Idaho | $53,580 | $49,610 | $62,100 | 2,370 | $56,108 |
| 28 | Iowa | $53,040 | $49,920 | $63,370 | 3,440 | $60,436 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $53,040 | $48,110 | $59,140 | 1,490 | $59,874 |
| 30 | West Virginia | $52,890 | $49,730 | $59,950 | 2,980 | $59,097 |
| 31 | Maine | $52,730 | $49,820 | $58,230 | 1,090 | $54,333 |
| 32 | Texas | $52,670 | $48,880 | $57,330 | 44,700 | $54,267 |
| 33 | North Dakota | $52,460 | $49,440 | $61,130 | 1,290 | $58,971 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $50,940 | $46,750 | $57,740 | 6,990 | $55,448 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $50,550 | $44,460 | $54,680 | 11,900 | $53,591 |
| 36 | Virginia | $50,140 | $47,570 | $59,030 | 11,270 | $49,592 |
| 37 | Florida | $49,710 | $47,130 | $65,230 | 24,280 | $48,069 |
| 38 | Montana | $49,180 | $46,910 | $57,220 | 1,430 | $51,963 |
| 39 | Indiana | $48,340 | $44,840 | $56,480 | 8,060 | $51,795 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $47,940 | $42,830 | $52,370 | 2,740 | $51,989 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $47,890 | $43,790 | $58,530 | 4,870 | $51,083 |
| 42 | Georgia | $47,520 | $43,290 | $53,390 | 10,640 | $49,349 |
| 43 | Alabama | $46,660 | $35,900 | $64,140 | 4,970 | $52,531 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $45,690 | $37,780 | $49,360 | 3,730 | $52,013 |
| 45 | Missouri | $42,620 | $42,620 | $46,420 | 6,670 | $46,930 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $42,310 | $36,480 | $50,310 | 6,770 | $46,928 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $40,330 | $36,330 | $45,100 | 4,460 | $46,390 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $39,850 | $35,960 | $46,620 | 7,960 | $45,178 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $38,720 | $30,730 | $44,640 | 4,040 | $44,530 |
| 50 | Puerto Rico | $36,030 | $30,080 | $39,650 | 3,740 | N/A |
How the cost-of-living adjustment works
The adjusted column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity (RPP) and multiplies by 100. RPPs measure how much a fixed basket of goods, services and rents costs in one state relative to the national average, so the result restates local pay in national-average dollars.
For Correctional Officers and Jailers, that changes the ranking: California leads on raw pay at $96,370, while New Jersey leads once prices are taken into account at $87,101.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities by State, 2024 (public domain). The adjustment is NueCareer's calculation, not a BLS or BEA published statistic.
Correctional Officer and Jailer pay by state: FAQ
Which state pays Correctional Officers and Jailers the most?
California reports the highest median wage for Correctional Officers and Jailers at $96,370 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), followed by New Jersey ($94,770) and Massachusetts ($86,310).
Which state pays Correctional Officers and Jailers the least?
Puerto Rico reports the lowest median for Correctional Officers and Jailers at $36,030 a year, $60,340 below the highest-paying state (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do Correctional Officers and Jailers earn the most after cost of living?
Dividing each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity puts New Jersey first at $87,101 in national-average dollars, from a raw median of $94,770. BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
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