How to become a corrections officer in Louisiana
The Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Corrections Services hires state corrections officers under the title Corrections Cadet (reallocated to Corrections Sergeant after 6 months, Sergeant-Master after 1 more year). You must be at least 18.
Pay
| Starting salary | — |
|---|---|
| Top of scale | $57,824 |
| Scale effective | 2024-08-19 |
New hires start as Corrections Cadets at a special entrance rate. State Civil Service changed that rate on July 1, 2026 but has not published the new dollar amount, so no starting figure is shown. Top is the Sergeant-Master range maximum on the August 2024 Protective Services schedule.
Source:[civilservice.louisiana.gov]
Requirements
- Minimum age: 18
- Education: High school diploma or GED, or one year of experience in any field
- Current driver's license
- No felony or misdemeanor domestic-violence conviction and no pending felony indictment (until relief granted)
- PREA disqualification criteria (substantiated sexual abuse)
- Must authorize contact with prior employers under PREA
- Willing and able to carry firearms
- Drug-free workplace; shift work
Source:[governmentjobs.com]
Hiring process
- Online application on the State Civil Service job portal (no Civil Service test required)
- Verification of diploma/certificates/DD-214
- PREA prior-employer check
- Background check
- Hire as Corrections Cadet
- Correctional Officer Training Academy and firearms training
Source:[governmentjobs.com]
Academy
4 weeks, paid. State posting: four-week Correctional Officer Training Academy plus firearms training.[apps01.civilservice.louisiana.gov]
Pension and retirement
- Plan: Louisiana State Employees' Retirement System (LASERS), Hazardous Duty Services Plan
- Benefit formula: 3.33% × years of service × average compensation (2.5% if the last 10 years were not in a hazardous duty position); employee contribution 9.5%
- When you can retire: 25 years of service at any age; 12 years at age 55 or later; 20 years at any age actuarially reduced from age 55
- Social Security: no, this job is not covered
Hazardous duty employees hired on or after January 1, 2011 are enrolled in the HAZ Plan. DOC's careers page also describes retirement after 25 years at any age at a 3.3% hazardous-duty accrual. The average-compensation period (reported as highest 60 months) could not be read on an official page; LASERS' site blocked automated fetches.
Source:[lasersonline.org]
Checked against official sources on 2026-10-23. Pay plans change; confirm with the employer before applying.