Oklahoma Lawmakers Study Corrections Pay as 641 Positions Sit Open

Oklahoma’s prison system is running 641 positions short, and state lawmakers spent this week asking whether pay is the reason. An interim House study took a close look at wages for correctional officers, support staff and administrators at the Department of Corrections. The takeaway from department leaders: staffing is critical, retention is improving, but pay still lags well behind surrounding states, and experienced employees keep leaving for better-paying work.

The numbers tell the story. Starting pay for most correctional officers is $21.48 an hour, around $44,000 a year, and officers in tiers two through four earn 18% to 21.7% less than their peers across state lines. Since 2023, the department has hired more than 3,300 employees while losing more than 3,100, a net gain of only 194. Inside the facilities, the squeeze shows: housing units that had two or three officers in 1999 are down to one officer per unit today.

Reps. David Hardin and Tim Turner said the information gathered in the study will guide how lawmakers address recruitment, retention and public safety in the next legislative session. What would fair pay for Oklahoma correctional officers look like to you? Sound off in the comments.