How to become a corrections officer in Minnesota
The Minnesota Department of Corrections hires state corrections officers under the title Trainee-Corrections Officer / Corrections Officer 1 / Corrections Officer 2. New officers start at $61,826 a year, rising to $84,251. You must be at least 18.
Pay
| Starting salary | $61,826 |
|---|---|
| Top of scale | $84,251 |
| Scale effective | 2026-07-02 |
State salary plan (AFSCME Unit 208): Trainee-Corrections Officer and Corr Officer 1 are flat $29.61/hr ($61,826/yr as listed by MMB, which annualizes at about 2,088 hrs). Corr Officer 2 (the journey-level class) runs $30.35-$40.35/hr ($63,371-$84,251); top figure used here is CO2 maximum. Corr Officer 3 ($34.57-$45.90/hr) is a higher class and not counted. Below-max employees get performance-based increases on their anniversary date (MMB Unit 8/208 summary).
Source:[mn.gov]
Requirements
- Minimum age: 18
- Education: High school diploma or GED
Source:[mn.gov]
Hiring process
- Online application and minimum-qualification review (pool may be narrowed by preferred qualifications)
- One-way video interview
- Contingent job offer
- Background screening (criminal history + predatory offender check, motor vehicle record, associations with justice-involved individuals, employment references)
- Occupational health clearance (TB, respirator) / pre-placement medical
- Six-week pre-service training cycle as Trainee-Corrections Officer
Academy
6 weeks, paid.[policy.doc.mn.gov]
Pension and retirement
- Plan: Minnesota State Retirement System (MSRS) Correctional Employees Retirement Plan
- Benefit formula: 2.2% x years of service x high-five average salary (highest 60 consecutive months), for members first hired after June 30, 2010
- When you can retire: Full benefit at age 55 once vested; reduced benefit from age 50. Vesting for post-June 30, 2010 hires is graded: 50% at 5 years, 100% at 10 years.
- Social Security: yes, you also pay in
Tier for new hires = first hired after June 30, 2010 (pre-July 2010 hires get 2.4%). Employee contribution 9.6% of pay. Plan covers COs who spend at least 75% of their time directly responsible for inmate care (Minn. Stat. 352.91).
Source:[mnretire.gov]
Checked against official sources on 2026-10-23. Pay plans change; confirm with the employer before applying.