Also called: Jailer, Detention Deputy
Supervises people held in a county or city jail, many awaiting trial.
Detention officers book new arrestees, take fingerprints and photos, supervise housing pods, and transport people to court. Jails have constant turnover, so every shift is different.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 0 years after high school. High school diploma, age 18-21+, background check, and a corrections academy (several weeks).
Ways in: On-the-job training. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Criminal Justice.
Shrinking (about -7% over 10 years). BLS correctional officers 2024-34 projects a 7% decline as incarceration falls.
Low risk for 10 years. Booking kiosks and cameras help; supervising pods and moving people to court stay human.
Classes: Psychology, Spanish, PE / fitness.
Official data: O*NET occupation 33-3012.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.