- In 2009, the country's 455,350 correctional officers earned salaries nationwide averaging $42,610, or $20.49 per hour, reports the Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics in its 2009 Occupational Employment and Wages Report.
- Federal, state and local government were the highest per-capita employers of correctional officers in the country in 2009. The federal executive branch of the government paid the highest salaries, at $52,310, and was the fourth-highest per-capita employer. State government, the country's highest per-capita employer, was the second-highest payer with salaries of $43,710. Local government, the second-highest per-capita employer, was the third-highest payer with salaries of $41,370, falling under the national average, but still significantly higher than the next-highest-paying industry, facilities-support services, paying $31,870 and earning the spot as the third-highest per-capita employer in the profession.
- Correctional officers working in California earned significantly higher-than-average salaries of $66,720. New Jersey also paid its correctional officers higher than the norm, at $62,350. In Nevada, correctional officers earned $56,600 while New York's correctional officers took in $53,600. Illinois placed fifth in the country for highest-paid correctional officers, with salaries of $51,530.
- Entry into the correctional officer profession depends on the level of service and area of work. In some cases, a minimum of a high school diploma or GED is required. The Federal Bureau of Prisons requires its correctional officers to have a bachelor's degree or three years' experience in the field. Two governing organizations, the American Jail Association and the American Correctional Association, provide guidelines some employers follow, including knowledge of firearms, first-aid, self-defense skills, and criminal, mental and physical exams.
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