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Salary comparison

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers vs. Correctional Officers and Jailers: Who Earns More?

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss out-earn Correctional Officers and Jailerss by $17K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss land at $76,210 and Correctional Officers and Jailerss at $58,940. The education gap is real: police and sheriff's patrol officer programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while correctional officers and jailer programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss is California ($118,880); for Correctional Officers and Jailerss it's California ($96,370).

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
Correctional Officers and Jailers
Median salary
$76,210
$58,940
Hourly rate
$36.64/hr
$28.34/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$47,510
$42,760
Senior level (90th %)
$115,120
$93,220
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
670,520
380,500
Job growth (10-year)
3%
N/A
Category
Public Safety
Public Safety
Top-paying state
California
California

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers median pay.

State
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
Correctional Officers and Jailers
California
$118,880
$96,370
Washington
$102,080
$79,460
Illinois
$100,520
$79,190
Alaska
$99,130
$71,360
Delaware
$92,970
$65,880
New York
$92,790
$76,820
New Jersey
$92,610
$94,770
Oregon
$88,140
$83,690
Hawaii
$83,820
$69,570
Minnesota
$83,360
$66,040
Connecticut
$82,170
$64,750
Massachusetts
$78,940
$86,310
Nevada
$78,140
$76,490
Wisconsin
$78,090
$73,470
Utah
$77,310
$67,290

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss or Correctional Officers and Jailerss?

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss earn more nationally. The median is $76,210 for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss versus $58,940 for Correctional Officers and Jailerss, a difference of $17K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers or Correctional Officers and Jailers?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers or Correctional Officers and Jailers?

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Correctional Officers and Jailers requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss get paid the most?

California is the top-paying state for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss at $118,880/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers vs. Correctional Officers and Jailers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In California, Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss earn $118,880 vs. $96,370 for Correctional Officers and Jailerss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers salary breakdownView →Full Correctional Officers and Jailers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officerss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Correctional Officers and Jailerss by take-home payExplore →How to become a police and sheriff's patrol officersGuide →How to become a correctional officers and jailersGuide →