How to become a corrections officer in Utah
The Utah Department of Corrections hires state corrections officers under the title Correctional Officer. New officers start at $65,562 a year, rising to $83,699. You must be at least 19.
Pay
| Starting salary | $65,562 |
|---|---|
| Top of scale | $83,699 |
| Scale effective | 2026-10-05 |
UDC certified pay plan steps 1-10: $31.52, 32.39, 33.28, 34.18, 35.14, 36.10, 37.08, 38.12, 39.17, $40.24/hr (x 2080). Entry step rises one step per prior year of corrections/law-enforcement experience. $6,000 signing bonus ($3,000 after academy + $3,000 at 1 year) with 2-year commitment. Posting cites total compensation package up to $92,298.90 in year one.
Source:[utdgohcm.csod.com]
Requirements
- Minimum age: 19
- Education: High school graduate or equivalent exam
- Citizenship: U.S. citizen, or legal permanent resident for at least 5 continuous years
- No conviction for a crime punishable by imprisonment in a federal or state penitentiary; felony convictions barred from training
- Good moral character per background investigation (may include polygraph)
- Drug test
- Meet SFO and POST standards
- No tattoos above the shirt collar line (neck, head, face)
- Must be 19 before academy start date
Source:[post.utah.gov]
Hiring process
- Online application (statejobs.utah.gov)
- Physical fitness test (vertical jump 14.5 in, 14 push-ups, 30-sec plank, 1.5-mile run in 16:11)
- Background investigation (may include polygraph)
- Drug test
- Paid POST academy
Source:[utdgohcm.csod.com]
Entrance exam
UDC physical fitness test. Initial testing is a physical fitness test; no written entrance exam named in posting.[utdgohcm.csod.com]
Academy
Length not published, paid. Paid training through POST certification (SFO + Basic Correctional Officer). Length for UDC officers not stated in posting.[utdgohcm.csod.com]
Pension and retirement
- Plan: Utah Retirement Systems (URS) - Tier 2 Public Safety and Firefighter Contributory Retirement System (Hybrid default, or Tier 2 DC Plan)
- Benefit formula: Hybrid: years after July 1, 2020 x 2% (before x 1.5%) x highest five years' earnings, converted to monthly; plus 401(k) employer contribution of 14% minus the hybrid DB rate. DC option: employer contributes 14% to 401(k).
- When you can retire: Age 65 with 4 years, 62 with 10, 60 with 20, or any age with 25 years of service; reduced if under 25 years (about 7%/yr ages 60-63, 9%/yr ages 64-65)
Members hired on/after July 1, 2011 must elect Hybrid or DC within one year; Hybrid is default. Up to 2.5% COLA. Highlights effective July 1, 2026.
Source:[urs.org]
Checked against official sources on 2026-10-23. Pay plans change; confirm with the employer before applying.