Correctional Officers and Jailers Salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Correctional Officers and Jailers in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA make a median of $56,590 a year, or about $27.21 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $61,712 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,318/month — about 35.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $57K get you in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Des Moines-West Des Moines’s Regional Price Parity (91.7). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About correctional officers and jailers
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level correctional officers and jailers (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $35K spread from bottom to top.
Correctional Officers and Jailers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $96K | +65% | 37,760 |
| New Jersey | $90K | +56% | 7,840 |
| Oregon | $83K | +43% | 3,910 |
| Massachusetts | $79K | +36% | 5,810 |
| Illinois | $79K | +36% | 12,210 |
| Nevada | $77K | +32% | 3,010 |
| Washington | $76K | +32% | 6,470 |
| New York | $75K | +30% | 29,710 |
| Wisconsin | $74K | +28% | 6,290 |
| Alaska | $71K | +23% | 810 |
| Hawaii | $66K | +14% | 1,260 |
| Michigan | $65K | +13% | 8,200 |
| Minnesota | $65K | +12% | 3,470 |
| Pennsylvania | $64K | +10% | 15,260 |
| Connecticut | $63K | +8% | 3,710 |
| Nebraska | $63K | +8% | 3,150 |
| Maryland | $62K | +8% | 5,950 |
| New Hampshire | $61K | +6% | 620 |
| Utah | $61K | +6% | 1,980 |
| Delaware | $61K | +5% | 1,610 |
| Rhode Island | $60K | +4% | 990 |
| Ohio | $59K | +2% | 12,350 |
| North Dakota | $56K | -4% | 1,020 |
| Arizona | $55K | -5% | 13,840 |
| South Dakota | $52K | -10% | 1,380 |
| Wyoming | $52K | -11% | 850 |
| Tennessee | $51K | -11% | 7,610 |
| Idaho | $51K | -11% | 2,240 |
| Iowa | $51K | -11% | 3,210 |
| Maine | $51K | -12% | 1,010 |
| Texas | $51K | -12% | 39,150 |
| West Virginia | $50K | -14% | 2,640 |
| Virginia | $50K | -14% | 11,720 |
| Montana | $50K | -14% | 1,320 |
| Vermont | $49K | -15% | 460 |
| North Carolina | $49K | -15% | 11,780 |
| South Carolina | $48K | -16% | 4,940 |
| Florida | $48K | -17% | 22,390 |
| New Mexico | $47K | -18% | 2,960 |
| Alabama | $46K | -20% | 4,730 |
| Kansas | $46K | -21% | 3,640 |
| Indiana | $46K | -21% | 6,870 |
| Oklahoma | $46K | -21% | 3,690 |
| Georgia | $45K | -23% | 10,090 |
| Louisiana | $42K | -28% | 7,290 |
| Missouri | $41K | -29% | 5,920 |
| Arkansas | $40K | -30% | 4,250 |
| Kentucky | $40K | -31% | 5,870 |
| Mississippi | $37K | -37% | 4,530 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track correctional officers and jailers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do correctional officers and jailers make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $56,590 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,860, and experienced correctional officers and jailers can clear $80,430. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,726/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 35.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a correctional officers and jailers salary go in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Des Moines-West Des Moines has a Regional Price Parity of 91.7 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median correctional officers and jailers salary is worth about $61,712 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do correctional officers and jailers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.