How to Become a Correctional Officer
The path into corrections — requirements, the training academy, the hiring process and timeline — with verified 2025 BLS pay and an honest look at a demanding, under-recognized job.
To become a correctional officer, you generally need to be at least 18 to 21 (depending on the agency), hold a high school diploma or GED, pass a background check and often a physical and drug screen, and then complete a training academy followed by on-the-job training at a facility. State and local jobs usually require a high school diploma; the Federal Bureau of Prisons requires a bachelor’s degree or several years of qualifying experience. Most people are working inside a facility within a few months of being hired. Correctional officers and jailers earned a median of $58,940 in May 2025. Be aware of the honest outlook: overall employment of correctional officers and bailiffs is projected to decline 7% through 2035, even though about 30,000 openings a year are expected from turnover, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What a correctional officer actually does
A correctional officer oversees people who have been arrested and are awaiting trial or who have been sentenced to serve time in a jail or prison. The core of the job is safety and order: supervising inmates, enforcing rules, inspecting the facility for contraband and security problems, searching cells, escorting and transporting inmates, breaking up conflicts, and documenting everything in reports. Bailiffs do related work maintaining order and security in courtrooms.
It is relational as much as custodial. Good officers spend their shifts managing human behavior — de-escalating tension, enforcing routine fairly, and staying alert in an environment where a quiet day can turn dangerous in seconds. The work is steady, procedural and demanding, and it carries responsibility for the safety of inmates, staff and the public at once.
What you need to qualify
Correctional officer requirements are among the more accessible in public safety, which is one reason agencies hire steadily despite the field’s decline. The usual baseline:
- Age: many agencies set a minimum age between 18 and 21 (BLS).
- Education: the typical entry-level education is a high school diploma or equivalent for state and local roles (BLS); the Federal Bureau of Prisons requires a bachelor’s degree or several years of counseling, assistance or supervision experience.
- A clean-enough record: a background check is standard, and a felony conviction typically disqualifies you.
- Physical and medical fitness: expect a physical assessment, a drug screen, and sometimes a psychological evaluation.
No prior work experience is required for most entry-level positions — BLS lists related work experience as “none” — because agencies train new officers from the ground up.
The step-by-step path to getting hired
Becoming a correctional officer is a relatively short pipeline compared with most public-safety careers:
- Meet the basics — reach the minimum age and hold a high school diploma or GED (or a bachelor’s/experience for federal).
- Apply to a state department of corrections, a county jail, or the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
- Pass the screening — written test where used, background investigation, drug screen, physical and sometimes psychological evaluation.
- Complete the training academy — several weeks of instruction in security, policy, self-defense and emergency response.
- Complete on-the-job training at your assigned facility (BLS: moderate-term on-the-job training).
Because the entry bar is reachable and turnover is high, state and local corrections agencies hire frequently, and many offer paid academy training — so you are typically earning while you learn.
Inside the training academy
The correctional officer academy prepares recruits for a controlled but unpredictable environment. New officers typically attend a training academy, then are assigned to a facility for on-the-job training (BLS). Academy length varies by state and agency — commonly a few weeks to a couple of months — and covers institutional policies and law, security and custody procedures, contraband control, report writing, self-defense and use-of-force policy, crisis intervention and de-escalation, first aid and CPR, and emergency response.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons runs its own introductory training, including instruction at its training center, for new federal officers. Across settings, the academy is followed by supervised on-the-job training, and officers complete ongoing training throughout their careers to stay current on policy and safety.
What correctional officers earn, and the honest outlook
Correctional officer pay is moderate and stable. The median annual wage for correctional officers and jailers was $58,940 in May 2025 (bailiffs earned $56,600); the lowest 10% of correctional officers earned less than $42,760 and the highest 10% earned more than $93,220 (BLS). Federal positions and agencies in higher-cost or hard-to-staff areas tend to pay more, and government benefits and pensions are common.
The outlook calls for honesty. Overall employment of correctional officers and bailiffs is projected to decline 7% from 2025 to 2035 — a drop of about 29,900 jobs — as some jurisdictions reduce inmate populations and budgets (BLS). Even so, about 30,000 openings are projected each year over the decade, essentially all from the need to replace officers who leave the occupation (BLS). In plain terms: the field is shrinking, but high turnover means jobs are still widely available for people who want them.
The hard parts: stress, shift work, and a job few people see
Corrections is one of the most demanding and least visible first-responder roles, and an honest guide has to say so. The environment is high-stress and can be dangerous, the schedule runs around the clock with nights, weekends, holidays and mandatory overtime, and the work is emotionally heavy in a way outsiders rarely appreciate. Staffing shortages can mean long hours and forced overtime.
The toll is significant and under-recognized. Correctional officers experience high rates of stress, post-traumatic stress and burnout, and — like dispatchers — are often left out of the recognition and support given to police, fire and EMS, despite facing comparable cumulative trauma. If you pursue this career, make mental-health support part of the plan from day one. A network like RESPONDin exists to connect corrections officers with peers and with mental-health and crisis resources for exactly this weight.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to become a correctional officer?
Usually a few months. After you meet the age and education requirements and clear the background check and screening, the training academy runs from a few weeks to a couple of months, followed by on-the-job training at your assigned facility. It is one of the faster public-safety careers to enter, and academy training is often paid.
Do you need a degree to be a correctional officer?
Usually not for state and local jobs. The typical entry-level education is a high school diploma or equivalent (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The Federal Bureau of Prisons is the main exception: it requires a bachelor’s degree or several years of qualifying counseling, assistance or supervision experience. A degree is not required for most positions but can help with federal roles and promotion.
How much do correctional officers make?
The median annual wage for correctional officers and jailers was $58,940 in May 2025 (BLS). The lowest 10% earned under $42,760 and the highest 10% earned over $93,220. Federal positions and agencies in high-cost or hard-to-staff areas tend to pay more, and overtime is common given staffing shortages, so actual earnings can exceed the base figures. Government pensions and benefits are typical.
Is the correctional officer field growing?
No — it is projected to shrink. Overall employment of correctional officers and bailiffs is projected to decline 7% from 2025 to 2035 (BLS). However, about 30,000 openings are projected each year, almost entirely from replacing workers who leave. So while the field is contracting, high turnover means jobs remain widely available for qualified candidates who want them.
What disqualifies you from becoming a correctional officer?
The most common disqualifiers are a felony conviction and failing the background check or drug screen. Serious recent criminal history, dishonesty during hiring, or failing a required physical or psychological evaluation can also end a candidacy. Standards vary by agency and are generally stricter for federal positions, so a history that disqualifies you at one agency may not at another.
Is being a correctional officer dangerous?
It can be. The environment is high-stress and unpredictable, with real risks of assault and injury, and the schedule and mandatory overtime add physical strain. The cumulative stress and trauma are also significant and often overlooked. Agencies train officers heavily in security, de-escalation and emergency response to manage these risks, but the demands on both body and mind are real.
RESPONDin is the online network for first responders — firefighters, EMS, law enforcement, dispatchers and corrections officers — where responders connect with peers, honor the fallen on the line-of-duty memorial wall, find first responder jobs, and reach the wellness and crisis resources the work demands. If corrections is your path, meet the requirements, apply to agencies that are actively hiring, and build your support network before your first hard shift.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook — Correctional Officers and Bailiffs (median pay $58,940 for correctional officers and jailers, May 2025; −7% outlook 2025–2035; ~30,000 annual openings; education, academy, requirements; Federal Bureau of Prisons degree requirement). Academy structure and hiring-stage details reflect standard corrections practice.
Published October 13, 2026 on the RESPONDin blog, the network for first responders.