As of September 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Correctional Nurse in the US is $67,288, equivalent to $32 per hour, $1,294 weekly, or $5,607 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Correctional Nurse in cities like San Jose, Santa Clara, and San Francisco.

Annually Salaries for Correctional Nurse in the US vary widely, spanning from $53,972 to $82,378. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($60,318) and 75th percentile ($75,186), while top earners (90th percentile) make $82,378 per year. This $14,868 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Planning or Pediatric, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, District of Columbia Correctional Nurse often earn 10.7% above national averages due to demand from Fortune 16 companies and industry startups. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like to offset market challenges.

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
Correctional Nurse Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Correctional Nurse Salary $53,972 US September 01, 2026
25th Percentile Correctional Nurse Salary $60,318 US September 01, 2026
50th Percentile Correctional Nurse Salary $67,288 US September 01, 2026
75th Percentile Correctional Nurse Salary $75,186 US September 01, 2026
90th Percentile Correctional Nurse Salary $82,378 US September 01, 2026
25% $60,318 10% $53,972 90% $82,378 75% $75,186 $67,288 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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Check out Correctional Nurse jobs in Columbus, Ohio

Warehouse associate

AROMAIR - Columbus, OH

Warehouse associate

AROMAIR - Columbus, OH

Warehouse associate

AROMAIR - Columbus, OH

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What is a Correctional Nurse ?

Correctional nursing, sometimes called forensic nursing, is a specialized field of nursing that involves caring for the medical and mental health needs of detainees and inmates. These nurses work in a variety of settings such as jails, prisons, and juvenile detention centers. In these correctional settings, nurses are the primary healthcare providers....

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/25/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

See user submitted job responsibilities for Correctional Nurse.

Job Openings for Correctional Nurse

Career Path for this job

  1. This Job:

    Correctional Nurse

    0 - 2 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

  2. Up a level:

    Staff Nurse - RN II

    2 - 4 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

Understand the total compensation opportunity for a Correctional Nurse, base salary plus other pay elements

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
60318
75186
67288

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
63162
77215
69118
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Correctional Nurse in the United States. The base salary for Correctional Nurse ranges from $60,318 to $75,186 with the average base salary of $67,288. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $63,162 to $77,215 with the average total cash compensation of $69,118.

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60318
75186

 

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