Public Safety · Career brief

First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$77,970

Above the middle on pay

2025 national median. Above the middle of ChooseField careers for pay.

2Demand

-2.5%

Projected employment decline

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Bottom quarter for growth among careers on ChooseField.

3Openings

3,700

Moderate opening volume

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Near the middle of ChooseField careers for openings.

4Route in

High school

A four-year degree is not the typical entry route

High school diploma or equivalent + related experience. Related work experience is typically required.

5The work

Persuasive / leading

Influence, decisions, and results matter

Take, receive, or check periodic inmate counts.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

BLS lists less than 5 years of related experience. This is normally reached through feeder roles, not directly from school.

ChooseField take

The national benchmarks are mixed, so the work itself and the route in matter more than any standout pay or demand signal. It makes the most sense if persuasive or leadership-oriented work appeals to you and you are comfortable with a high-school entry path. Main tradeoff: BLS lists less than 5 years of related experience. This is normally reached through feeder roles, not directly from school.

Before choosing, compare:First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers Detectives and Criminal Investigators

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers with another field Explore rankings in Public Safety Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$77,970

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

-2.5%employment growth3,700openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

High school diploma or equivalent; Prior related experience: less than 5 years

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

56,300

Estimated workers in this occupation across the United States.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · First-line supervisors of correctional officers (33-1011).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

Take, receive, or check periodic inmate counts.
Maintain order, discipline, and security within assigned areas in accordance with relevant rules, regulations, policies, and laws.
Supervise and direct the work of correctional officers to ensure the safe custody, discipline, and welfare of inmates.
Restrain, secure, or control offenders, using chemical agents, firearms, or other weapons of force as necessary.

Decision-changing realities

What could make this a poor fit

BLS lists less than 5 years of related experience. This is normally reached through feeder roles, not directly from school.
BLS projects employment to shrink 2.5% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Documenting/Recording Information4.7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.6
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others4.5
Getting Information4.5
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards4.4

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Enterprising6.3
Conventional5.1
Social4.5
Realistic3.6
Investigative1.8
Artistic1.0

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Public Safety and Security Law and Government Psychology Computers and Electronics

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Analyze a public case scenario, identify the governing rules and missing facts, and defend a decision whose consequences matter.
Ask someone doing this job which feeder role built the required experience, what that earlier job paid, and how long the transition actually took.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe First-line supervisors of correctional officers nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Monitoring among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

Prior related experience: less than 5 years. Look for the preceding roles and promotion route before treating this as a first job.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options