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Salary comparison

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

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

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

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Security Guards median pay.

State
Security Guards
Correctional Officers and Jailers
Alaska
$47,480
$71,360
Washington
$47,100
$79,460
Oregon
$45,500
$83,690
Massachusetts
$44,670
$86,310
New York
$44,240
$76,820
Minnesota
$43,380
$66,040
California
$43,240
$96,370
Hawaii
$42,820
$69,570
Utah
$42,700
$67,290
Connecticut
$39,920
$64,750
Illinois
$39,490
$79,190
New Jersey
$38,880
$94,770
Wisconsin
$37,440
$73,470
Nevada
$37,310
$76,490
Delaware
$36,360
$65,880

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

Common questions

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

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

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

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, Security Guards or Correctional Officers and Jailers?

Security Guards 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 Security Guards get paid the most?

District of Columbia is the top-paying state for Security Guards at $64,210/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

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

The gap varies significantly by state. In Alaska, Security Guards earn $47,480 vs. $71,360 for Correctional Officers and Jailers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

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