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Correctional officer salary in California

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

$96,370median pay per year in California, or $46.33 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $63,380lowest 10% earn less
  2. $76,37025th percentile
  3. $96,370median
  4. $109,58075th percentile
  5. $114,730top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $58,940[3]

The median pay for correctional officers in California was $96,370 a year in May 2025[1]. That was the highest median among the 49 states with a published figure[5].

Jobs in CA
37,860[4]
Rank by median pay
1 of 49[5]
Compared with US median
+63.5%[6]

How much do correctional officers make in California?

Half of correctional officers in California earned more than $96,370 a year, and half earned less[1]. That works out to $46.33 an hour[1]. The average was a bit lower at $92,410 a year[7].

Across the US, the median for correctional officers was $58,940[3]. California's median was $37,430 (63.5%) higher[6]. It was also $38,130 higher than the median for all jobs in the state, which was $58,240[8][9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $63,380 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $114,730[2]. Among metro areas with a published median, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the highest at $132,670[10]. Salinas had a median of $109,620, and Bakersfield-Delano had $107,220[11].

These figures cover wage and salary workers, both full time and part time. They leave out the self-employed. They also leave out bonuses that are not tied to production and the value of benefits such as health insurance[12].

California vs US pay

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

CAUS
Median per year$96,370[1]$58,940[3]
Median per hour$46.33[1]$28.34[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$63,380[2]$42,760[13]
Top 10% earn more than$114,730[2]$93,220[13]
Jobs37,860[4]380,500[3]

Pay by metro area in California

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

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[11]$78,7706,070
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$94,7304,800
Bakersfield-Delano, CA$107,2203,280
Fresno, CA$94,0102,660
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$89,7301,920
Salinas, CA$109,6201,510
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$99,8801,500
Stockton-Lodi, CA$107,2201,220

Pay in nearby states

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

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[14]$83,6903,650
Nevada$76,4903,240
Arizona$54,97014,230

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 California?
The median pay was $96,370 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $92,410 a year[7].
How much does a correctional officer make an hour in California?
The median was $46.33 an hour[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $30.47 an hour, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $55.16[2][17].
Which city in California pays correctional officers the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the highest median among the metro areas with a published figure, at $132,670 a year[10].
Is California a good state for correctional officers?
California ranked 1st out of 49 states for median annual pay for this job[5]. Its median of $96,370 was $37,430 above the US median[1][6].
What do you need to become a correctional officer in California?
This is a US figure, not a California one. 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].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Correctional Officers and Jailers in California was $96,370 per year and $46.33 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 California: 10th percentile $63,380, 25th percentile $76,370, 75th percentile $109,580, 90th percentile $114,730. 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 37,860 people worked as Correctional Officers and Jailers in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 1st highest median annual wage for Correctional Officers and Jailers out of the 49 states with a published median (the highest of all). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Correctional Officers and Jailers in California ($96,370) was $37,430 (63.5%) higher 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 California was $92,410 per year and $44.43 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Correctional Officers and Jailers in California was $38,130 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 14 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Correctional Officers and Jailers, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median annual wage, $132,670. 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 California (highest first): Oregon $83,690; Nevada $76,490; Arizona $54,970. 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 California: 10th percentile $30.47, 25th percentile $36.72, 75th percentile $52.69, 90th percentile $55.16. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only California. 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.