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Correctional officer salary in Florida

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

$49,710median pay per year in Florida, or $23.90 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $45,760lowest 10% earn less
  2. $47,13025th percentile
  3. $49,710median
  4. $65,23075th percentile
  5. $80,500top 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 Florida was $49,710 a year in May 2025[1]. That was lower than the US median of $58,940[3].

Jobs in FL
24,280[4]
Rank by median pay
37 of 49[5]
Compared with US median
−15.7%[6]

How much do correctional officers make in Florida?

Correctional officers in Florida had a median wage of $49,710 a year, or $23.90 an hour[1]. Half of them earned more than that and half earned less. The average was higher at $57,900[7]. Across the US, the median was $58,940, so Florida was $9,230 (15.7%) lower[6]. Florida had the 37th highest median out of 49 states with a published median[5]. Compared with all jobs in Florida, where the median was $47,880[8], correctional officers earned $1,830 more[9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $45,760[2]. The top 10% earned more than $80,500[2]. About 24,280 people worked in this job in the state[4].

Pay was highest in the Wildwood-The Villages area, with a median of $67,770[10]. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach had 5,010 jobs, the largest count among the listed metros, and a median of $66,770[11]. OEWS counts wage and salary workers only. It leaves out the self-employed, and it does not count bonuses or the cost of benefits like health insurance[12].

Florida vs US pay

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

FLUS
Median per year$49,710[1]$58,940[3]
Median per hour$23.90[1]$28.34[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$45,760[2]$42,760[13]
Top 10% earn more than$80,500[2]$93,220[13]
Jobs24,280[4]380,500[3]

Pay by metro area in Florida

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

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL[11]$66,7705,010
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL$65,3402,170
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL$48,0301,260
Tallahassee, FL$48,1701,180
Jacksonville, FL$61,7701,060
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL$47,1301,040
Ocala, FL$47,130980
Wildwood-The Villages, FL$67,770980

Pay in nearby states

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

StateMedian per yearJobs
Georgia[14]$47,52010,640
Alabama$46,6604,970

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 Florida?
The median was $49,710 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $57,900[7].
How much does a correctional officer make an hour in Florida?
The median was $23.90 an hour[1]. The 10th percentile was $22.00 an hour and the 90th percentile was $38.70[17].
Which city in Florida pays correctional officers the most?
Wildwood-The Villages had the highest median, $67,770 a year[10]. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach followed among the big metros at $66,770[11].
Is Florida a good state for correctional officers?
Florida had the 37th highest median wage out of 49 states[5]. Its median was $9,230 lower than the US median[6].
What do you need to become a correctional officer in Florida?
This is a US figure, not a Florida 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 Florida was $49,710 per year and $23.90 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 Florida: 10th percentile $45,760, 25th percentile $47,130, 75th percentile $65,230, 90th percentile $80,500. 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 24,280 people worked as Correctional Officers and Jailers in Florida (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Florida had the 37th 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 Florida ($49,710) was $9,230 (15.7%) 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 Florida was $57,900 per year and $27.84 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Florida was $47,880. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Correctional Officers and Jailers in Florida was $1,830 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($47,880). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 19 metro areas in or partly in Florida with a published median for Correctional Officers and Jailers, Wildwood-The Villages, FL had the highest median annual wage, $67,770. 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 Florida (highest first): Georgia $47,520; Alabama $46,660. 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 Florida: 10th percentile $22.00, 25th percentile $22.66, 75th percentile $31.36, 90th percentile $38.70. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only Florida. 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.