The average salary for a correctional officer in California is around $96,370 per year.
Avg Salary
Correctional officers earn an average yearly salary of $96,370.
Wages typically start from $63,380 and go up to $114,730.
13% above national average Updated in 2025
Correctional officer earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level correctional officer earnings begin at:
$55.16 per hour
$114,730 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level correctional officer earnings begin at:
$52.69 per hour
$109,580 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level correctional officer earnings begin at:
$46.33 per hour
$96,370 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level correctional officer earnings begin at:
$36.72 per hour
$76,370 per year
10th percentile
Starting level correctional officer earnings begin at:
$30.47 per hour
$63,380 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Correctional officer salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $96,370 |
| New Jersey | $94,770 |
| Massachusetts | $86,310 |
| Oregon | $83,690 |
| Washington | $79,460 |
| Illinois | $79,190 |
| New York | $76,820 |
| Nevada | $76,490 |
| Wisconsin | $73,470 |
| Alaska | $71,360 |
| Rhode Island | $69,710 |
| Hawaii | $69,570 |
| Utah | $67,290 |
| Minnesota | $66,040 |
| Delaware | $65,880 |
| Connecticut | $64,750 |
| Maryland | $64,250 |
| Michigan | $64,020 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,460 |
| Nebraska | $63,380 |
| Colorado | $62,140 |
| New Hampshire | $61,360 |
| Ohio | $59,370 |
| Kansas | $56,120 |
| Arizona | $54,970 |
| Wyoming | $54,780 |
| Vermont | $53,810 |
| Idaho | $53,580 |
| Iowa | $53,040 |
| South Dakota | $53,040 |
| West Virginia | $52,890 |
| Maine | $52,730 |
| Texas | $52,670 |
| North Dakota | $52,460 |
| Tennessee | $50,940 |
| North Carolina | $50,550 |
| Virginia | $50,140 |
| Florida | $49,710 |
| District of Columbia | $49,640 |
| Montana | $49,180 |
| Indiana | $48,340 |
| New Mexico | $47,940 |
| South Carolina | $47,890 |
| Georgia | $47,520 |
| Alabama | $46,660 |
| Oklahoma | $45,690 |
| Missouri | $42,620 |
| Kentucky | $42,310 |
| Arkansas | $40,330 |
| Louisiana | $39,850 |
| Mississippi | $38,720 |
| Puerto Rico | $25,920 |
How do correctional officer salaries compare to similar careers?
Correctional officers earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than fire inspectors but more than paralegals.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Fire inspector salary | $99K |
| Coroner salary | $97K |
| Transit police officer salary | $110K |
| Fish and game warden salary | $100K |
| Firefighter salary | $85K |
| Correctional officer salary | $96K |
| Librarian salary | $90K |
| Clergy member salary | $78K |
| Ambulance dispatcher salary | $80K |
| Paralegal salary | $77K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)