How to become a corrections officer in Alaska
The Alaska Department of Corrections hires state corrections officers under the title Correctional Officer 1. New officers start at $64,002 a year, rising to $140,462. You must be at least 21.
Pay
| Starting salary | $64,002 |
|---|---|
| Top of scale | $140,462 |
| Scale effective | 2026-07-01 |
Correctional Officer 1 is Range 11 in the ACOA (GC) unit. GC-100 (base geographic table) Range 11: Step A $30.77/hr to Step Z $67.53/hr, effective 7/1/2026; annualized at 2080 hrs. Higher geographic tables pay more (e.g. GC-150 Range 11 Step A $46.16/hr). Officers work an 84-hour week-on/week-off schedule, so actual earnings exceed the 2080-hr figure. 2025 posting allowed starting up to Step D if criteria are met. Step Z is a long-service longevity step; time to reach it is not stated.
Source:[doa.alaska.gov]
Requirements
- Minimum age: 21
- Education: High school diploma or GED
- Citizenship: U.S. citizen or U.S. national
- Valid U.S. driver's license at appointment
- No felony convictions and no misdemeanor crime of domestic violence
- Certain dishonesty/moral turpitude/serious-injury convictions or two or more DUIs in the past 10 years disqualify
- Notarized APSC F-3 Personal History Statement
- DPS security clearance (APSIN/ACOMS access)
Source:[governmentjobs.com]
Hiring process
- Online application with supplemental questionnaire (Workplace Alaska / governmentjobs.com)
- Submit background packet and F-3 Personal History Statement
- Screening and conditional job offer
- Background investigation, fingerprinting and criminal history check
- Psychological evaluation, drug screen and medical exam
- Seven-week academy plus 12-14 months structured field training; APSC certification then promotion to CO 2
Source:[governmentjobs.com]
Academy
7 weeks, paid. Attended during the first 12-14 months; APSC Correctional Officer Certificate required, after which officers are promoted to Correctional Officer 2.[doc.alaska.gov]
Pension and retirement
- Plan: Alaska Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) — Defined Contribution Retirement (DCR) Plan (Tier IV)
- When you can retire: No pension formula: individual account. Employee contributes 8%, PERS employer adds 5%; employer share vests 25%/yr from year 2 to 100% at 5 years. Retiree medical with 25 years of peace officer/firefighter service.
- Social Security: no, this job is not covered
Employees hired after June 30, 2006 are automatically in the DCR plan per DRB; the 2025 DOC posting likewise says new employees get a matching employer contribution into a defined contribution program. Legislative materials for HB 78 (2025) propose reinstating a DB tier for new hires, but no DRB page confirming it for new hires was found, so verify before publishing.
Source:[governmentjobs.com]
Checked against official sources on 2026-10-23. Pay plans change; confirm with the employer before applying.