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Correctional officer salary in Georgia

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

$47,520median pay per year in Georgia, or $22.84 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $36,820lowest 10% earn less
  2. $43,29025th percentile
  3. $47,520median
  4. $53,39075th percentile
  5. $58,430top 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 Georgia was $47,520 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $11,420 lower than the US median[6].

Jobs in GA
10,640[4]
Rank by median pay
42 of 49[5]
Compared with US median
−19.4%[6]

How much do correctional officers make in Georgia?

Half of the correctional officers in Georgia earned more than $47,520 a year, and half earned less[1]. That works out to $22.84 an hour[1]. The average was a little higher at $47,980 a year[7].

Across the US, the median for this job was $58,940[3]. Georgia's median was 19.4% lower[6]. Compared with all jobs in Georgia, where the median was $48,170[8], correctional officers earned $650 less[9].

At the low end, the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $36,820[2]. At the high end, the top-paid 10% earned more than $58,430[2]. Among metro areas, Albany, GA had the highest median at $54,010[10]. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell had the largest job count, with a median of $49,380[11]. These figures count wages and salaries only. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses and the cost of benefits like health insurance[12].

Georgia vs US pay

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

GAUS
Median per year$47,520[1]$58,940[3]
Median per hour$22.84[1]$28.34[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$36,820[2]$42,760[13]
Top 10% earn more than$58,430[2]$93,220[13]
Jobs10,640[4]380,500[3]

Pay by metro area in Georgia

Metro areas in Georgia with the most jobs for correctional officers, and the median pay in each[11]. A metro area that crosses state lines is counted as a whole.

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA[11]$49,3802,910
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC$53,390580
Macon-Bibb County, GA$48,810410
Chattanooga, TN-GA$49,430310
Savannah, GA$48,450300
Albany, GA$54,010290
Gainesville, GA$48,730210
Valdosta, GA$48,450210

Pay in nearby states

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

StateMedian per yearJobs
Tennessee[14]$50,9406,990
North Carolina$50,55011,900
Florida$49,71024,280
South Carolina$47,8904,870
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 Georgia?
The median was $47,520 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $47,980[7].
How much does a correctional officer make an hour in Georgia?
The median hourly wage was $22.84[1]. The 25th percentile was $20.81 an hour and the 75th was $25.67[17].
Which city in Georgia pays correctional officers the most?
Albany, GA had the highest median among the metro areas with published figures, at $54,010 a year[10].
Is Georgia a good state for correctional officers?
Georgia had the 42nd highest median annual wage for this job out of 49 states with a published median[5]. Its median was $11,420 below the US median[6].
What do you need to become a correctional officer in Georgia?
This is a US figure, not a Georgia 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 Georgia was $47,520 per year and $22.84 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 Georgia: 10th percentile $36,820, 25th percentile $43,290, 75th percentile $53,390, 90th percentile $58,430. 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 10,640 people worked as Correctional Officers and Jailers in Georgia (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Georgia had the 42nd 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 Georgia ($47,520) was $11,420 (19.4%) 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 Georgia was $47,980 per year and $23.07 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Georgia was $48,170. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Correctional Officers and Jailers in Georgia was $650 lower than the median for all occupations in the state ($48,170). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 14 metro areas in or partly in Georgia with a published median for Correctional Officers and Jailers, Albany, GA had the highest median annual wage, $54,010. 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 Georgia (highest first): Tennessee $50,940; North Carolina $50,550; Florida $49,710; South Carolina $47,890; 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 Georgia: 10th percentile $17.70, 25th percentile $20.81, 75th percentile $25.67, 90th percentile $28.09. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only Georgia. 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.