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Correctional officer salary in Texas

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

$52,670median pay per year in Texas, or $25.32 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $44,870lowest 10% earn less
  2. $48,88025th percentile
  3. $52,670median
  4. $57,33075th percentile
  5. $60,550top 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 Texas was $52,670 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $6,270 lower than the US median[6].

Jobs in TX
44,700[4]
Rank by median pay
32 of 49[5]
Compared with US median
−10.6%[6]

How much do correctional officers make in Texas?

Half of correctional officers in Texas earned more than $52,670 a year, and half earned less[1]. That works out to $25.32 an hour[1]. The average was a little higher, at $53,330 a year[7].

Across the US, the median for correctional officers was $58,940[3]. Texas came in $6,270, or 10.6%, below that[6]. Texas had the 32nd highest median among the 49 states with a published figure[5]. Within the state, the median was $4,050 higher than the median for all jobs in Texas, which was $48,620[8][9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $44,870, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $60,550[2]. Among metro areas, Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos had the highest median at $59,470[10]. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington had a median of $58,930 and Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands $53,810[11].

These figures cover wage and salary workers, both full time and part time. They leave out the self-employed, and they do not include bonuses outside regular production pay or the cost of benefits like health insurance[12].

Texas vs US pay

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

TXUS
Median per year$52,670[1]$58,940[3]
Median per hour$25.32[1]$28.34[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$44,870[2]$42,760[13]
Top 10% earn more than$60,550[2]$93,220[13]
Jobs44,700[4]380,500[3]

Pay by metro area in Texas

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

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX[11]$53,8108,650
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$58,9305,170
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX$51,3102,040
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX$59,4701,770
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX$54,0201,730
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX$46,3001,660
Killeen-Temple, TX$53,0901,540
El Paso, TX$47,6501,450

Pay in nearby states

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

StateMedian per yearJobs
New Mexico[14]$47,9402,740
Oklahoma$45,6903,730
Arkansas$40,3304,460
Louisiana$39,8507,960

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 Texas?
The median was $52,670 a year, and the average was $53,330[1][7]. The middle half earned between $48,880 and $57,330[2].
How much does a correctional officer make an hour in Texas?
The median was $25.32 an hour[1]. The 75th percentile was $27.56 an hour[17].
Which city in Texas pays correctional officers the most?
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos had the highest median of the 21 metro areas with a published figure, at $59,470 a year[10]. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington was next among the larger metros at $58,930[11].
Is Texas a good state for correctional officers?
Texas had the 32nd highest median among 49 states[5]. Its median was 10.6% below the US median[6].
What do you need to become a correctional officer in Texas?
This is a US figure, not a Texas one. Across the US, the typical path needs a high school diploma or equivalent, no work experience in a related job, 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 Texas was $52,670 per year and $25.32 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 Texas: 10th percentile $44,870, 25th percentile $48,880, 75th percentile $57,330, 90th percentile $60,550. 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 44,700 people worked as Correctional Officers and Jailers in Texas (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Texas had the 32nd 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 Texas ($52,670) was $6,270 (10.6%) 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 Texas was $53,330 per year and $25.64 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Correctional Officers and Jailers in Texas was $4,050 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($48,620). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Texas was $48,620. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 21 metro areas in or partly in Texas with a published median for Correctional Officers and Jailers, Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX had the highest median annual wage, $59,470. 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 Texas (highest first): New Mexico $47,940; Oklahoma $45,690; Arkansas $40,330; Louisiana $39,850. 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 Texas: 10th percentile $21.57, 25th percentile $23.50, 75th percentile $27.56, 90th percentile $29.11. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only Texas. 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.