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Salary comparison

Correctional Officers and Jailers vs. Security Guards: Who Earns More?

Correctional Officers and Jailers out-earn Security Guards by $21K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Correctional Officers and Jailers land at $58,940 and Security Guards at $38,020. The education gap is real: correctional officers and jailer programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while security guard programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Correctional Officers and Jailers is California ($96,370); for Security Guards it's District of Columbia ($64,210).

Correctional Officers and Jailers
Security Guards
Median salary
$58,940
$38,020
Hourly rate
$28.34/hr
$18.28/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$42,760
$30,210
Senior level (90th %)
$93,220
$58,840
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
380,500
1,283,470
Job growth (10-year)
-7.8%
0.4%
Category
Public Safety
Public Safety
Top-paying state
California
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Correctional Officers and Jailers median pay.

State
Correctional Officers and Jailers
Security Guards
California
$96,370
$43,240
Massachusetts
$86,310
$44,670
Oregon
$83,690
$45,500
Washington
$79,460
$47,100
New York
$76,820
$44,240
Alaska
$71,360
$47,480
Hawaii
$69,570
$42,820
Utah
$67,290
$42,700
Minnesota
$66,040
$43,380
Colorado
$62,140
$45,150
New Hampshire
$61,360
$45,200
Vermont
$53,810
$45,550
Virginia
$50,140
$43,640
New Mexico
$47,940
$43,320
Missouri
$42,620
$40,390

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Correctional Officers and Jailers or Security Guards?

Correctional Officers and Jailers earn more nationally. The median is $58,940 for Correctional Officers and Jailers versus $38,020 for Security Guards, a difference of $21K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Correctional Officers and Jailers or Security Guards?

Security Guards has the better 10-year outlook at 0.4% projected growth, compared to -7.8% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Correctional Officers and Jailers or Security Guards?

Correctional Officers and Jailers typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Security Guards requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Correctional Officers and Jailers get paid the most?

California is the top-paying state for Correctional Officers and Jailers at $96,370/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Correctional Officers and Jailers vs. Security Guards pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In California, Correctional Officers and Jailers earn $96,370 vs. $43,240 for Security Guards. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Correctional Officers and Jailers salary breakdownView →Full Security Guards salary breakdownView →Best cities for Correctional Officers and Jailers by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Security Guards by take-home payExplore →How to become a correctional officers and jailersGuide →How to become a security guardsGuide →