Becoming a Correctional Officer in Tennessee

Tennessee Correctional Officer Certification Requirements

Tennessee's Department of Corrections has a continual hiring process for the role of Corrections Officer. Due to great career opportunities for advancing officers, there is often vacancies for front-line corrections staff. Because of the job's specific challenges, the state is committed to hiring only the best personnel for the vacancy - there is a multi-phase process in order to ensure qualified applicants are filling the state's vacancies. Along with a completed application, candidates must provide proof of the following:

• Proof of age (21+)
• Proof of United States citizenship or naturalization
• Possess a valid Tennessee driver's license
• Are without felony or domestic violence convictions
• Possess good moral character
• Possess a high school diploma or GED
• Military veterans to have proof of honorable discharge
• Proof of negative drug test

Once the basic eligibility criteria have been met, suitable candidates will be invited to advance to the next round of assessments. Applicants will be tested for their aptitude for the role. Testing will include:

• Fitness testing
• Physical assessment
• Written test
• Mental health assessment
• Personal and professional background check including fingerprinting

Candidates who pass the assessment portion of the hiring process will be shortlisted and contacted by the DOC's Human Resources staff as positions throughout the state become available. Upon hire, corrections officers must attend and pass specialized hands-on training at the state's training academy to be prepared for the rigors of working in a corrections environment. Candidates who fail this final portion of the hiring process are welcome to reapply at a later time.

Tennessee Department of Correction

320 Sixth Avenue North
Nashville, TN 37243-0465
Phone: (615) 741-1000
https://www.tn.gov/correction/

Tennessee Correctional Officer Employment & Outlook

One of the ways that the state of Tennessee serves and support correctional officers is with strong growth and competitive salaries throughout the state. As such, the median income for front-line correctional officers throughout the state is currently much lower at $28,700 than the national median income at $39,800. However, professional development can remediate this gap. According to the occupational profile for the state of Tennessee found at http://www.careerinfonet.org/occ_rep.asp?next=occ_rep&Level=&optstatus=011000000&jobfam=33&id=1&nodeid=2&soccode=333012&menuMode=&stfips=47&x=48&y=8 and published by CareerInfoNet.org, state and national trends predict a 22% and 5% increase in correctional officer jobs by 2022 respectively, indicating that state job growth is very rapid. For residents of Tennessee, this rate translates into 380 job openings per year.

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

Tennessee Correctional Officer Salaries By Area

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