We surveyed 2,316 correctional officers to better understand the work environment and required skills of a typical correctional officer. Here are the results.

How much intelligence is required as a correctional officer?

Low

High

Working as a correctional officer typically doesn’t require the use of high levels of intelligence in daily tasks.

Can I learn to become a correctional officer?

Intrinsic Talent

Acquired Talent

A career as a correctional officer typically depends predominantly on qualities you can gain through experience, with a small aspect of skills you are born with.

Is it easy to get a job as a correctional officer?

Easy

Hard

It’s typically not very difficult to find a job as a correctional officer. If you’re curious about the numbers, check out the job market for correctional officers.

Info

Do correctional officers work full-time or part-time?

96% of correctional officers work in full-time roles while 4% work part-time.

Is being a correctional officer stressful?

Low

High

Stress is very commonplace for correctional officers, contributing negatively towards career satisfaction.

Is being organized important as a correctional officer?

Low

High

Organization is not considered a particuarly important part of being a correctional officer.

How competitive is the workplace for correctional officers?

Low

High

Competition at work is not common for correctional officers.

Does being a correctional officer require frequent time pressure to complete tasks?

Low

High

Time pressure tends not to be a major contributor of stress for correctional officers.

Are correctional officers allowed to express themselves creatively?

Low

High

Correctional officers rarely get a chance to express themselves creatively.

Do correctional officers have control over the direction of their work?

Low

High

Correctional officers tend to have a set and inflexible work schedule that they are unable to deviate from too much.

Is being a correctional officer physically demanding?

Low

High

Being a correctional officer may occasionally require demanding physical activity, which may make it not a suitable career choice for everyone.

Are correctional officers exposed to a wide variety of work?

Low

High

While sometimes repetitive, correctional officers tend to have opportunities for variety in their work.

Does being a correctional officer require attention to detail?

Low

High

Attention to detail isn't necessarily required to be successful as a correctional officer.

Does being a good correctional officer require compassion and empathy?

Low

High

The ability to be compassion and empathetic isn't considered fundamental to success as a correctional officer.