The Minnesota Department of Corrections is nationally renowned for maintaining secure, humane, and largely non-violent correctional facilities. Through collaboration with lawmakers, communities, staff, and inmates, the state has a long record of efficient care and low rates of recidivism for incarcerated offenders. Given the growth that is occurring at county and state levels, the state has mounted an active recruiting campaign that spans all ten of the state's correctional facilities. Forecasted over the next 10 years, the industry is expected to grow from 4,208 male and female frontline correctional officers to 4,418 officers. In addition to new growth, recruitment efforts will also target vacancies through retirement, career moves and advancements. As part of the state's mandate articulates that it is imperative to provide inmates with educational opportunities, treatment for substance and mental health problems, as well as job training, the nature of the correctional officer role is changing and developing. If you're interested in reading more about this dynamic career opportunity in Minnesota, scroll down for more information.
Top Schools Supporting Careers in Criminal Justice & Corrections
The following rankings are based on student data, published surveys, and other school and career data collected from several sources which include the following government agencies:
Data Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
By obtaining our base data set from the above data sources, schools were ranked using the criteria below:
- Schools with less than 10 total graduates per year were omitted in order to maintain statistical integrity
- Schools must have at least 1 graduate in the field of criminal justice
- Only 4-year, 2-year, and technical public and private non-profit schools were included
Schools were sorted in order of the highest percentage of total students graduating with a degree in the field of criminal justice (CIPCODES: 43.0102, 43.0110, 43.0113, 43.0103, 43.0104, 43.0107, 43.0109, 43.0111, 43.0112, 43.0199).
Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College
Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College ranks 1st in our latest rankings with 117 students graduating from programs in criminal justice out of a total 788 students in the 2012-2013 school year.
Alexandria Technical & Community College
Alexandria Technical & Community College ranks second in our latest rankings with 279 students completing programs in criminal justice out of a total a thousand graduates in the 2012-2013 school year.
Hennepin Technical College
Hennepin Technical College ranks 3rd in our rankings with 234 students completing programs in criminal justice out of a total three thousand students in the 2012-2013 school year.
Hibbing Community College
Hibbing Community College ranks 4th in our rankings with forty-three students graduating from programs in criminal justice out of a total 730 graduates.
Metropolitan State University
Metropolitan State University ranks 5th in our latest rankings with 237 students completing programs in criminal justice and criminal justice out of a total 4,408 graduates from the 2012-2013 school year.
Vermilion Community College
Vermilion Community College ranks 6th in our latest rankings with fifteen students graduating from programs in criminal justice out of a total 346 students from the 2012-2013 school year.
Inver Hills Community College
Inver Hills Community College ranks seventh in our rankings with 83 students completing programs in criminal justice and criminal justice out of a total 1,938 students.
Bemidji State University
Bemidji State University ranks 8th in our rankings with seventy-four students completing programs in criminal justice out of a total 2,304 graduates in the 2012-2013 school year.
North Hennepin Community College
North Hennepin Community College ranks ninth in our latest rankings with 89 students completing programs in criminal justice and criminal justice out of a total 2,822 students from the 2012-2013 school year.
Concordia University-Saint Paul
Concordia University-Saint Paul ranks 10th in our rankings with fifty-three students graduating from programs in criminal justice and law enforcement administration out of a total a thousand students from the 2012-2013 school year.
Continued List of All Criminal Jusitice Programs in Minnesota
Program | Website |
---|---|
Century College 3300 Century Ave N, White Bear Lake, MN 55110 Phone: (651) 770-3200 | century.edu |
Minnesota State University-Mankato South Rd and Ellis Ave, Mankato, MN 56001 Phone: (507) 389-1866 | sbs.mnsu.edu |
Rochester Community and Technical College 851 30th Ave SE, Rochester, MN 55904-4999 Phone: (507) 285-7210 | rctc.edu |
Minnesota State University-Moorhead 1104 7th Ave S, Moorhead, MN 56563 Phone: (218) 477-4000 | mnstate.edu |
Saint Cloud State University 720 Fourth Ave. South, Saint Cloud, MN 56301-4498 Phone: (320) 308-0121 | stcloudstate.edu |
Normandale Community College 9700 France Ave S, Bloomington, MN 55431-4399 Phone: (952) 358-8200 | normandale.edu |
Winona State University 8th and Johnson St, Winona, MN 55987-5838 Phone: (507) 457-5000 | winona.edu |
Southwest Minnesota State University 1501 State St, Marshall, MN 56258-5468 Phone: (507) 537-7678 | smsu.edu |
Minneapolis Community and Technical College 1501 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403-1779 Phone: (612) 659-6000 | minneapolis.edu |
Central Lakes College-Brainerd 501 West College Drive, Brainerd, MN 56401-3900 Phone: (218) 855-8000 | clcmn.edu |
Leech Lake Tribal College 6945 Littlewolf Road NW, Cass Lake, MN 56633 Phone: (218) 335-4200 | lltc.edu |
Minnesota State College-Southeast Technical 1250 Homer Rd, Winona, MN 55987 Phone: (507) 453-2700 | southeastmn.edu |
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota 700 Terrace Heights, Winona, MN 55987-1399 Phone: (507) 457-1600 | smumn.edu |
Riverland Community College 1900 8th Ave NW, Austin, MN 55912-1473 Phone: (507) 433-0600 | riverland.edu |
Northland Community and Technical College 1101 Hwy One East, Thief River Falls, MN 56701 Phone: (218) 683-8800 | northlandcollege.edu |
Hamline University 1536 Hewitt Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55104-1284 Phone: (651) 523-2800 | hamline.edu |
University of Minnesota-Crookston 2900 University Ave, Crookston, MN 56716-5001 Phone: (800) 862-6466 | www1.crk.umn.edu |
University of Northwestern-St Paul 3003 Snelling Ave N, Saint Paul, MN 55113-1598 Phone: (651) 631-5100 | unwsp.edu |
Minnesota State Community and Technical College 1414 College Way, Fergus Falls, MN 56537-1000 Phone: (218) 736-1500 | minnesota.edu |
Ridgewater College 2101 15th Ave NW, Willmar, MN 56201 Phone: (800) 722-1151 | ridgewater.edu |
Minnesota West Community and Technical College 1593 11th Ave, Granite Falls, MN 56241 Phone: (800) 658-2330 | mnwest.edu |
University of St Thomas 2115 Summit Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55105-1078 Phone: (651) 962-5000 | stthomas.edu |
St Catherine University 2004 Randolph Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55105 Phone: (651) 690-6000 | stkate.edu |
What Correctional Officer Training Can’t Prepare You For
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Minnesota Correctional Officer Certification Requirements
The Department of Corrections in Minnesota requires an ongoing supply of career-minded, professional candidates for the role of Corrections Officer. This challenging position requires that candidates meet or exceed all of the states minimum requirements in order to ensure the safety of themselves, their colleagues, communities, and workplace. The process begins with the standard eligibility requirements for all Minnesota state jobs. Candidates will submit:
- A complete and accurate application
- Proof of age (18+ or 21+ depending on facility)
- No felony convictions
- Proof of U.S. citizenship
- Valid Minnesota driver's license
- Proof of military honorable discharge if applicable
- High school diploma or GED; further qualifications and work experience an asset
- No felonies or domestic violence charges
Having met the above eligibility criteria, candidates may prepare themselves for the second tier of rigorous assessments, designed to determine if a candidate is a good match for the role of corrections officer in one of the state penitentiaries or county jails. These assessments are as follows:
- Physical fitness test
- Physical medical assessment
- Mental health assessment
- Written test of knowledge
- REACT video test of knowledge
- Extensive background check
Candidates who have passed the assessments will be offered an opportunity to attend basic correctional officer training wherein the curriculum is designed to teach candidates the policies and procedures of the Minnesota DOC, with an emphasis on a hands-on approach and situational analysis. Only candidates who pass basic training will be considered ready for a position.
Minnesota Department of Corrections
1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 200
St. Paul, MN
Phone: (651) 361-7200
http://www.doc.state.mn.us/PAGES/
Minnesota Correctional Officer Employment & Outlook
Correctional Officer Salary: Minnesota vs National Salary Comparison
Source: BLS State Cross-Industry Estimates 2011
The state of Minnesota is committed to serve and support correctional facilities in the state by encouraging growth in the field. To this end, the median income for front-line correctional officers throughout the state is somewhat higher at $46,400 than the median national income of $39,800. CareerInfoNet.org has published state and national trends at http://www.careerinfonet.org/occ_rep.asp?next=occ_rep&Level=&optstatus=011000000&jobfam=33&id=1&nodeid=2&soccode=333012&menuMode=&stfips=27&x=48&y=14 which predict that growth in Minnesota at 1% from now until 2022. This predicted rate of growth translates into approximately 140 jobs in the form of newly created openings and existing vacancies over the next decade.
Occupational Employment Statistics for Correctional Officers (http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes333012.htm)
Minnesota Correctional Officer Salaries By Area
The table below lists career information obtained from the BLS for correctional officers in Minnesota. The table is sorted by total employment, with the largest metropolitan areas listed first.
Area | Total Employment | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
---|---|---|---|
Minneapolis, St. Paul, Bloomington | 2,510 | $23.14 | $48,140 |
Duluth | 340 | $22.68 | $47,170 |
Rochester | 160 | $23.35 | $48,560 |