Top Skills for This Career
BLS identifies these as the three highest-rated skills for this detailed occupation. TrustInEd adds the plain-language explanations so visitors understand what each skill means.
Adjusting effectively when priorities, conditions, tools, or expectations change.
Working effectively with people by building relationships, understanding others, and responding appropriately.
Paying close attention to accuracy, quality, instructions, and small but important details.
How Do You Prepare for This Career?
BLS describes the typical preparation for this occupation. Requirements can vary by employer, state, licensing rules and individual circumstances.
How to Become One
How to Become a Correctional Officer or Bailiff Correctional officers typically attend
Education
Correctional officers and bailiffs typically must have at least a high school diploma or equivalent. For employment in federal prisons, the Federal Bureau of Prisons requires entry-level correctional officers to have a bachelor’s degree or several years of experience in a field providing counseling, assistance, or supervision. Bachelor's degree fields vary but commonly include security and protective service or a related field, such as social science. Training Correctional officers and bailiffs complete training at an academy. Training varies by state. Academy trainees receive instruction in a number of subjects, including self-defense, institutional policies, regulations, operations, and security procedures. Correctional officers and bailiffs may shadow experienced officers after graduating from a training academy.
Training
at an academy before being assigned to a facility. Correctional officers and bailiffs typically need a high school diploma to enter their occupation. They typically attend a training academy. Although qualifications vary by state and agency, many agencies set a minimum age for correctional officers that is usually between 18 and 21. Federal agencies also may require officers to have a bachelor’s degree or work experience and may have a maximum age for entry.
Licenses, Certifications & Registrations
Some states require correctional officers to complete state certification. For more information, check with your state’s public safety, corrections, or other agency that establishes this certification. Information on certifications is available from CareerOneStop. Advancement Correctional officers may advance to supervisory positions such as sergeant, lieutenant, or captain. They also may move into specialized units, such as gang task force or hostage negotiation. Bailiffs may advance to senior bailiff or other supervisory positions.
Your Next Step
Review training, certifications, apprenticeships, or employer-based preparation that may support entry into this career.
Pay
the median annual wage for all workers was $50,980.
Job Outlook
Job Outlook Overall employment of correctional officers and bailiffs is projected to grow 7 percent from 2025 to 2035, decline. About 30,000 openings for correctional officers and bailiffs are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. Employment Changes to criminal laws have a large effect on how many people are arrested and incarcerated each year. Faced with high costs for keeping people in prison, many state governments have moved toward laws requiring shorter prison terms and alternatives to prison. Community-based programs that are designed to rehabilitate prisoners and limit their risk of repeated offenses also may reduce prisoner counts. Demand for bailiffs is expected to stem from the need to maintain security in courtrooms during legal proceedings. However, demand for bailiffs may be limited by state and local budget constraints. Correctional Officers and Bailiffs Percent change in employment, projected 2025–35 Total, all occupations 3% Law enforcement workers 0% Bailiffs -2% Bailiffs, correctional officers, and jailers -7% Correctional officers and jailers -7% Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
What They Do
What Correctional Officers and Bailiffs Do
Correctional officers guard people in penal institutions and guard those in transit between jail, courtroom, prison, or other point. Bailiffs, also known as marshals or court officers, are law enforcement officers who maintain order in courtrooms.
Duties
Correctional officers typically do the following:
- Enforce rules and keep order within jails or prisons
- Supervise activities of people in custody
- Inspect facilities to ensure that they meet security and safety standards
- Conduct searches in the facility, such as of persons and property, for rule violations
- Report on the conduct of people in custody
- Escort and transport people in custody between jail, courtroom, prison, or other point
Bailiffs typically do the following:
- Ensure the security of the courtroom
- Enforce courtroom rules
- Follow court procedures
- Escort judges, jurors, witnesses, and people in custody into and out of the courtroom
- Handle evidence and deliver court documents
Inside the prison or jail, correctional officers enforce rules and regulations. They maintain security by preventing disturbances, assaults, and escapes and by inspecting facilities. They check cells and other areas for unsanitary conditions, contraband, signs of a security breach (such as tampering with window bars and doors), and other rule violations. Officers also inspect mail and visitors for prohibited items. They conduct regular counts of people in custody to ensure that everyone is present. They write reports and fill out daily logs detailing anything of note that occurred during their shift.
Correctional officers may have to restrain people in custody, such as by using handcuffs and leg irons to escort them to and from cells. Officers also escort people in custody to courtrooms, medical facilities, and other destinations.
Bailiffs’ specific duties vary by court, but their primary duty is to maintain order and security in courts of law. They enforce courtroom procedures that protect the integrity of the legal process. For example, they ensure that attorneys and witnesses do not influence juries outside of the courtroom, and they also may isolate juries from the public in some circumstances. As a neutral party, they may handle evidence during court hearings to ensure that only permitted evidence is displayed.
Work Environment
Work Environment
Bailiffs held about 18,000 jobs in 2025. The largest employers of bailiffs were as follows:
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 64% |
| State government, excluding education and hospitals | 35 |
Correctional officers and jailers held about 397,800 jobs in 2025. The largest employers of correctional officers and jailers were as follows:
| State government, excluding education and hospitals | 52% |
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 40 |
| Federal government | 4 |
| Facilities support services | 3 |
Correctional officers may work both indoors and outdoors at penal institutions. For example, their shift may include patrolling the facility inside and supervising outdoor recreational activities of people in custody. Bailiffs generally work in courtrooms.
Both correctional officers and bailiffs may be required to stand for long periods. They must be alert and ready to react throughout their entire shift.
Injuries and Illnesses
Working in a correctional institution can be stressful and dangerous. Correctional officers and jailers may become injured in confrontations with people in custody, leading to their having one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. They may wear safety gear, such as gloves and helmets, to protect against injury.
Work Schedules
Most correctional officers and bailiffs work full time. Because jail and prison security must be provided around the clock, correctional officers work in shifts that cover all hours of the day and night, including weekends and holidays. Correctional officers may be required to work overtime. Bailiffs usually work when court is in session.
Important Qualities
The following are examples of qualities that are important for these workers to perform their duties. For more information, visit the Employment Projections (EP) skills data page. Decision-making skills. Correctional officers and bailiffs must determine the best course of action to maintain order and discipline, often in stressful situations. Detail oriented. Correctional officers and bailiffs follow and enforce procedures in correctional facilities and courts to ensure safety. Interpersonal skills. Correctional officers and bailiffs must be able to interact and communicate effectively with people in custody, visitors, and other officers of penal institutions and the court to maintain order. Negotiating skills. Correctional officers must be able to assist in resolving conflict in order to ensure safety. Physical strength. Correctional officers and bailiffs must be able to physically subdue people as necessary, including those in or visiting penal institutions and those attending court proceedings. Self-discipline. Correctional officers must be able to control their emotions in hostile situations.
More Information
More Information, Including Links to O*NET
Learn more about correctional officers and bailiffs by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
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Start with ED →Career data and occupational profile text are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and Employment Projections program. Education requirements are typical entry-level requirements and may vary by employer, state, occupation or individual circumstance. View the official BLS profile.