Corrections Officer
Corrections officers supervise people in custody, keeping a prison or detention centre secure and running the routines that shape a detainee's day.
- Median salary
- $108,200
4.4%vs last year, before tax
- People employed
- 19,800
1.0%vs last year
- Projected growth
- +9.5%
to 2035
- AI exposure*
- Low
- automation risk
- Average hours
- 43/wk
+3h vs all jobs
- Shortage status
- Not in shortage
national
Corrections officers work inside prisons, remand centres and youth detention facilities, running musters, searches, escorts and unit routines that keep detainees and staff safe. The role sits apart from a police officer's, whose authority extends into the community, because a corrections officer's day is bounded by the facility and its fixed schedule of movements and lockdowns. Most officers work for a state or territory corrective services department, rotating through shifts that cover nights, weekends and public holidays.
How much do corrections officers earn?
The median full-time salary for a corrections officer is $108,200 per annum, before tax, up $22,900 since 2018.
Corrections officers are usually employed under a state or territory enterprise agreement, so classification steps, allowances and conditions differ depending on which service you join. Shift penalties and overtime account for much of the difference in take-home pay, and higher duties, specialist posts or a posting in a remote or regional centre add to the base rate. Pay also rises with your classification, which moves up with further training and years of service.
What does a corrections officer do day to day?
The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.
- Running muster counts and cell checks to know exactly where every detainee is
- Searching cells, visitors and incoming property for contraband before it reaches the unit
- Escorting detainees to programs, medical appointments and court under close supervision
- Stepping in early when tension on a unit starts building, using de-escalation before it turns physical
- Writing up incident and behaviour reports that case managers and parole boards rely on later
What skills do corrections officers need?
Employers look for risk and internal controls, emergency response, backed by Custody Management System (CORIS/IOMS) fluency and strong safety and compliance awareness.
Specialist skills
- Risk and internal controls
- Emergency response
Software and tools
- Custody Management System (CORIS/IOMS)
- Body-worn camera
- Radio communication equipment
- Incident reporting software
- Physical restraint equipment
General skills
- Safety and compliance awareness
- Written communication
- Problem solving
- Attention to detail
- People leadership
- Empathy and interpersonal care
Is the job growing?
About 19,800 people work as corrections officers in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 9.5% over the decade to 2035. That's modest growth: demand is steady rather than booming.
How do you become a corrections officer?
Here's the path most corrections officers take, step by step.
- 1Check what your state or territory service asks for
Each corrective services department recruits directly and sets its own minimums, but most want Year 10 or Year 12, full work rights, a driver's licence and the ability to pass police and background checks.
- 2Apply through a recruitment round
Selection typically covers aptitude and psychological testing, a fitness assessment, a medical and interviews, and some agencies run group exercises on the day. Rounds open in batches, so it can be worth applying again if you miss one.
- 3Complete the paid training
New recruits are usually paid while they train, working through a Certificate III in Correctional Practice (CSC30122) or its equivalent along with first aid, defensive tactics and legal responsibilities before they set foot on a unit.
- 4Work through the probation period
The first months on the job are supervised, with buddy shifts and regular assessment before your appointment is confirmed. About 45% of the people already in the role hold Certificate III/IV as their highest qualification, which is the level the training itself leads to.
Ready to apply as a corrections officer?
Whether you're working toward becoming a corrections officer or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.
What jobs can a corrections officer move to?
Moving into Correctional Facility Manager typically comes with the biggest pay rise, worth $58,200 a year more on average.
| Move to | Typical pay change | Overlap | Retraining |
|---|---|---|---|
| Correctional Facility Manager Corrections officers can step up to manage a prison, building on custody and operations experience, with further management training. | +$58,200 | 27% | reskill |
| Police Officer Corrections officers bring law enforcement, custody and conflict resolution skills to policing, but must complete police training and qualifications.Known move | +$24,900 | 50% | requalify |
| Probation Officer Corrections officers bring offender management and court experience to community supervision, but usually need a degree to become a probation officer.Known move | −$12,300 | 30% | requalify |
| Security Guard Corrections officers bring custody, conflict management and security experience to private security roles, needing only a security licence.Known move | −$13,700 | 57% | short course |
Moves are chosen from Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility, which follows income tax records between 2011-12 and 2020-21, together with entry requirements and skill overlap. A known move is one people were seen making in that data. Pay change compares median full-time pay for the two roles.
Who works as a corrections officer?
The typical corrections officer is 40 years old; 74% are men, 99% work full-time, and full-timers average 43 hours a week.
- 40
- Median age
- 26%
- Female share
- 99%
- Full-time
- +3h
- vs all-jobs avg
What's it like being a corrections officer?
The job runs on a roster, so the shape of your week is set in advance and then interrupted by whatever happens on the unit. Officers spend most of the shift on their feet among people who are not free to leave, which builds a particular closeness in the crew and a need for steady nerves. It suits people who are consistent, can hold a boundary without taking an insult personally, and would rather work to clear rules than open-ended ones.
What people like
- A roster you can plan around. Shift patterns are usually published well ahead, and rotating rosters often deliver blocks of days off during the week when everyone else is at work.
- A close crew on the unit. You work the same landing with the same group of officers, and that familiarity is what makes a difficult shift manageable.
- Progress that is spelled out. Promotion to senior officer or into a specialist area follows set steps and assessment, and the training along the way is paid.
- Watching someone turn things around. Detainees who use education, work and programs leave custody in better shape than they arrived, and officers often deal with the same people across a sentence and notice the change.
What people find hard
- The routine repeats on purpose. Counts, lock-ups and movements happen at the same times every day, because the security of the centre depends on that predictability, and the repetition wears on some officers.
- Nights, weekends and public holidays. Custody never closes, so shift work is part of the deal and overtime can be called at short notice when a unit is short-staffed.
- Some shifts stay with you. Assaults, self-harm and physical restraint are part of the work, and while debriefing and employee support are available, the things you see are not easy to leave at the gate.
- You carry out decisions you did not make. Lockdowns, program access and sentence management are set by policy and by people above your rank, and officers on the floor have little say in them.
Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.
Which industries employ corrections officers?
Public Administration and Safety employs the largest share of corrections officers.
Top employing industries
- 1Public Administration and Safety
Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.
| Certificate III/IV | 45.1% | |
|---|---|---|
| Year 12 or below | 22.4% | |
| Diploma / Advanced Diploma | 15.3% | |
| Bachelor degree | 9.7% | |
| Postgraduate | 3.5% |
Will AI replace corrections officers?
Corrections work is mostly physical, face to face and situational, which keeps AI at the edges of the job rather than at its centre. Custody management systems already handle records, cell allocation and incident logging, and the drafting side of reports is where automation is likely to go further. The supervision, the reading of a room and the split-second decisions on a unit stay with the officer.
Share of typical working time by exposure level
- Supervising detainees on a unitMost of the shift is spent among people in custody, watching behaviour and keeping the routines of the landing moving.30%low
- De-escalating conflict and responding to incidentsTalking someone down before a situation turns physical depends on tone, timing and knowing the person, none of which software can read.25%low
- Cell searches, escorts and patrolsSearching a cell for contraband or walking a detainee to medical is hands-on work, and a body-worn camera records it rather than doing it.25%low
- Writing incident reports and case notesSoftware can prompt the required fields and draft the standard sections, but the officer who was there still supplies the account and signs it.20%high
Common questions about becoming a corrections officer
Straight answers to the questions people ask most.
How much do corrections officers earn?
The median full-time pay for a corrections officer is $108,200 per annum, before tax. Shift penalties, overtime, higher duties and the enterprise agreement covering your state or territory are what move that figure up or down.
How do you become a corrections officer?
You apply to the corrective services department in your state or territory, which recruits and trains its own officers rather than expecting prior qualifications. Once you pass the testing, medical and fitness checks, you complete paid training that includes a Certificate III in Correctional Practice (CSC30122) before working on a unit.
Do you need a degree to be a corrections officer?
No, a degree is not required and most officers do not hold one. About 45% of the workforce holds Certificate III/IV as its highest qualification, and the entry requirement is generally Year 10 or Year 12 plus the recruitment assessments.
Are corrections officers in demand?
Corrections officers are currently not in shortage. Employment is projected to grow 9.5% over the decade to 2035, and recruitment follows the prison population and government funding, so vacancies tend to be advertised in rounds when a service is hiring.
Will AI replace corrections officers?
No, and the exposure here is low because the core of the job is physical supervision and reading a situation in person. Custody management systems already handle records and cell data, and report drafting is likely to get faster, but decisions on a landing still belong to the officer standing there.
What can corrections officers move into?
Police officer is a common move for officers who want to stay in law enforcement but work in the community, paying $24,900 more and requiring police training. Security guard work uses the same conflict management skills with far less paperwork, though it pays $13,700 less, and promotion inside the service to correctional facility manager pays $58,200 more and shifts you into operations and staff management.
Related roles
- Security Guard
- Police Officer
- Probation Officer
- Correctional Facility Manager
- Security Guard
- Youth Worker
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