Directly supervise and coordinate activities of correctional officers and jailers.
National median · BLS
$77,970
▲ +2.18%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$84,380
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
53,380
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$52,330
25th
$59,890
Median (50th)
$77,970
75th
$103,320
90th — top pay
$127,780
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers
BLS projects employment of first-line supervisors of correctional officers to decline 2.5% from 2025 to 2035, while employment across all occupations grows 3.5%.
About 3,700 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
56,300 → 54,800
-1,400 jobs
Projected change
-2.5%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
3,700
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Plus less than 5 years experience
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 3)
Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What first-line supervisors of correctional officers do
Take, receive, or check periodic inmate counts.
Maintain order, discipline, and security within assigned areas in accordance with relevant rules, regulations, policies, and laws.
Maintain knowledge of, comply with, and enforce all institutional policies, rules, procedures, and regulations.
Respond to emergencies, such as escapes.
Supervise and direct the work of correctional officers to ensure the safe custody, discipline, and welfare of inmates.
Supervise or perform searches of inmates or their quarters to locate contraband items.
Monitor behavior of subordinates to ensure alert, courteous, and professional behavior toward inmates, parolees, fellow employees, visitors, and the public.
Restrain, secure, or control offenders, using chemical agents, firearms, or other weapons of force as necessary.
Commissary ManagerCorrection Officer SupervisorCorrection WardenCorrectional CaptainCorrectional Case Records SupervisorCorrectional Housing Unit ManagerCorrectional Program SupervisorCorrections LieutenantDetention DirectorDetention SupervisorGuard ChiefGuard SupervisorJuvenile Justice SupervisorPrison Guard SupervisorShift SupervisorUnit ManagerWard Supervisor
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $77,970.
