Correctional Officers and Jailers Salary
Correctional Officers and Jailers in Maine make a median of $52,730 a year, or about $25.35 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.7), that's roughly $53,971 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,281/month, about 37.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Maine. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $53K get you in Maine?
About correctional officers and jailers
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What this looks like in Maine
Pay for correctional officers and jailers in Maine runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $59K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,281/month, which is 36.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.7) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for correctional officers and jailerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Maine
Entry-level correctional officers and jailers (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $53K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $16K spread from bottom to top.
Correctional Officers and Jailers salary by metro in Maine
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-South Portland | $55K | +4% | 370 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Maine numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a correctional officers and jailer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Maine?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $53K, rent takes 36.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,281/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 Maine?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new correctional officers and jailers typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,678/month. At HUD’s $1,281/month FMR, rent would take 48% 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 Maine?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $53K here vs. $59K nationally.
How does Maine compare to the national average for correctional officers and jailers?
Maine pays $53K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — below the national median.
How much do correctional officers and jailers make in Maine?
The median is $52,730 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,640, and experienced correctional officers and jailers can clear $60,510. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $53K enough to live in Maine?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,506/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,281/month, which eats 36.5% 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 Maine?
Maine has a Regional Price Parity of 97.7 (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 $53,971 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.