Correctional officer salary: award rates versus the national minimum wage

What is a correctional officer salary?

A correctional officer salary is the pay for people who work in prisons, detention centres, court security, and prisoner transport. The role includes supervising inmates, maintaining order, and ensuring safety. In Australia, pay is set either by the Corrections and Detention (Private Sector) Award or by state-based awards and enterprise agreements for public sector workers. This article compares the award minimums to the national minimum wage and shows where typical earnings sit on the Salary Index.

Award rates versus the national minimum wage

The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week for a full-time adult. That gives a Salary Index of 48.2 – meaning it is about half of the national full-time adult ordinary-time earnings line of $2,083.70 per week (index 100).

Now look at the award minimums under the Corrections and Detention (Private Sector) Award, as published by the Fair Work Ombudsman. The lowest classification – Trainee custodial officer – is paid $1,001.20 per week ($26.35 per hour). That is just a few cents below the national minimum wage, so its index is about 48.0. But from the first qualified level, the award pays above the national minimum:

• Correctional Officer Level 1: $1,076.20 per week ($28.32 per hour), index 51.7
• Correctional Officer Level 2: $1,173.10 per week ($30.87 per hour), index 56.3
• Correctional Supervisor Level 1: $1,334.20 per week ($35.11 per hour), index 64.0
• Correctional Supervisor Level 2: $1,387.40 per week ($36.51 per hour), index 66.6

Every classification except the trainee sits well above the national minimum wage. The award also includes penalty rates for weekends, night shifts, and public holidays, which push effective hourly rates even higher. For example, a Level 1 officer working a Sunday gets $56.64 per hour – more than double the national minimum.

Where does the typical correctional officer salary land?

Award minimums are just the floor. Actual earnings are often higher. According to Jobs and Skills Australia, the median weekly earnings for Prison Officers (ANZSCO 4421) are $2,080 per week, based on the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. That is almost exactly the national line of $2,083.70, giving a Salary Index of 99.8. The median hourly rate is $53, which is nearly double the award minimum for a Level 1 officer.

This tells us that most correctional officers earn well above the award floor. Experience, shift allowances, overtime, and enterprise agreements push pay up. In some states, public sector correctional officers have their own awards that may pay more than the private sector award. For example, the states page shows that the ACT has an index of 109.9 and WA 106.9, so correctional officers in those jurisdictions may earn above the national line.

How the award compares to other industries

The award minimums for correctional officers are higher than many other award-covered roles. For instance, the Retail trade industry index is 75.9, and Accommodation and food services is 72.5. Even the lowest correctional officer classification (Level 1 at index 51.7) is above the national minimum wage index of 48.2, but still below the average for Health care and social assistance (index 97.8) or Education and training (105.5).

However, the median correctional officer salary of index 99.8 is competitive with the all-occupations median of $1,852 per week (index 88.9). It is also higher than the median for many other public service roles.

What about super and tax?

Award rates and median earnings are before tax and superannuation. From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee is 12% of ordinary time earnings, up to a maximum contribution base of $270,830. So on a $2,080 weekly salary, the employer adds about $249.60 to super each week. For tax, a resident earning $2,080 per week ($108,160 annualised) would fall into the 30% bracket (2026–27 rates) plus the 2% Medicare levy. Take-home pay would be roughly $1,500 per week after tax and Medicare, ignoring HELP or other deductions.

Key takeaways

• The correctional officer salary under the private sector award starts at index 48 (trainee) and rises to index 66.6 (supervisor level 2).
• The national minimum wage is index 48.2, so even the lowest qualified officer earns more than the minimum.
• The median correctional officer earns index 99.8 – almost exactly the national line.
• Award rates include penalty rates that can double the base hourly rate on weekends and public holidays.
• Public sector correctional officers may have different pay under state awards or enterprise agreements.

For more detail on how pay is structured, see our pay guides and how the index works. If you are comparing roles across states, the states page gives state-level index figures. And for a broader view of award wages, visit our topics section.