Corrections Officer pay and requirements by state
State corrections officers supervise people held in state prisons. Every state's prison system hires them, usually with a high school diploma, a background check and a paid academy of a few weeks. Pay, entrance tests and pensions differ a lot by state.
Across the 49 states with a published scale, the median starting salary is $53,248. The highest is Wisconsin at $73,570; the lowest is New Mexico at $38,885.
| State | Employer | Starting pay | Top pay | Min. age | Pension |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Alabama Department of Corrections | $53,818 | — | 19 | Employees' Retirement System of Alabama (ERS), Retirement Systems of Alabama |
| Alaska | Alaska Department of Corrections | $64,002 | $140,462 | 21 | Alaska Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) — Defined Contribution Retirement (DCR) Plan (Tier IV) |
| Arizona | Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR) | $45,621 | $54,975 | 18 | Corrections Officer Retirement Plan (CORP), administered by PSPRS — Tier 3 Defined Contribution (DC) Plan |
| Arkansas | Arkansas Department of Corrections — Division of Correction | $50,845 | $75,251 | — | Arkansas Public Employees Retirement System (APERS) — Contributory Plan |
| California | California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) | $66,120 | $110,436 | 21 | California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) — State Peace Officer/Firefighter, PEPRA |
| Colorado | Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC) | $58,068 | $81,300 | 21 | Colorado PERA — State Division, Safety Officer provisions (Defined Benefit Plan) |
| Connecticut | Connecticut Department of Correction | $56,400 | $74,297 | 21 | Connecticut State Employees Retirement System (SERS) — Tier IV, hazardous duty |
| Delaware | Delaware Department of Correction | $55,421 | $81,237 | 18 | Delaware State Employees' Pension Plan — 25-Year Plan for Correctional Officers/Specified Peace Officers |
| Florida | Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) | $45,760 | — | 18 | Florida Retirement System (FRS) Pension Plan — Special Risk Class |
| Georgia | Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) | $45,806 | $53,348 | 18 | Employees' Retirement System of Georgia (ERS) — GSEPS (Tier 3) hybrid |
| Hawaii | Hawaii Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation | $69,024 | $74,736 | — | Employees' Retirement System of the State of Hawaii (ERS), Hybrid Plan |
| Idaho | Idaho Department of Correction | $51,168 | $98,736 | 18 | Public Employee Retirement System of Idaho (PERSI) Base Plan, Police Officer/Firefighter member class |
| Illinois | Illinois Department of Corrections | $60,216 | $85,032 | 18 | State Employees' Retirement System of Illinois (SERS), Tier 2 Alternative Formula |
| Indiana | Indiana Department of Correction | $45,760 | $60,112 | 18 | Indiana Public Retirement System (INPRS) - PERF Hybrid Plan (state default) or PERF My Choice: Retirement Savings Plan |
| Iowa | Iowa Department of Corrections | $50,918 | $70,720 | — | Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System (IPERS), Protection Occupations (Special Service) group |
| Kansas | Kansas Department of Corrections | $48,963 | $63,981 | 18 | Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS), KPERS-Correctional (KPERS 2 design) |
| Kentucky | Kentucky Department of Corrections | $39,128 | — | 20 | Kentucky Public Pensions Authority (KPPA) - Kentucky Employees Retirement System (KERS) Hazardous, Tier 3 Hybrid Cash Balance Plan |
| Louisiana | Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Corrections Services | — | $57,824 | 18 | Louisiana State Employees' Retirement System (LASERS), Hazardous Duty Services Plan |
| Maine | Maine Department of Corrections | $55,245 | $66,331 | 18 | Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS), 1998 Special Plan |
| Maryland | Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services | $54,447 | $85,873 | 21 | Maryland State Retirement and Pension System - Correctional Officers' Retirement System (CORS) |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts Department of Correction | $69,038 | $95,657 | 19 | Massachusetts State Employees' Retirement System (MSERS), Group 4 |
| Michigan | Michigan Department of Corrections | $50,232 | $75,483 | 18 | State of Michigan Defined Contribution plan (401(k)/457), administered by the Office of Retirement Services |
| Minnesota | Minnesota Department of Corrections | $61,826 | $84,251 | 18 | Minnesota State Retirement System (MSRS) Correctional Employees Retirement Plan |
| Mississippi | Mississippi Department of Corrections | $40,392 | — | 18 | Public Employees' Retirement System of Mississippi (PERS), Hybrid Retirement Plan (Tier 5) |
| Missouri | Missouri Department of Corrections | $43,056 | — | 18 | Missouri State Employees' Retirement System (MOSERS), MSEP 2011 |
| Montana | Montana Department of Corrections | $54,101 | $61,069 | 18 | Montana Game Wardens' and Peace Officers' Retirement System (GWPORS) |
| Nebraska | Nebraska Department of Correctional Services | $65,562 | $79,602 | 18 | Nebraska State Employees Retirement Plan (NPERS), Cash Balance benefit |
| Nevada | Nevada Department of Corrections | $63,538 | $103,001 | 21 | Public Employees' Retirement System of Nevada (PERS), Police/Fire plan |
| New Hampshire | New Hampshire Department of Corrections | $59,009 | $82,243 | 18 | New Hampshire Retirement System (NHRS), Group II (police and fire), Tier C |
| New Jersey | New Jersey Department of Corrections | $55,081 | $123,104 | 18 | Police and Firemen's Retirement System of New Jersey (PFRS), Tier 3 |
| New Mexico | New Mexico Corrections Department | $38,885 | $70,575 | 18 | New Mexico Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) |
| New York | New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) | $66,365 | $84,024 | 18 | New York State and Local Employees' Retirement System (NYSLRS ERS), Article 14-CO State Correction Officers plan |
| North Carolina | North Carolina Department of Adult Correction (DAC), Division of Prisons | $42,512 | $55,317 | 18 | Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System of North Carolina (TSERS) |
| North Dakota | North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOCR) | $51,210 | — | — | North Dakota Public Employees Retirement System (NDPERS), Public Safety Retirement Plan |
| Ohio | Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) | $51,750 | $68,078 | — | Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS), Traditional Pension Plan, Group C, State/Local division |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma Department of Corrections (ODOC) | $44,681 | $46,925 | 20 | Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS), hazardous duty defined benefit plan |
| Oregon | Oregon Department of Corrections (ODOC) | $70,464 | $95,760 | 21 | Oregon PERS, Oregon Public Service Retirement Plan (OPSRP) Pension Program, Police & Fire |
| Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (DOC) | $47,925 | $73,879 | 18 | Pennsylvania State Employees' Retirement System (SERS), defined benefit plan, Class A-3 (option to elect A-4) |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island Department of Corrections (RIDOC) | $69,687 | $95,533 | 18 | Employees' Retirement System of Rhode Island (ERSRI), correctional officer defined benefit provisions |
| South Carolina | South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) | $44,682 | $55,704 | 18 | South Carolina Police Officers Retirement System (PORS), Class Three |
| South Dakota | South Dakota Department of Corrections | $53,248 | $66,768 | — | South Dakota Retirement System (SDRS) - Class B (public safety), Generational member |
| Tennessee | Tennessee Department of Correction | $51,204 | $60,720 | 18 | Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System (TCRS) - Hybrid Retirement Plan for State Employees and Teachers |
| Texas | Texas Department of Criminal Justice | $52,441 | $63,072 | 18 | Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS) - Group 4 cash balance with Law Enforcement and Custodial Officer (LECO) supplemental |
| Utah | Utah Department of Corrections | $65,562 | $83,699 | 19 | Utah Retirement Systems (URS) - Tier 2 Public Safety and Firefighter Contributory Retirement System (Hybrid default, or Tier 2 DC Plan) |
| Vermont | Vermont Department of Corrections | $49,046 | $75,213 | — | Vermont State Employees' Retirement System (VSERS) - Group G (mandatory for DOC facility employees first employed on/after July 1, 2023) |
| Virginia | Virginia Department of Corrections | $49,391 | $96,831 | 18 | Virginia Retirement System - Virginia Law Officers' Retirement System (VaLORS) Plan 2 |
| Washington | Washington State Department of Corrections | $62,040 | $83,340 | — | Washington Department of Retirement Systems - Public Safety Employees' Retirement System (PSERS) Plan 2 |
| West Virginia | West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation | $42,900 | — | 18 | West Virginia Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) - Tier 2 (first member on/after July 1, 2015) |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin Department of Corrections | $73,570 | $87,131 | — | Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) - protective category with Social Security |
| Wyoming | Wyoming Department of Corrections | $56,056 | — | 18 | Wyoming Retirement System - Law Enforcement Pension Plan |
Pay is the state's published base scale for the entry title, before overtime and differentials. Each state page links the source and its effective date.