Supervisors of Protective Service Workers

How to become a First-Line Supervisor of Correctional Officers

Official title: First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers

Also called: Correctional Officer Captain, Correctional Supervisor

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of correctional officers and jailers.

Main tasks

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.

How to become one

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $77,970 a year The middle half earn $59,890 to $103,320.
About 56,300 people work in this job now, and about 54,800 are projected by 2035. (-2.5%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How much does a First-Line Supervisor of Correctional Officers earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $77,970 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $59,890 to $103,320.

Is a First-Line Supervisor of Correctional Officers a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to fall 2% by 2035, from about 56,300 to about 54,800 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a First-Line Supervisor of Correctional Officers?

Not always. 30% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a First-Line Supervisor of Correctional Officers?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the 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.