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Correctional officer salary in Arizona

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$54,970median pay per year in Arizona, or $26.43 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $45,620lowest 10% earn less
  2. $49,14025th percentile
  3. $54,970median
  4. $62,34075th percentile
  5. $65,030top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $58,940[3]

The median pay for a correctional officer in Arizona was $54,970 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $3,970 lower than the US median[6].

Jobs in AZ
14,230[4]
Rank by median pay
24 of 49[5]
Compared with US median
−6.7%[6]

How much do correctional officers make in Arizona?

Half of the correctional officers in Arizona earned more than $54,970 a year, and half earned less[1]. That works out to $26.43 an hour[1]. The average was a little higher, at $56,080 a year[7].

Across the US, the median for this job was $58,940[3]. Arizona sat $3,970, or 6.7%, below that[6]. The median for all jobs in the state was $50,060[8], so correctional officers in Arizona earned $4,910 more than that[9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $45,620, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $65,030[2]. By metro area, Prescott Valley-Prescott had the highest median, at $58,210[10]. Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler had the largest job count, with a median of $57,280[11]. These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out self-employed people, and they do not include bonuses or the cost of benefits like health insurance[12].

Arizona vs US pay

Pay for correctional officers in Arizona next to the national figures[1][3].

AZUS
Median per year$54,970[1]$58,940[3]
Median per hour$26.43[1]$28.34[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$45,620[2]$42,760[13]
Top 10% earn more than$65,030[2]$93,220[13]
Jobs14,230[4]380,500[3]

Pay by metro area in Arizona

Metro areas in Arizona with the most jobs for correctional officers, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ[11]$57,2808,920
Tucson, AZ$54,9702,090
Yuma, AZ$50,9401,360
Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ$54,970520
Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ$47,260210
Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ$58,210200
Flagstaff, AZ$57,79050

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for correctional officers in the states that border Arizona, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
California[14]$96,37037,860
Nevada$76,4903,240
Utah$67,2902,050
Colorado$62,1407,290
New Mexico$47,9402,740

Median pay for correctional officers in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for correctional officers are projected to decline 7.4% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: high school diploma or equivalent[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a correctional officer make in Arizona?
The median was $54,970 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $56,080 a year[7].
How much does a correctional officer make an hour in Arizona?
The median was $26.43 an hour[1]. The 10th percentile was $21.93 an hour and the 90th percentile was $31.26[17].
Which city in Arizona pays correctional officers the most?
Prescott Valley-Prescott had the highest median among the 7 metro areas with a published figure, at $58,210 a year[10].
Is Arizona a good state for correctional officers?
Arizona had the 24th highest median annual wage for this job out of 49 states[5]. Its median was 6.7% below the US median[6].
What do you need to become a correctional officer in Arizona?
Across the US, the typical entry education is a high school diploma or equivalent, with no related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training[16]. This is a US figure, not an Arizona one.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Correctional Officers and Jailers in Arizona was $54,970 per year and $26.43 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Correctional Officers and Jailers in Arizona: 10th percentile $45,620, 25th percentile $49,140, 75th percentile $62,340, 90th percentile $65,030. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Correctional Officers and Jailers in the US as a whole was $58,940 per year and $28.34 per hour, with about 380,500 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 14,230 people worked as Correctional Officers and Jailers in Arizona (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Arizona had the 24th highest median annual wage for Correctional Officers and Jailers out of the 49 states with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Correctional Officers and Jailers in Arizona ($54,970) was $3,970 (6.7%) lower than the US median ($58,940). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Correctional Officers and Jailers in Arizona was $56,080 per year and $26.96 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Arizona was $50,060. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Correctional Officers and Jailers in Arizona was $4,910 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($50,060). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 7 metro areas in or partly in Arizona with a published median for Correctional Officers and Jailers, Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ had the highest median annual wage, $58,210. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Correctional Officers and Jailers in the US: 10th percentile $42,760, 25th percentile $48,640, 75th percentile $75,850, 90th percentile $93,220. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Correctional Officers and Jailers in states that border Arizona (highest first): California $96,370; Nevada $76,490; Utah $67,290; Colorado $62,140; New Mexico $47,940. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Correctional Officers and Jailers is projected to decline 7.4% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 28,400 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Correctional Officers and Jailers: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Correctional Officers and Jailers in Arizona: 10th percentile $21.93, 25th percentile $23.63, 75th percentile $29.97, 90th percentile $31.26. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only Arizona. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.