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

A Prison Officer's salary grows with experience: starting around $52,789 for beginners, reaching about $54,303 at mid-level, and approach $54,660 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a Prison Officer?

Prison Officer salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Prison Officer roles are District of Columbia $59,176, California $58,952, Massachusetts $58,166. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Prison Officer roles make?

Salaries for Prison Officer level roles vary by specialization: Prison Chaplain: $63,702; Prisoner Supervision Senior Officer: $58,890; Corrections Officer II: $58,840; Correctional Officer, Sr.: $58,833; Prison Teacher: $53,085.

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

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Prison 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.

Prison Officer Salary in the United States

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

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Prison Officer in the United States is $53,447 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $26.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $62,715
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $49,416 to $58,298
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $45,746

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Prison Officer Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$58,298	$4,858	$1,121	$28
Average	$53,447	$4,454	$1,028	$26
25th Percentile	$49,416	$4,118	$950	$24

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Key Factors That Influence Prison Officer Salaries

A Prison 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 Prison Officer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Prison 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): $52,789
Early Career (1-2 years): $53,233
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $54,303
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $54,517
Expert (over 8 years): $54,660

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Prison Officer	$52,789
Intermediate Level Prison Officer	$53,233
Senior Level Prison Officer	$54,303
Specialist Level Prison Officer	$54,517
Expert Level Prison Officer	$54,660

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What Am I Worth?

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

District of Columbia: $59,176.
California: $58,952.
Massachusetts: $58,166.

District of Columbia $59,176 California $58,952 Massachusetts $58,166 Washington $57,952 New Jersey $57,931 Alaska $57,856 Connecticut $57,119 New York $56,819

Hawaii $55,863 Rhode Island $55,414 Maryland $55,109 Minnesota $54,692 Colorado $54,532 Illinois $54,478 Oregon $54,275 Delaware $54,126

New Hampshire $54,032 Virginia $53,821 Pennsylvania $53,206 Nevada $52,896 North Dakota $52,795 Michigan $52,634 Wisconsin $52,576 Vermont $52,458

Texas $52,132 Maine $52,111 Arizona $52,079 Ohio $52,041 Georgia $51,549 Indiana $51,304 Wyoming $51,255 Utah $51,181

Iowa $51,149 Kansas $50,892 Louisiana $50,817 North Carolina $50,790 Missouri $50,780 Florida $50,571 Montana $50,459 Nebraska $50,352

Kentucky $50,293 South Carolina $50,080 Tennessee $49,946 Idaho $49,893 New Mexico $49,502 Oklahoma $49,417 Alabama $49,102 South Dakota $48,572

Arkansas $48,284 West Virginia $48,129 Mississippi $47,664

Top Paying Cities for Prison 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: $67,412
San Francisco: $66,750
Oakland: $65,269

San Jose, CA $67,412

San Francisco, CA $66,750

Oakland, CA $65,269

New York, NY $61,939

Queens Village, NY $61,539

Paramus, NJ $61,111

Passaic, NJ $61,058

Bergenfield, NJ $61,004

Stamford, CT $60,924

Huntington, NY $60,871

Newark, NJ $60,523

Bridgeport, CT $60,416

New Brunswick, NJ $60,240

Vallejo, CA $60,128

Middlesex, NJ $60,096

Somerset, NJ $60,047

Petaluma, CA $59,925

Santa Cruz, CA $59,716

Boston, MA $59,609

Monterey, CA $59,342

Fairbanks, AK $59,305

Los Angeles, CA $59,203

Washington, DC $59,176

Seattle, WA $59,080

Santa Rosa, CA $59,069

Juneau, AK $58,914

Orange, CA $58,738

Anchorage, AK $58,642

Anaheim, CA $58,604

Santa Ana, CA $58,524

Nassau, NY $58,492

Long Beach, CA $58,471

Danbury, CT $58,455

Santa Maria, CA $58,273

Everett, WA $58,262

Bremerton, WA $58,000

Trenton, NJ $57,899

Sacramento, CA $57,878

San Diego, CA $57,851

Brockton, MA $57,829

Tacoma, WA $57,808

Santa Barbara, CA $57,733

Lowell, MA $57,519

New Suffolk, NY $57,498

Nashua, NH $57,434

Lompoc, CA $57,348

Ventura, CA $57,295

Stockton, CA $57,279

New Haven, CT $57,172

Atlantic City, NJ $57,033

Hartford, CT $56,915

Modesto, CA $56,889

Poughkeepsie, NY $56,771

New Britain, CT $56,744

Olympia, WA $56,670

Kennewick, WA $56,670

New London, CT $56,659

Norwich, CT $56,643

Lawrence, MA $56,616

Bakersfield, CA $56,467

Riverside, CA $56,392

New Bedford, MA $56,392

Richland, WA $56,338

Portsmouth, NH $56,296

Vineland, NJ $56,285

San Bernardino, CA $56,242

Boulder, CO $56,092

Worcester, MA $56,050

Portland, OR $56,002

Saint Paul, MN $55,937

Minneapolis, MN $55,937

Philadelphia, PA $55,863

Honolulu, HI $55,579

Springfield, MA $55,392

Providence, RI $55,387

Chicago, IL $55,232

Bellingham, WA $55,168

Baltimore, MD $55,109

Chico, CA $54,975

Wilmington, DE $54,885

Pittsfield, MA $54,831

Manchester, NH $54,730

Spokane, WA $54,494

Denver, CO $54,489

Albany, NY $54,238

Troy, NY $54,216

Schenectady, NY $54,104

Burlington, VT $53,987

Portland, ME $53,800

Salem, OR $53,757

Yakima, WA $53,746

Ann Arbor, MI $53,730

Rochester, MN $53,580

Fresno, CA $53,554

Reno, NV $53,554

Milwaukee, WI $53,506

Detroit, MI $53,452

Allentown, PA $53,436

Carson City, NV $53,431

Houston, TX $53,351

Colorado Springs, CO $53,345

Syracuse, NY $53,319

Eugene, OR $53,217

Bismarck, ND $53,153

Gary, IN $53,153

Galveston, TX $53,153

Springfield, OR $53,110

Medford, OR $52,982

Fort Collins, CO $52,960

Austin, TX $52,918

Mesa, AZ $52,805

Phoenix, AZ $52,795

Dallas, TX $52,779

Reading, PA $52,747

Saint Cloud, MN $52,725

Concord, NH $52,677

Madison, WI $52,656

Utica, NY $52,511

Raleigh, NC $52,469

Las Vegas, NV $52,463

Rochester, NY $52,426

Des Moines, IA $52,421

Atlanta, GA $52,335

Battle Creek, MI $52,319

Salt Lake City, UT $52,303

Lancaster, PA $52,223

Champaign, IL $52,212

Harrisburg, PA $52,148

Durham, NC $52,100

Kansas City, MO $52,095

Kansas City, KS $52,084

Fort Worth, TX $52,079

Boca Raton, FL $52,057

Cleveland, OH $52,052

Columbus, OH $52,041

Pittsburgh, PA $52,036

Richmond, VA $52,014

Indianapolis, IN $52,004

Cincinnati, OH $51,934

Petersburg, VA $51,854

Billings, MT $51,737

Lansing, MI $51,737

Huntsville, AL $51,737

Lebanon, PA $51,731

Dayton, OH $51,726

Pueblo, CO $51,726

Appleton, WI $51,710

Buffalo, NY $51,688

Racine, WI $51,662

Charlotte, NC $51,656

Saint Louis, MO $51,640

Springfield, IL $51,619

Elkhart, IN $51,608

York, PA $51,608

Gastonia, NC $51,603

Benton Harbor, MI $51,603

Beaumont, TX $51,571

Lorain, OH $51,560

Toledo, OH $51,539

Binghamton, NY $51,512

Rock Hill, SC $51,507

Rockford, IL $51,480

Fargo, ND $51,453

Elyria, OH $51,453

Flagstaff, AZ $51,416

Fort Lauderdale, FL $51,384

Miami, FL $51,352

Duluth, MN $51,266

Bangor, ME $51,197

Cedar Rapids, IA $51,138

Louisville, KY $51,111

Grand Rapids, MI $51,100

Hialeah, FL $51,095

Casper, WY $51,020

Scranton, PA $50,956

New Orleans, LA $50,940

Virginia Beach, VA $50,935

Akron, OH $50,908

Peoria, IL $50,839

Sarasota, FL $50,828

Green Bay, WI $50,790

Baton Rouge, LA $50,764

Charleston, SC $50,753

Nashville, TN $50,737

Jamestown, NY $50,726

Davenport, IA $50,726

Tucson, AZ $50,700

Cheyenne, WY $50,684

Saint Petersburg, FL $50,668

Tampa, FL $50,657

Omaha, NE $50,646

Port Arthur, TX $50,625

Evansville, IN $50,625

Bradenton, FL $50,603

Santa Fe, NM $50,507

Orlando, FL $50,454

Clearwater, FL $50,395

Canton, OH $50,283

La Crosse, WI $50,283

Grand Forks, ND $50,267

Albuquerque, NM $50,251

Tulsa, OK $50,251

Newport News, VA $50,245

High Point, NC $50,229

Ogden, UT $50,208

Corpus Christi, TX $50,165

Laramie, WY $50,133

Norfolk, VA $50,133

Rock Island, IL $50,101

Saginaw, MI $50,090

Jacksonville, FL $50,085

Salisbury, NC $50,074

Memphis, TN $50,064

Moline, IL $50,037

Fort Myers, FL $50,021

Waterloo, IA $49,951

Spartanburg, SC $49,898

Lincoln, NE $49,871

Fort Wayne, IN $49,861

Birmingham, AL $49,802

Cedar Falls, IA $49,791

Provo, UT $49,786

Springfield, OH $49,780

San Antonio, TX $49,770

Greensboro, NC $49,748

South Bend, IN $49,743

Winston Salem, NC $49,738

Boise, ID $49,722

Savannah, GA $49,684

Muskegon, MI $49,588

Lima, OH $49,524

Lake Charles, LA $49,502

Anderson, IN $49,492

Lexington, KY $49,476

Augusta, GA $49,460

Greenville, SC $49,460

Wichita, KS $49,412

Tuscaloosa, AL $49,412

Columbia, SC $49,363

Bloomington, IN $49,230

Roanoke, VA $49,198

Asheville, NC $49,128

Knoxville, TN $49,037

Shreveport, LA $49,032

Wilmington, NC $48,963

Frankfort, KY $48,861

Oklahoma City, OK $48,824

Chillicothe, OH $48,802

Longview, TX $48,797

Topeka, KS $48,781

Mobile, AL $48,701

Terre Haute, IN $48,679

Erie, PA $48,674

Altoona, PA $48,647

Melbourne, FL $48,631

Amarillo, TX $48,610

Killeen, TX $48,594

Fayetteville, AR $48,551

Sioux Falls, SD $48,514

Chattanooga, TN $48,482

Idaho Falls, ID $48,476

Gainesville, FL $48,364

Portsmouth, OH $48,337

Little Rock, AR $48,327

Lynchburg, VA $48,327

Lafayette, LA $48,305

Youngstown, OH $48,305

Temple, TX $48,284

Daytona Beach, FL $48,273

Clarksville, TN $48,268

Pensacola, FL $48,262

Hopkinsville, KY $48,102

Charleston, WV $48,097

Florence, SC $48,070

Sioux City, IA $48,038

Macon, GA $47,883

Tallahassee, FL $47,878

Fayetteville, NC $47,867

Waco, TX $47,856

Wichita Falls, TX $47,856

Pine Bluff, AR $47,835

Vincennes, IN $47,733

Lubbock, TX $47,712

Great Falls, MT $47,680

Alamogordo, NM $47,675

Abilene, TX $47,632

Rapid City, SD $47,562

Monroe, LA $47,562

Albany, GA $47,530

Huntington, WV $47,525

Jackson, MS $47,520

Greenville, MS $47,514

Parkersburg, WV $47,461

Montgomery, AL $47,450

Johnstown, PA $47,439

Springfield, MO $47,397

Biloxi, MS $47,370

Sumter, SC $47,258

Columbus, GA $47,252

Twin Falls, ID $47,220

Pascagoula, MS $47,151

Kingsport, TN $47,012

Gulfport, MS $46,996

Alexandria, LA $46,819

Fort Smith, AR $46,686

El Paso, TX $46,541

Helena, MT $46,472

Las Cruces, NM $46,301

Harlingen, TX $46,151

Pocatello, ID $46,103

Florence, AL $46,087

Brownsville, TX $46,076

Dothan, AL $45,991

Mcallen, TX $45,964

Columbus, MS $45,569

Altus, OK $45,323

Lawton, OK $45,221

Pierre, SD $45,029

What Skills Can Increase a Prison 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 Prison 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	$57,723	8%
Active Listening	$57,723	8%
Problem Solving	$56,654	6%
Collective Bargaining	$56,654	6%
Commitment	$56,119	5%
Coordination	$56,119	5%

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How Education impacts a Prison Officer's Salary?

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

Prison Officer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Prison 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

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

Understanding how a Prison 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 January 01, 2026

$49,416

Average $53,447/year

$58,298

$4,118

Average $4,454/month

$4,858

$950

Average $1,028/week

$1,121

$24

Average $26/hour

$28

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$58,298	$4,858	$1,121	$28
Average	$53,447	$4,454	$1,028	$26
25th Percentile	$49,416	$4,118	$950	$24

Salaries of jobs related to Prison Officer

Salary Trends for Prison Officer

Salaries for a Prison Officer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $38,198 in 2023 to around $37,724 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Prison Officer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Prison Officer Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$38,198

2024

$38,144

2025

$37,724

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$38,198
2024	$38,144
2025	$37,724
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Prison Officer

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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