What are the main factors that influence a Jail Officer's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Jail Officer's salary?

A Jail Officer's salary grows with experience: starting around $53,047 for beginners, reaching about $54,566 at mid-level, and approach $54,923 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a Jail Officer?

Jail Officer salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Jail Officer roles are District of Columbia $59,464, California $59,239, Massachusetts $58,449. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Jail Officer roles make?

Salaries for Jail Officer level roles vary by specialization: Jail Nurse: $117,711; Jail Rn: $75,263; Correctional Officer / Jailer II: $58,900; Corrections Officer II: $58,880; Correctional Officer, Sr.: $58,876.

How do different companies affect a Jail Officer's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Jail Officer roles. Large, established industry leaders like New York Police Department ($97,099) and State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority ($95,962) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $75,106.

Jail Officer Salary in the United States

How much does a Jail Officer make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Jail Officer in the United States is $53,707 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $26.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $63,001
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $49,657 to $58,572
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $45,969

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Jail Officer Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$58,572	$4,881	$1,126	$28
Average	$53,707	$4,476	$1,033	$26
25th Percentile	$49,657	$4,138	$955	$24

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Key Factors That Influence Jail Officer Salaries

A Jail 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 Jail Officer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Jail 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): $53,047
Early Career (1-2 years): $53,492
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $54,566
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $54,780
Expert (over 8 years): $54,923

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Jail Officer	$53,047
Intermediate Level Jail Officer	$53,492
Senior Level Jail Officer	$54,566
Specialist Level Jail Officer	$54,780
Expert Level Jail Officer	$54,923

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Jail 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 Jail Officers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $59,464.
California: $59,239.
Massachusetts: $58,449.

District of Columbia $59,464 California $59,239 Massachusetts $58,449 Washington $58,235 New Jersey $58,213 Alaska $58,138 Connecticut $57,397 New York $57,096

Hawaii $56,135 Rhode Island $55,683 Maryland $55,377 Minnesota $54,958 Colorado $54,797 Illinois $54,744 Oregon $54,539 Delaware $54,389

New Hampshire $54,295 Virginia $54,083 Pennsylvania $53,465 Nevada $53,154 North Dakota $53,052 Michigan $52,891 Wisconsin $52,832 Vermont $52,713

Texas $52,386 Maine $52,364 Arizona $52,332 Ohio $52,295 Georgia $51,800 Indiana $51,553 Wyoming $51,505 Utah $51,430

Iowa $51,398 Kansas $51,140 Louisiana $51,065 North Carolina $51,038 Missouri $51,027 Florida $50,818 Montana $50,705 Nebraska $50,597

Kentucky $50,538 South Carolina $50,323 Tennessee $50,189 Idaho $50,135 New Mexico $49,743 Oklahoma $49,657 Alabama $49,341 South Dakota $48,809

Arkansas $48,519 West Virginia $48,363 Mississippi $47,896

Top Paying Cities for Jail 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: $67,741
San Francisco: $66,999
Oakland: $65,587

San Jose, CA $67,741

San Francisco, CA $66,999

Oakland, CA $65,587

New York, NY $61,838

Paramus, NJ $61,086

Queens Village, NY $61,083

Passaic, NJ $61,032

Bergenfield, NJ $61,027

Stamford, CT $60,909

Huntington, NY $60,887

Newark, NJ $60,490

Bridgeport, CT $60,377

Vallejo, CA $60,270

New Brunswick, NJ $60,249

Petaluma, CA $60,216

Middlesex, NJ $60,114

Somerset, NJ $60,077

Santa Cruz, CA $60,007

Boston, MA $59,679

Monterey, CA $59,491

Seattle, WA $59,368

Santa Rosa, CA $59,357

Los Angeles, CA $59,341

Juneau, AK $59,201

Washington, DC $59,142

Orange, CA $58,951

Santa Ana, CA $58,809

Long Beach, CA $58,755

Anaheim, CA $58,745

Anchorage, AK $58,718

Santa Maria, CA $58,557

Everett, WA $58,546

Danbury, CT $58,357

Bremerton, WA $58,283

Tacoma, WA $58,089

New Suffolk, NY $58,088

Sacramento, CA $58,073

Santa Barbara, CA $58,014

Trenton, NJ $57,955

San Diego, CA $57,955

Brockton, MA $57,896

Fairbanks, AK $57,765

Lompoc, CA $57,628

Lowell, MA $57,584

Ventura, CA $57,574

Nashua, NH $57,563

Stockton, CA $57,558

Modesto, CA $57,166

Poughkeepsie, NY $57,048

Olympia, WA $56,946

Kennewick, WA $56,946

New Haven, CT $56,924

Lawrence, MA $56,731

Hartford, CT $56,677

Riverside, CA $56,666

New Bedford, MA $56,613

Richland, WA $56,613

Bakersfield, CA $56,537

San Bernardino, CA $56,516

New Britain, CT $56,511

Atlantic City, NJ $56,511

New London, CT $56,489

Norwich, CT $56,473

Portsmouth, NH $56,462

Boulder, CO $56,348

Portland, OR $56,274

Worcester, MA $56,269

Minneapolis, MN $56,102

Philadelphia, PA $56,027

Honolulu, HI $55,850

Saint Paul, MN $55,824

Vineland, NJ $55,812

Providence, RI $55,657

Chicago, IL $55,501

Bellingham, WA $55,436

Springfield, MA $55,393

Baltimore, MD $55,377

Chico, CA $55,243

Pittsfield, MA $55,098

Manchester, NH $54,996

Spokane, WA $54,760

Denver, CO $54,754

Albany, NY $54,502

Troy, NY $54,480

Nassau, NY $54,423

Schenectady, NY $54,368

Wilmington, DE $54,325

Burlington, VT $54,249

Salem, OR $54,228

Portland, ME $54,061

Yakima, WA $54,008

Rochester, MN $53,841

Reno, NV $53,814

Fresno, CA $53,814

Milwaukee, WI $53,766

Detroit, MI $53,712

Ann Arbor, MI $53,703

Allentown, PA $53,696

Colorado Springs, CO $53,605

Syracuse, NY $53,578

Carson City, NV $53,578

Houston, TX $53,503

Eugene, OR $53,476

Gary, IN $53,412

Springfield, OR $53,369

Bismarck, ND $53,358

Galveston, TX $53,320

Medford, OR $53,240

Fort Collins, CO $53,218

Concord, NH $53,191

Austin, TX $53,175

Mesa, AZ $53,063

Reading, PA $53,057

Phoenix, AZ $53,052

Dallas, TX $53,036

Saint Cloud, MN $52,984

Madison, WI $52,912

Utica, NY $52,767

Rochester, NY $52,681

Des Moines, IA $52,676

Raleigh, NC $52,670

Atlanta, GA $52,590

Battle Creek, MI $52,574

Salt Lake City, UT $52,558

Lancaster, PA $52,477

Harrisburg, PA $52,402

Kansas City, MO $52,348

Champaign, IL $52,337

Kansas City, KS $52,337

Fort Worth, TX $52,332

Columbus, OH $52,323

Boca Raton, FL $52,311

Pittsburgh, PA $52,289

Richmond, VA $52,268

Indianapolis, IN $52,257

Cleveland, OH $52,252

Las Vegas, NV $52,187

Cincinnati, OH $52,187

Petersburg, VA $52,107

Huntsville, AL $52,026

Lansing, MI $51,990

Lebanon, PA $51,983

Pueblo, CO $51,978

Appleton, WI $51,962

Buffalo, NY $51,940

Dayton, OH $51,924

Racine, WI $51,913

Charlotte, NC $51,908

Saint Louis, MO $51,892

York, PA $51,859

Elkhart, IN $51,859

Gastonia, NC $51,849

Billings, MT $51,836

Beaumont, TX $51,822

Lorain, OH $51,811

Benton Harbor, MI $51,800

Toledo, OH $51,790

Binghamton, NY $51,763

Rock Hill, SC $51,757

Rockford, IL $51,731

Springfield, IL $51,709

Elyria, OH $51,704

Fargo, ND $51,704

Flagstaff, AZ $51,666

Fort Lauderdale, FL $51,634

Duluth, MN $51,602

Miami, FL $51,602

Cheyenne, WY $51,564

Grand Forks, ND $51,564

Bangor, ME $51,446

Cedar Rapids, IA $51,387

Durham, NC $51,364

Louisville, KY $51,360

Grand Rapids, MI $51,349

Hialeah, FL $51,344

Casper, WY $51,269

Scranton, PA $51,204

New Orleans, LA $51,188

Virginia Beach, VA $51,183

Akron, OH $51,156

Peoria, IL $51,086

Sarasota, FL $51,075

Nashville, TN $51,038

Omaha, NE $51,038

Green Bay, WI $51,038

Baton Rouge, LA $51,011

Charleston, SC $51,000

Jamestown, NY $50,973

Davenport, IA $50,973

Tucson, AZ $50,946

Saint Petersburg, FL $50,914

Tampa, FL $50,903

Evansville, IN $50,871

Port Arthur, TX $50,871

Bradenton, FL $50,850

Santa Fe, NM $50,753

Orlando, FL $50,656

Clearwater, FL $50,640

Canton, OH $50,528

La Crosse, WI $50,528

Albuquerque, NM $50,495

Newport News, VA $50,490

High Point, NC $50,474

Ogden, UT $50,452

Corpus Christi, TX $50,409

Norfolk, VA $50,377

Laramie, WY $50,377

Rock Island, IL $50,345

Saginaw, MI $50,334

Jacksonville, FL $50,329

Salisbury, NC $50,318

Boise, ID $50,307

Moline, IL $50,280

Fort Myers, FL $50,264

Memphis, TN $50,254

Tulsa, OK $50,227

Waterloo, IA $50,195

Spartanburg, SC $50,141

Lincoln, NE $50,114

Fort Wayne, IN $50,103

Provo, UT $50,098

Cedar Falls, IA $50,033

San Antonio, TX $50,012

Greensboro, NC $49,990

South Bend, IN $49,985

Savannah, GA $49,926

Muskegon, MI $49,905

Birmingham, AL $49,899

Winston Salem, NC $49,873

Lake Charles, LA $49,743

Anderson, IN $49,733

Lexington, KY $49,717

Augusta, GA $49,700

Greenville, SC $49,700

Lima, OH $49,657

Wichita, KS $49,652

Tuscaloosa, AL $49,652

Columbia, SC $49,604

Springfield, OH $49,593

Asheville, NC $49,507

Bloomington, IN $49,470

Knoxville, TN $49,276

Shreveport, LA $49,271

Wilmington, NC $49,201

Roanoke, VA $49,201

Topeka, KS $49,104

Frankfort, KY $49,098

Oklahoma City, OK $49,061

Chillicothe, OH $49,040

Longview, TX $49,034

Melbourne, FL $49,029

Sioux Falls, SD $48,943

Mobile, AL $48,938

Terre Haute, IN $48,916

Altoona, PA $48,884

Amarillo, TX $48,847

Killeen, TX $48,830

Fayetteville, AR $48,787

Chattanooga, TN $48,771

Sioux City, IA $48,723

Idaho Falls, ID $48,712

Lynchburg, VA $48,669

Gainesville, FL $48,599

Portsmouth, OH $48,573

Little Rock, AR $48,562

Lafayette, LA $48,540

Youngstown, OH $48,540

Daytona Beach, FL $48,508

Clarksville, TN $48,503

Pensacola, FL $48,497

Temple, TX $48,494

Hopkinsville, KY $48,336

Erie, PA $48,326

Florence, SC $48,304

Charleston, WV $48,218

Great Falls, MT $48,191

Macon, GA $48,116

Tallahassee, FL $48,111

Fayetteville, NC $48,100

Waco, TX $48,089

Helena, MT $48,052

Pine Bluff, AR $48,031

Vincennes, IN $47,966

Lubbock, TX $47,944

Alamogordo, NM $47,912

Twin Falls, ID $47,864

Rapid City, SD $47,848

Jackson, MS $47,751

Huntington, WV $47,747

Greenville, MS $47,746

Parkersburg, WV $47,691

Montgomery, AL $47,681

Wichita Falls, TX $47,627

Springfield, MO $47,627

Biloxi, MS $47,601

Monroe, LA $47,547

Johnstown, PA $47,509

Sumter, SC $47,488

Columbus, GA $47,482

Pascagoula, MS $47,380

Abilene, TX $47,380

Kingsport, TN $47,241

Albany, GA $47,241

Gulfport, MS $47,225

Alexandria, LA $47,047

Fort Smith, AR $46,913

El Paso, TX $46,768

Las Cruces, NM $46,526

Harlingen, TX $46,390

Pocatello, ID $46,381

Florence, AL $46,312

Brownsville, TX $46,301

Mcallen, TX $46,188

Dothan, AL $46,113

Columbus, MS $45,794

Altus, OK $45,544

Lawton, OK $45,441

Pierre, SD $45,248

What Skills Can Increase a Jail Officer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Initiative (Mentioned in 9.04% Job Postings): Taking decisive action and initiating plans independently to address problems, improve professional life, and achieve goals.
CPR (Mentioned in 6.61% Job Postings): Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) combines rescue breathing (mouth-to-mouth) and chest compressions to temporarily pump enough blood to the brain until specialized treatment is available.
Bond (Mentioned in 2.56% Job Postings): Bonds are issued by borrowers to raise money from investors willing to lend them money for a certain amount of time.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Initiative	9.04%
CPR	6.61%
Bond	2.56%

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 Jail Officer's salary.

Integrity: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Active Listening: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Problem Solving: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Integrity	$58,004	8%
Active Listening	$58,004	8%
Problem Solving	$56,929	6%
Collective Bargaining	$56,929	6%
Commitment	$56,392	5%
Coordination	$56,392	5%

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How Education impacts a Jail Officer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Jail 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 Jail Officer with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $46,708 and $49,951).

Jail Officer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Jail Officer

No Diploma 7.4%

High School 44.2%

Associates 18.9%

Bachelors 25.8%

Masters 3.7%

Doctorate 0.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	7.4%
High School	44.2%
Associates	18.9%
Bachelors	25.8%
Masters	3.7%
Doctorate	0.0%

view as graph

Jail Officer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Jail 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 May 01, 2026

$49,657

Average $53,707/year

$58,572

$4,138

Average $4,476/month

$4,881

$955

Average $1,033/week

$1,126

$24

Average $26/hour

$28

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$58,572	$4,881	$1,126	$28
Average	$53,707	$4,476	$1,033	$26
25th Percentile	$49,657	$4,138	$955	$24

Salaries of jobs related to Jail Officer

Salary Trends for Jail Officer

Salaries for a Jail Officer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $38,364 in 2023 to around $37,888 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Jail Officer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Jail Officer Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$38,364

2024

$38,310

2025

$37,888

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$38,364
2024	$38,310
2025	$37,888
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Jail Officer

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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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.)

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