Salary Range
$25,000 to $100,000
Corrections officers guard people who have been arrested and are awaiting trial or who have been tried, convicted, and sentenced to serve time in a penal institution. They search prisoners and their cells for weapons, drugs, and other contraband; inspect windows, doors, locks, and gates for signs of tampering; observe the conduct and behavior of inmates to prevent disturbances or escapes; and make verbal or written reports to superior officers. Corrections officers assign work to inmates and supervise their activities. They guard prisoners who are being transported between jails, courthouses, mental institutions, or other destinations, and supervise prisoners receiving visitors. When necessary, these workers use weapons or force to maintain discipline and order.
There are approximately 427,790 corrections officers employed in the United States. They are also known as jailers and prison guards.
Minimum Education Level
High School DiplomaCertification/License
RequiredOutlook
Little Change or More Slowly than the AverageConventional
Organized
Problem-Solving

Corrections Sargent

Corrections Officer

Corrections Officer Trainee
- Airport Security Personnel
- Bail Bondsmen
- Bailiffs
- Bodyguards
- Border Patrol Agents
- Bounty Hunters
- Court Interpreters and Translators
- Court Reporters
- Crime Analysts
- Criminal Lawyers
- Customs Officials
- Deputy U.S. Marshals
- Detectives
- Directors of Security
- Emergency Medical Technicians
- Emergency Services Dispatchers
- FBI Agents
- Fire Inspectors
- Fire Investigators
- Fire Protection Engineers
- Fire Safety Directors
- Fire Safety Technicians
- Firefighters
- Forensic Experts
- Fraud Examiners, Investigators, and Analysts
- Intelligence Officers
- Lawyers and Judges
- Legal Nurse Consultants
- Legal Secretaries
- Paralegals
- Park Rangers
- Parole Officers
- Police Officers
- Polygraph Examiners
- Process Servers
- Secret Service Special Agents
- Security Consultants and Guards