Correctional Officers and Jailers Salary
Correctional Officers and Jailers in Iowa make a median of $53,040 a year, or about $25.5 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $59,689 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 30.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Iowa. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $53K get you in Iowa?
About correctional officers and jailers
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What this looks like in Iowa
Correctional officers and jailers pay in Iowa tracks closely to the national median, $53K locally vs. $59K nationwide, a 10% difference. Rent runs $1,064/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.86 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level correctional officers and jailers (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $53K. Top earners bring in $74K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.
Correctional Officers and Jailers salary by metro in Iowa
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $63K | +19% | 610 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $62K | +18% | 460 |
| Ames | $58K | +10% | 40 |
| Dubuque | $58K | +9% | 40 |
| Cedar Rapids | $54K | +1% | 330 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $53K | +1% | 170 |
| Iowa City | $53K | -1% | 290 |
| Sioux City | $50K | -7% | 170 |
Compare to other states
Track correctional officers and jailers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a correctional officers and jailer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $53K, rent takes 30.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,064/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for correctional officers and jailers in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new correctional officers and jailers typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,860/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 37% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is correctional officers and jailer a high-paying job in Iowa?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $53K locally vs. $59K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for correctional officers and jailers?
Iowa pays $53K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do correctional officers and jailers make in Iowa?
The median is $53,040 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,670, and experienced correctional officers and jailers can clear $73,530. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $53K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,505/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 30.4% 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 Iowa?
Iowa has a Regional Price Parity of 88.86 (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 $59,689 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.