Becoming a Correctional Officer in Maryland

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Maryland has a considerable population of incarcerated offenders relative to its geographic area. With almost 9,932 male and female correctional officers, the number is set to grow by 5% to 10,428 by 2022. Steady job creation accounts for only part of the state's recruitment rationale - as senior officers switch careers, advance, or retire, there will be even more job openings to be had. Currently the state operates over 30 correctional facilities for adult offenders - juvenile detention facilities are listed and recruited for separately. Correctional facilities like Baltimore City Correctional Center and Brockbridge Correctional Facility house offenders who have varying security needs, whereas Baltimore Pre-Release Unit and Jessup Pre-Release Unit are minimum security facilities whose focus is on helping inmates make the final transition back into their community while avoiding recidivism. Currently, the state of Maryland houses 20,988 offenders, and with offender number and need poised to grow over the next few years, recruitment attempts are underway throughout the state. Those applicants who value integrity and assertiveness and can support a rehabilitative philosophy are welcome to apply through the state's Department of Corrections website. For more information regarding correctional officer jobs in Maryland, read on.

19
Schools Analyzed
5
Schools Ranked

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).

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Coppin State University

2500 West North Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21216-3698

Coppin State University ranks 1st in our latest rankings with sixty-five students completing programs in corrections and criminal justice out of a total 962 graduates from the 2012-2013 school year.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 6.76%
  • Program Graduates: 65
  • Total Graduates: 962
  • Programs:
    • Criminal Justice
    • Corrections

School Details

  • School Type: Public, 4-year
  • Website: coppin.edu
  • School Size: 1,000 - 5,000
2

University of Maryland Eastern Shore

J.T. Williams Hall, Princess Anne, MD 21853-1299

University of Maryland Eastern Shore ranks 2nd in our rankings with seventy-six students completing programs in criminal justice out of a total 1,330 graduates in the 2012-2013 school year.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 5.71%
  • Program Graduates: 76
  • Total Graduates: 1,330

School Details

  • School Type: Public, 4-year
  • Website: umes.edu
  • School Size: 1,000 - 5,000
3

Wor-Wic Community College

32000 Campus Drive, Salisbury, MD 21804-7131

Wor-Wic Community College ranks 3rd in our latest rankings with 59 students completing programs in criminal justice out of a total a thousand students.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 4.55%
  • Program Graduates: 59
  • Total Graduates: 1,296

School Details

  • School Type: Public, 2-year
  • Website: worwic.edu
  • School Size: 1,000 - 5,000
4

The Community College of Baltimore County

7201 Rossville Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21237

The Community College of Baltimore County ranks fourth in our rankings with 166 students completing programs in criminal justice out of a total 5,384 graduates in the 2012-2013 school year.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 3.08%
  • Program Graduates: 166
  • Total Graduates: 5,384

School Details

  • School Type: Public, 2-year
  • Website: ccbcmd.edu
  • School Size: More than 20,000
5

Allegany College of Maryland

12401 Willowbrook Rd SE, Cumberland, MD 21502-2596

Allegany College of Maryland ranks fifth in our rankings with 47 students completing programs in criminal justice out of a total 1,698 students from the 2012-2013 school year.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 2.77%
  • Program Graduates: 47
  • Total Graduates: 1,698

School Details

  • School Type: Public, 2-year
  • Website: allegany.edu
  • School Size: 1,000 - 5,000

Continued List of All Criminal Jusitice Programs in Maryland

ProgramWebsite

University of Baltimore

Charles at Mount Royal, Baltimore, MD 21201-5720
Phone: (410) 837-4200

Frostburg State University

101 Braddock Road, Frostburg, MD 21532-1099
Phone: (301) 687-4000

Baltimore City Community College

2901 Liberty Heights Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21215-7893
Phone: (410) 462-8300

Chesapeake College

1000 College Circle, Wye Mills, MD 21679-0008
Phone: (410) 822-5400

Anne Arundel Community College

101 College Pky, Arnold, MD 21012-1895
Phone: (410) 777-2222

Stevenson University

1525 Greenspring Valley Rd, Stevenson, MD 21153-0641
Phone: (410) 486-7000

Frederick Community College

7932 Opossumtown Pike, Frederick, MD 21702-2964
Phone: (301) 846-2400

College of Southern Maryland

8730 Mitchell Rd, La Plata, MD 20646-0910
Phone: (301) 934-2251

University of Maryland-University College

3501 University Blvd East, Adelphi, MD 20783-8010
Phone: (301) 985-7000

Bowie State University

14000 Jericho Park Rd, Bowie, MD 20715-9465
Phone: (301) 860-4000

Cecil College

One Seahawk Drive, North East, MD 21901-1999
Phone: (410) 287-6060

Prince George's Community College

301 Largo Rd, Largo, MD 20774-2199
Phone: (301) 336-6000

Montgomery College

51 Mannakee Street, Rockville, MD 20850
Phone: (240) 567-5000

Hagerstown Community College

11400 Robinwood Dr, Hagerstown, MD 21742-6514
Phone: (240) 500-2530

Maryland Correctional Officer Certification Requirements

The state Department of Corrections in Maryland has an ongoing recruitment campaign to hire career-minded men and women who would be a good fit to become correctional officers. Due to ongoing retirement and advancements, there is a continual need for qualified individuals, however, the challenging nature of the role means that all applicants must meet the state's minimum qualifications in order to be considered for the job. Eligibility requirements are the first stage of the process:

  • Proof of age and citizenship
  • Valid Maryland driver's license
  • No felony convictions
  • Proof of high school diploma or equivalent
  • Veterans are to provide proof of honorable discharge
  • Negative drug test

With proof of these preliminary qualifications accompanying a complete and accurate application form, candidates advance to the next round of qualifying assessments:

  • Fitness testing
  • Physical capabilities assessment
  • Mental health assessment
  • Extensive background check
  • Fingerprinting

Should all assessments show that a candidate is a good fit for a corrections officer, he or she is tentatively placed in a job vacancy as need dictates, or into a hiring pool. Newly hired staff are required to attend and pass a paid training course that focuses on the development of practical skills for their new role.

Maryland Department of Public Safety & Correctional Services

6776 Reisterstown Road
Baltimore, MD 21215
Phone: (410) 585-3300
http://www.dpscs.state.md.us/

Maryland Correctional Officer Employment & Outlook

Correctional Officer Salary: Maryland vs National Salary Comparison

Source: BLS State Cross-Industry Estimates 2011

Maryland's State Department of Justice is committed to ensuring growth and development for the state's correctional officer field. The median income for this role throughout the state is $43,100, compared to the national median income level of $39,800; that is, considerably higher. According to the employment profile for the state, published by CareerInfoNet.org at http://www.careerinfonet.org/occ_rep.asp?next=occ_rep&Level=&optstatus=011000000&jobfam=33&id=1&nodeid=2&soccode=333012&menuMode=&stfips=24&x=51&y=14 state and national trends predict a 1% increase and 5% increase respectively in correctional jobs by the year 2022. In Maryland, this translates to 210 jobs per year, in both newly created roles and existing vacancies.

Occupational Employment Statistics for Correctional Officers (http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes333012.htm)

Maryland Correctional Officer Salaries By Area

The table below lists career information organized by the BLS for correctional officers in Maryland. The table is sorted by total employment, with the largest metropolitan areas listed first.

AreaTotal EmploymentAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Baltimore, Towson3,700$20.89$43,440
Hagerstown, Martinsburg1,240$19.86$41,310
Cumberland890$20.86$43,380
Salisbury710$19.95$41,490
Bethesda, Rockville, Frederick350$26.50$55,120