California correctional sergeant salaries by employer, 2025
3,320 people held a correctional sergeant title at 42 California state prisons and county jails in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $152,162, overtime included, against $125,799 for officers.
What is the average correctional sergeant salary in California?
Highest- and lowest-paying among the 20 employers with at least 10 full-year sergeants. The lists below include every employer with at least 5.
- Correctional sergeants
- 3,320
- 2,781 of them worked the full year
- Median total pay
- $140,963
- the middle sergeant: half earned more, half less
- Overtime
- $27,187
- average per full-year sergeant; the middle one $18,766
- Official range
- $104,352
- to $131,220: the middle reported bottom and top
Which California correctional employers pay sergeants the most?
By average total pay of full-year correctional sergeants, among employers with at least 5 of them.
Highest average total pay
- Santa Clara CountyCounty jails
49 full-year sergeants$254,459 - Santa Cruz CountyCounty jails
6 full-year sergeants$231,753 - Sonoma CountyCounty jails
20 full-year sergeants$207,795 - Santa Barbara CountyCounty jails
16 full-year sergeants$186,491 - San Diego CountyCounty jails
94 full-year sergeants$181,043 - Yolo CountyCounty jails
10 full-year sergeants$160,122 - California Correctional Health Care ServicesState department, state prisons
79 full-year sergeants$159,401 - Napa CountyCounty jails
5 full-year sergeants$158,226 - San Joaquin CountyCounty jails
20 full-year sergeants$156,928 - Amador CountyCounty jails
7 full-year sergeants$152,832
California average for sergeants, $152,162
Which California counties pay correctional sergeants the most?
Average total pay of full-year sergeants across each county's state prisons and county jails, where at least 5 of them worked the full year. The dashed line marks the California average of $152,162.
Compare correctional sergeant pay at every California employer
Every employer with at least 5 correctional sergeants: what full-year sergeants earned and the official range for the rank. Click a column to sort it.
Showing 1 to 25 of 33 employers, highest average total pay first.
| Santa Clara CountySanta Clara County | Santa Clara | $254,459 | $58,584 | $140,165 to $170,548 | 51 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz CountySanta Cruz County | Santa Cruz | $231,753 | $59,178 | $107,723 to $144,165 | 7 |
| Sonoma CountySonoma County | Sonoma | $207,795 | $45,244 | $128,880 to $156,638 | 25 |
| Santa Barbara CountySanta Barbara County | Santa Barbara | $186,491 | $64,821 | $109,652 to $132,592 | 19 |
| San Diego CountySan Diego County | San Diego | $181,043 | $42,172 | $104,378 to $147,098 | 102 |
| Yolo CountyYolo County | Yolo | $160,122 | $22,914 | $90,979 to $110,552 | 13 |
| California Correctional Health Care ServicesStatewide | Statewide | $159,401 | $36,993 | $104,352 to $131,220 | 90 |
| Napa CountyNapa County | Napa | $158,226 | $13,932 | $118,146 to $141,116 | 5 |
| San Joaquin CountySan Joaquin County | San Joaquin | $156,928 | $38,729 | $88,268 to $107,291 | 20 |
| Amador CountyAmador County | Amador | $152,832 | $17,728 | $76,315 to $92,768 | 7 |
| Solano CountySolano County | Solano | $152,303 | $14,718 | $102,509 to $124,601 | 34 |
| Riverside CountyRiverside County | Riverside | $151,783 | $27,177 | $124,979 to $152,474 | 117 |
| California Department of Corrections and RehabilitationStatewide | Statewide | $150,010 | $25,427 | $104,352 to $131,220 | 2,537 |
| Kern CountyKern County | Kern | $146,262 | $29,011 | $106,718 | 25 |
| San Luis Obispo CountySan Luis Obispo County | San Luis Obispo | $145,374 | $20,047 | $102,731 to $131,102 | 17 |
| Butte CountyButte County | Butte | $141,473 | $36,129 | $88,192 to $118,186 | 11 |
| Placer CountyPlacer County | Placer | $139,725 | $12,933 | $90,563 to $110,074 | 11 |
| Humboldt CountyHumboldt County | Humboldt | $136,265 | $42,630 | $69,816 to $89,590 | 7 |
| Fresno CountyFresno County | Fresno | $132,638 | $26,091 | $80,574 to $102,830 | 50 |
| Yuba CountyYuba County | Yuba | $131,989 | $23,563 | $77,808 to $123,720 | 8 |
| Mendocino CountyMendocino County | Mendocino | $131,979 | $23,708 | $87,610 to $106,475 | 10 |
| Nevada CountyNevada County | Nevada | $124,065 | $24,372 | $86,333 to $105,395 | 9 |
| Kings CountyKings County | Kings | $122,682 | $24,374 | $79,768 to $97,344 | 16 |
| El Dorado CountyEl Dorado County | El Dorado | $122,120 | $16,255 | $81,952 to $99,611 | 13 |
| Tulare CountyTulare County | Tulare | $121,290 | $10,419 | $94,290 to $114,914 | 33 |
No employer matches. Clear the search or pick another county or size.
"Fewer than 5": fewer than 5 sergeants worked the full year, too few for an average. Employers with fewer than 5 sergeants aren't listed.
How much more do correctional sergeants earn than officers in California?
Average total pay of full-year staff at every California state prisons and county jails, overtime included.
- Officers$125,799
- Sergeants$152,162
- Lieutenants$171,563
- Captains$171,029
Sergeants earn $26,363 more than officers on average. Lieutenants average $171,563 and captains average $171,029.
Questions about correctional sergeant pay in California
How much does a correctional sergeant make in California?
Full-year California correctional sergeants at state prisons and county jails earned an average of $152,162 in 2025, including $27,187 in overtime. The middle sergeant earned $140,963. Officers averaged $125,799.
Which California correctional employer pays sergeants the most?
Among employers with at least 10 full-year sergeants, Santa Clara County has the highest average total pay, $254,459, followed by Sonoma County ($207,795) and Santa Barbara County ($186,491).
Which California county pays correctional sergeants the most?
Santa Clara County, where full-year sergeants at its state prisons and county jails averaged $254,459, followed by Santa Cruz County ($231,753) and Sonoma County ($207,795).
What is the official pay range for a correctional sergeant in California?
Across California's employers, the middle reported range for sergeants runs from $104,352 to $131,220 a year. Each employer's own range is in the table on this page.
Sources for the California correctional sergeant figures
Every person who held a correctional sergeant title at any point in 2025 counts toward the headcount. Pay figures use only people who worked roughly the full year: those whose regular pay reached at least 90% of the bottom of their official range. Total pay is gross wages before tax, including overtime, lump sums and other pay. Every figure covers at least 5 people.
- State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: positions, official pay ranges, wages and pension and health contributions as reported by each county and city and the state departments.