Detention Services Officer Salary in the United States

How much does a Detention Services Officer make in the United States?

As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for a Detention Services Officer in the United States is $67,159 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $32.

However, a Detention Services Officer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $77,240
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $61,013 to $72,436
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $55,417

Key Factors That Influence Detention Services Officer Salaries

A Detention Services Officer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Detention Services Officer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Detention Services Officer's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $68,440
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $83,147
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $115,576
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $139,891
  • Expert (over 8 years): $177,757
Levels Salary
Detention... Level Detention Services Officer$68,440
Telecommu... Level Detention Services Officer$83,147
Telecommu... Level Detention Services Officer$115,576
Telecommu... Level Detention Services Officer$139,891
Telecommu... Level Detention Services Officer$177,757

How Do Detention Services Officer Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Detention Services Officers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $74,359.
  • California: $74,077.
  • Massachusetts: $73,090.

Top Paying Cities for Detention Services Officers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $84,708
  • San Francisco: $83,781
  • Oakland: $82,015

What Skills Can Increase a Detention Services Officer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Project Management (Mentioned in 3.73% Job Postings): Project management is the application of processes, methods, skills, knowledge and experience to achieve specific project objectives according to the project acceptance criteria within agreed parameters. Project management has final deliverables that are constrained to a finite timescale and budget.
  • Medical Emergency (Mentioned in 2.78% Job Postings): A medical emergency is an acute injury or illness that poses an immediate risk to a person's life or long-term health, sometimes referred to as a situation risking "life or limb".
  • Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 1.4% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
Skills Demand Percentage
Project Management 3.73%
Medical Emergency 2.78%
Microsoft Office 1.4%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Detention Services Officer's salary.

  • Storytelling: Can increase your salary by up to 40%.
  • Call Center: Can increase your salary by up to 26%.
  • Organizational Skills: Can increase your salary by up to 20%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Storytelling $94,023
40%
Call Center $84,621
26%
Organizational Skills $80,591
20%

Detention Services Officer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Detention Services Officer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 100% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Financial Services and Aerospace & Defense sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average. In contrast, Detention Services Officer positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Transportation typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Detention Services Officer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Detention Services Officer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services$100,739$48.050%

How Education impacts a Detention Services Officer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Detention Services Officers enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Detention Services Officer with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $65,833 and $70,174).

Detention Services Officer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Detention Services Officer
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.8%
High School 25.9%
Associates 17.0%
Bachelors 48.2%
Masters 6.3%
Doctorate 0.9%

Detention Services Officer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Detention Services Officer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on October 01, 2026
$61,013
Average $67,159/year
$72,436
$5,084
Average $5,597/month
$6,036
$1,173
Average $1,292/week
$1,393
$29
Average $32/hour
$35
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $72,436 $6,036 $1,393 $35
Average $67,159 $5,597 $1,292 $32
25th Percentile $61,013 $5,084 $1,173 $29

Most common benefits for Detention Services Officer

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Detention Services Officer

Here are companies hiring for Detention Services Officer and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Detention Services Officer Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Detention Services Officer job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Get a Salary Increase

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

Search Job Openings

For Employers

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Adjust Employee Salary

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Price My Industry Jobs

FAQ about Detention Services Officer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Detention Services Officer?

The Financial Services industry offers the highest average compensation for Detention Services Officer roles, with salaries approximately 50% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst