Becoming a Correctional Officer in Louisiana

Incarcerated offenders in Louisiana's county jails as well as state and federal prisons need accredited correctional officers who value professionalism and respect for everyone they encounter during their workday, including offenders. Louisiana's Department of Justice is committed to providing facilities in which offenders are provided opportunities for reform during every day of their sentence. As of the most recent data collection, the state employs 5,086 front line corrections officers to maintain 12 facilities and just over 39,000 offenders; some facilities, like the Louisiana State Correctional Facility for Women, contain a single gender and require more female correctional officers to fill available roles. Most other facilities in the state house a general population of both sexes at a variety of security levels. This type of structure throughout the state indicates that, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts, the corrections industry is set to grow at a steady pace over the next ten years. Newly created positions are expected to account for approximately 250 jobs across the state. Additional jobs will become available as existing staff retires, switches career tracks, and moves into senior roles. Read more information about the industry below.

23
Schools Analyzed
10
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).

1

Grambling State University

403 Main Street, Grambling, LA 71245

Grambling State University ranks first in our latest rankings with 213 students completing programs in criminal justice out of a total 1,946 graduates in the 2012-2013 school year.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 10.95%
  • Program Graduates: 213
  • Total Graduates: 1,946

School Details

  • School Type: Public, 4-year
  • Website: gram.edu
  • School Size: 5,000 - 10,000
2

Southern University at New Orleans

6400 Press Drive, New Orleans, LA 70126

Southern University at New Orleans ranks 2nd in our rankings with eighty-one students completing programs in criminal justice out of a total 1,070 graduates in the 2012-2013 school year.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 7.57%
  • Program Graduates: 81
  • Total Graduates: 1,070

School Details

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

SOWELA Technical Community College

3820 J Bennett Johnston Ave, Lake Charles, LA 70616

SOWELA Technical Community College ranks 3rd in our latest rankings with 179 students graduating from programs in criminal justice out of a total 3,948 graduates in the 2012-2013 school year.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 4.53%
  • Program Graduates: 179
  • Total Graduates: 3,948

School Details

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

Remington College-Shreveport Campus

2106 Bert Kouns Industrial Loop, Shreveport, LA 71118

Remington College-Shreveport Campus ranks 4th in our rankings with 23 students completing programs in law enforcement administration out of a total 512 graduates from the 2012-2013 school year.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 4.49%
  • Program Graduates: 23
  • Total Graduates: 512

School Details

5

Southern University at Shreveport

3050 Martin Luther King Dr, Shreveport, LA 71107

Southern University at Shreveport ranks 5th in our rankings with thirty students graduating from programs in law enforcement administration out of a total 750 students in the 2012-2013 school year.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 4.00%
  • Program Graduates: 30
  • Total Graduates: 750

School Details

  • School Type: Public, 2-year
  • Website: susla.edu
  • School Size: 1,000 - 5,000
6

Southern University and A & M College

Southern Branch Post Office, Baton Rouge, LA 70813

Southern University and A & M College ranks 6th in our rankings with 95 students completing programs in criminal justice out of a total 2,390 students in the 2012-2013 school year.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 3.97%
  • Program Graduates: 95
  • Total Graduates: 2,390

School Details

  • School Type: Public, 4-year
  • Website: subr.edu
  • School Size: 5,000 - 10,000
7

Louisiana State University-Alexandria

8100 Hwy 71 South, Alexandria, LA 71302-9121

Louisiana State University-Alexandria ranks seventh in our rankings with twenty-four students graduating from programs in criminal justice and criminal justice out of a total 616 graduates in the 2012-2013 school year.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 3.90%
  • Program Graduates: 24
  • Total Graduates: 616
  • Programs:
    • Criminal Justice
    • Police Science

School Details

  • School Type: Public, 4-year
  • Website: lsua.edu
  • School Size: 1,000 - 5,000
8

Louisiana State University-Eunice

2048 Johnson Hwy, Eunice, LA 70535

Louisiana State University-Eunice ranks 8th in our latest rankings with eighteen students graduating from programs in criminal justice out of a total 682 students in the 2012-2013 school year.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 2.64%
  • Program Graduates: 18
  • Total Graduates: 682

School Details

9

Bossier Parish Community College

6220 East Texas, Bossier City, LA 71111-6922

Bossier Parish Community College ranks ninth in our rankings with fifty-six students completing programs in criminal justice out of a total two thousand students.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 2.37%
  • Program Graduates: 56
  • Total Graduates: 2,366

School Details

  • School Type: Public, 2-year
  • Website: bpcc.edu
  • School Size: 5,000 - 10,000
10

Baton Rouge Community College

201 Community College Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70806

Baton Rouge Community College ranks tenth in our latest rankings with seventeen students completing programs in criminal justice out of a total 736 graduates.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 2.31%
  • Program Graduates: 17
  • Total Graduates: 736

School Details

  • School Type: Public, 2-year
  • Website: mybrcc.edu
  • School Size: 5,000 - 10,000

Continued List of All Criminal Jusitice Programs in Louisiana

ProgramWebsite

University of Louisiana at Monroe

700 University Avenue, Monroe, LA 71209-0000
Phone: (318) 342-1000

Northshore Technical Community College

1710 Sullivan Dr, Bogalusa, LA 70427
Phone: (985) 732-6640 x100

Northwestern State University of Louisiana

University Parkway, Natchitoches, LA 71497-0002
Phone: (318) 357-6011

Louisiana State University-Shreveport

One University Place, Shreveport, LA 71115-2399
Phone: (318) 797-5000

McNeese State University

4205 Ryan St, Lake Charles, LA 70605
Phone: (337) 475-5000

Louisiana College

1140 College Dr, Pineville, LA 71359
Phone: (318) 487-7011

Loyola University New Orleans

6363 Saint Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70118-6143
Phone: (504) 865-2011

Southeastern Louisiana University

548 Ned McGehee Ave., Hammond, LA 70402
Phone: (985) 549-2000

Delgado Community College

615 City Park Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119
Phone: (504) 671-5000

University of Louisiana at Lafayette

104 University Circle, Lafayette, LA 70503
Phone: (377) 482-1000

L E Fletcher Technical Community College

1407 Highway 311, Schriever, LA 70395
Phone: (985) 448-7900

South Louisiana Community College

320 Devalcourt Street, Lafayette, LA 70506-2030
Phone: (337) 521-8896

Central Louisiana Technical Community College

4311 South MacArthur Drive, Alexandria, LA 71302-3137
Phone: (318) 487-5443 x1160

Louisiana Correctional Officer Certification Requirements

The Department of Corrections in Louisiana has an continuous need for new recruits who are motivated and capable to serve the public and are eager for advancement in the challenging field of prison corrections. Due to the serious and dynamic requirements of the positions, as well as the physical and ethical requirements of the role, all applicants must meet the state's requirements for employment. The initial employment application must be accompanied by the following eligibility documentation:

  • Proof of U.S. citizenship or naturalization
  • Valid Louisiana driver's license
  • Proof of age (21+ required)
  • No felony or domestic violence convictions

With the eligibility requirements satisfied, recruits can expect to be contacted with regard to the second phase of the hiring process. In Louisiana, the Human Resources department for the DOC requires candidates to undergo:

  • Psychological assessment
  • Physical exam
  • Fitness testing
  • An extensive reference check
  • A personal interview

After ensuring that candidates are an appropriate fit for the corrections environment, candidates may be contacted directly for placement in a job vacancy throughout the state, or placed in a hiring pool. Acceptance of this position is conditional upon successful completion of paid training through the Department of Corrections training academy. New hire training focuses on practical strategies for the role, as well as skillset development and familiarization with various policies and procedures specific to corrections.

Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections

504 Mayflower Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Phone: (225) 925-6006
http://www.doc.louisiana.gov/

Louisiana Correctional Officer Employment & Outlook

Correctional Officer Salary: Louisiana vs National Salary Comparison

Source: BLS State Cross-Industry Estimates 2011

The state Department of Corrections in Louisiana encourages civic-minded citizens to look toward the field of corrections for fulfilling and lucrative career opportunities. At this time, the median income for correctional officers throughout Louisiana is lower than the national average at $31,600, with the national median income at $39,800. According to occupational data for the state, available at http://www.careerinfonet.org/occ_rep.asp?next=occ_rep&Level=&optstatus=011000000&jobfam=33&id=1&nodeid=2&soccode=333012&menuMode=&stfips=22&x=51&y=9 and published by CareerInfoNet.org, state trends are predicted to experience a 11% growth curve from now until 2022 as compared to the national growth rate of 5%. This predicted growth pattern translates into 370 new openings and existing vacancies annually.

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

Louisiana Correctional Officer Salaries By Area

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

AreaTotal EmploymentAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Baton Rouge3,550$16.49$34,290
New Orleans, Metairie, Kenner690$14.00$29,120
Alexandria500$21.25$44,210
Lafayette420$14.86$30,900
Shreveport, Bossier City410$19.75$41,080
Lake Charles270$18.89$39,290
Houma, Bayou Cane, Thibodaux-$15.85$32,960