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Correctional officer salary in Maryland

Updated November 2, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$64,250median pay per year in Maryland, or $30.89 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $53,100lowest 10% earn less
  2. $59,70025th percentile
  3. $64,250median
  4. $66,68075th percentile
  5. $82,280top 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 Maryland was $64,250 a year in May 2025[1]. That is $5,310 above the US median[6].

Jobs in MD
6,060[4]
Rank by median pay
16 of 49[5]
Compared with US median
+9.0%[6]

How much do correctional officers make in Maryland?

The median wage for correctional officers in Maryland was $64,250 a year, or $30.89 an hour[1]. Half of these workers earned more than that and half earned less. The average was a little higher, at $66,140 a year[7].

Across the US, the median for correctional officers was $58,940[3]. Maryland came in $5,310 (9.0%) higher[6]. Maryland had the 16th highest median among the 49 states with a published figure[5]. Compared with all jobs in the state, the median for correctional officers was $4,740 higher than the all-jobs median of $59,510[8][9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $53,100 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $82,280[2]. Among the 5 metro areas in or partly in Maryland with a published median, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV had the highest, at $70,570[10]. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD had a median of $67,200, and Baltimore-Columbia-Towson had $64,250[11].

OEWS counts wage and salary workers, so self-employed people and business owners are left out. It also leaves out bonuses that are not tied to production and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[12].

Maryland vs US pay

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

MDUS
Median per year$64,250[1]$58,940[3]
Median per hour$30.89[1]$28.34[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$53,100[2]$42,760[13]
Top 10% earn more than$82,280[2]$93,220[13]
Jobs6,060[4]380,500[3]

Pay by metro area in Maryland

Metro areas in Maryland 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
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD[11]$67,2005,570
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$70,5703,200
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD$64,2503,110
Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV$64,250890
Salisbury, MD$64,250470

Pay in nearby states

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

StateMedian per yearJobs
Delaware[14]$65,8801,730
Pennsylvania$63,46015,560
West Virginia$52,8902,980
Virginia$50,14011,270

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 Maryland?
The median was $64,250 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $66,140[7].
How much does a correctional officer make an hour in Maryland?
The median hourly wage was $30.89[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $25.53 an hour[17][2].
Which city in Maryland pays correctional officers the most?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV had the highest median of the 5 metro areas with a published figure, at $70,570 a year[10].
Is Maryland a good state for correctional officers?
Maryland had the 16th highest median pay for correctional officers among 49 states[5]. Its median was 9.0% above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a correctional officer in Maryland?
This is a US figure, not a state one. Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is a high school diploma or equivalent[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Correctional Officers and Jailers in Maryland was $64,250 per year and $30.89 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 Maryland: 10th percentile $53,100, 25th percentile $59,700, 75th percentile $66,680, 90th percentile $82,280. 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 6,060 people worked as Correctional Officers and Jailers in Maryland (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Maryland had the 16th 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 Maryland ($64,250) was $5,310 (9.0%) 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 Maryland was $66,140 per year and $31.80 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Correctional Officers and Jailers in Maryland was $4,740 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($59,510). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Maryland was $59,510. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 5 metro areas in or partly in Maryland with a published median for Correctional Officers and Jailers, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV had the highest median annual wage, $70,570. 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 Maryland (highest first): Delaware $65,880; Pennsylvania $63,460; West Virginia $52,890; Virginia $50,140. 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 Maryland: 10th percentile $25.53, 25th percentile $28.70, 75th percentile $32.06, 90th percentile $39.56. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only Maryland. 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.