Correctional Officers and Jailers Salary
Correctional Officers and Jailers in Pennsylvania make a median of $63,460 a year, or about $30.51 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $86K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $66,821 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,351/month, about 31.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $63K get you in Pennsylvania?
About correctional officers and jailers
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Correctional officers and jailers pay in Pennsylvania tracks closely to the national median, $63K locally vs. $59K nationwide, a 8% difference. Rent runs $1,351/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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, Pennsylvania
Entry-level correctional officers and jailers (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $86K or more, a $39K spread from bottom to top.
Correctional Officers and Jailers salary by metro in Pennsylvania
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | $69K | +9% | 240 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $67K | +6% | 5,570 |
| State College | $67K | +5% | 770 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $63K | +0% | 760 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $62K | -3% | 870 |
| Pittsburgh | $61K | -5% | 1,160 |
| Lancaster | $59K | -6% | 250 |
| Johnstown | $56K | -11% | 190 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $52K | -18% | 520 |
| Erie | $51K | -19% | 410 |
Compare to other states
Track correctional officers and jailers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a correctional officers and jailer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 31.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new correctional officers and jailers typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,810/month. At HUD’s $1,351/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 Pennsylvania?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $63K locally vs. $59K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for correctional officers and jailers?
Pennsylvania pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do correctional officers and jailers make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $63,460 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,840, and experienced correctional officers and jailers can clear $85,630. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,257/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 31.7% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $66,821 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.