Correctional officer salary and the national full-time average
A correctional officer’s salary depends on the employer, sector, and classification. For private-sector correctional officers, the minimum rates are set by the Corrections and Detention (Private Sector) Award 2020, published by the Fair Work Ombudsman. This award covers roles such as Correctional Officer, Court Security Officer, Custody Officer, and Prisoner Escort Transport Officer. The rates in this article are from the award as at 1 July 2026.
Award minimum weekly rates
Full-time correctional employees under the award work an average of 38 ordinary hours per week. The minimum weekly pay for a Correctional Officer Level 1 is $1,076.20, which equates to $28.32 per hour. A Correctional Officer Level 2 receives $1,173.10 per week ($30.87 per hour). Trainee custodial officers start at $1,001.20 per week ($26.35 per hour). At the top of the classification structure, a Correctional Supervisor Level 2 earns $1,387.40 per week ($36.51 per hour).
These are base rates. The award also provides penalty rates for work on Saturdays (time-and-a-half), Sundays (double time), public holidays (double-time-and-a-half), and night shifts (15% loading Monday to Friday). A pay guide from the Fair Work Ombudsman lists these penalty rates in detail.
Where the national average sits
The Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026 reports that full-time adult ordinary-time earnings averaged $2,083.70 per week nationally. That works out to about $108,352 a year. This is the figure this site uses as the line for full-time pay.
Even the highest award classification for a correctional supervisor ($1,387.40 per week) is about $696 below the national average. A Correctional Officer Level 1 earns roughly half the national average in base pay. However, many correctional officers in the public sector or under enterprise agreements earn more than the award minimum. The award rates are a floor, not a ceiling.
Comparison with medians and the minimum wage
The full-time median earnings (from the ABS Employee Earnings and Hours survey, August 2025) are about $90,532 per year. The all-employees median is about $74,100. A Correctional Officer Level 1 on award rates ($55,962 per year) sits below both medians. The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour ($1,004.90 per week, $52,255 per year). A trainee custodial officer at $26.35 per hour is just below the minimum wage, but award trainees may have different conditions. A Correctional Officer Level 1 at $28.32 per hour is above the minimum wage.
State-by-state context
The national average masks differences across states and territories. The full-time averages by state (from the same ABS release) are:
- New South Wales: $109,658
- Victoria: $106,137
- Queensland: $106,064
- South Australia: $102,450
- Western Australia: $115,825
- Tasmania: $96,008
- Northern Territory: $103,173
- Australian Capital Territory: $119,090
A Correctional Officer Level 1 earning $55,962 would be below every state average. Even a supervisor at $72,145 would be below the lowest state average (Tasmania). This highlights that correctional officer salaries under the award are significantly lower than typical full-time earnings across Australia.
Tax considerations
For the 2026–27 income year, the resident tax rates are: nil on the first $18,200, 15% on income up to $45,000, 30% up to $135,000, 37% up to $190,000, and 45% above that. A Correctional Officer Level 1 on $55,962 would pay about $7,829 in tax plus the 2% Medicare levy ($1,119), leaving about $47,014 after tax and Medicare. That is a take-home of about $904 per week. Compare that to the national average full-time earner on $108,352, who would pay about $24,677 in tax plus $2,167 Medicare, leaving about $81,508 after tax and Medicare ($1,567 per week).
How this site uses the figures
This site Place a salary on the line lets you compare any salary to the national full-time average. The line is set at $2,083.70 per week ($108,352 per year). You can also see how your pay compares by States and territories or by Job medians. For more on how these figures are determined, see How the figures are set.
Limitations of the award data
The award rates apply only to private-sector correctional facilities. Public-sector correctional officers (e.g., those employed by state governments) are often covered by separate awards or enterprise agreements that may pay higher rates. For example, some state corrections departments offer starting salaries above $60,000. The figures here are the legal minimums; actual salaries can vary widely.
Summary
A correctional officer salary under the private-sector award is well below the Australian full-time average of $108,352. The base rate for a Correctional Officer Level 1 is $55,962 per year, about 52% of the national average. Even with penalty rates, it is unlikely to reach the average. For a more personalised comparison, use the tools on this site.