Becoming a Correctional Officer in Ohio

The Ohio State Department of Corrections oversees and manages the incarceration and subsequent community transitions of more than 51,729 inmates across 32 state facilities. Incarcerated persons in Ohio are supervised by 12,310 first line correctional officers who are committed to maintaining an environment of peace, order, and respect within the facilities where they work. In addition to state-run and privately contracted prisons, Ohio also has an extensive county jail system used to hold offenders before their trial and during shorter sentences. Finally, Ohio has one federal penitentiary, the Federal Correctional Institution at Elkton that draws on state resources for its operations. As the corrections industry evolves, it is no surprise that the state and national economists predict an upward trend in job creation throughout the state even as incarceration rates fall. Total roles for front line correctional officers are expected to exceed 12,900 in total by 2022. This prediction of economic growth, coupled with job vacancies due to senior officer retirement, attrition, and promotion, the state of Ohio has began an active campaign for correctional officer recruits. To learn more about this exciting field and opportunities in Ohio, read on.

64
Schools Analyzed
20
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

Greene County Vocational School District

2960 West Enon Road, Xenia, OH 45385-9545

Greene County Vocational School District ranks 1st in our latest rankings with fifty-four students completing programs in criminal justice out of a total 208 graduates.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 25.96%
  • Program Graduates: 54
  • Total Graduates: 208

School Details

  • School Type: Public, <2-year
  • Website: greeneccc.com
  • School Size: Less than 1,000
2

Union Institute & University

440 E McMillan St, Cincinnati, OH 45206-1925

Union Institute & University ranks 2nd in our rankings with 338 students completing programs in law enforcement administration out of a total 1,414 graduates in the 2012-2013 school year.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 23.90%
  • Program Graduates: 338
  • Total Graduates: 1,414

School Details

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

Delaware Area Career Center

4565 Columbus Pike, Delaware, OH 43015-8969

Delaware Area Career Center ranks 3rd in our rankings with 60 students completing programs in criminal justice out of a total 346 students.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 17.34%
  • Program Graduates: 60
  • Total Graduates: 346

School Details

4

Eastland-Fairfield Career and Technical Schools

4300 Amalgamated Pl, Groveport, OH 43125-9236

Eastland-Fairfield Career and Technical Schools ranks 4th in our latest rankings with sixty-eight students completing programs in criminal justice out of a total 398 students from the 2012-2013 school year.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 17.09%
  • Program Graduates: 68
  • Total Graduates: 398

School Details

5

Medina County Career Center

1101 W Liberty St, Medina, OH 44256

Medina County Career Center ranks 5th in our latest rankings with nineteen students graduating from programs in criminal justice out of a total 124 graduates in the 2012-2013 school year.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 15.32%
  • Program Graduates: 19
  • Total Graduates: 124

School Details

  • School Type: Public, <2-year
  • Website: mcjvs.edu
  • School Size: Less than 1,000
6

Butler Tech

3603 Hamilton Middletown Rd, Hamilton, OH 45011

Butler Tech-D Russel Lee Career Center ranks 6th in our rankings with eighty-three students completing programs in corrections out of a total 544 graduates in the 2012-2013 school year.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 15.26%
  • Program Graduates: 83
  • Total Graduates: 544

School Details

  • School Type: Public, <2-year
  • Website: butlertech.org
  • School Size: Less than 1,000
7

Tiffin University

155 Miami Street, Tiffin, OH 44883

Tiffin University ranks 7th in our rankings with 150 students graduating from programs in law enforcement administration and corrections out of a total 1,792 graduates.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 8.37%
  • Program Graduates: 150
  • Total Graduates: 1,792
  • Programs:
    • Corrections
    • Law Enforcement Administration

School Details

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

Ohio University- Lancaster

1570 Granville Pike, Lancaster, OH 43130-1037

Ohio University-Lancaster Campus ranks 8th in our latest rankings with 17 students completing programs in criminal justice out of a total 214 students.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 7.94%
  • Program Graduates: 17
  • Total Graduates: 214

School Details

  • School Type: Public, 4-year
  • Website: ohio.edu
  • School Size: 1,000 - 5,000
9

Buckeye Hills Career Center

351 Buckeye Hills Road, Rio Grande, OH 45674-0157

Buckeye Hills Career Center ranks ninth in our latest rankings with eleven students graduating from programs in criminal justice out of a total 166 students in the 2012-2013 school year.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 6.63%
  • Program Graduates: 11
  • Total Graduates: 166

School Details

  • School Type: Public, <2-year
  • Website: buckeyehills.net
  • School Size: Less than 1,000
10

Polaris Career Center

7285 Old Oak Blvd, Middleburg Heights, OH 44130-3375

Polaris Career Center ranks 10th in our rankings with 31 students graduating from programs in criminal justice out of a total 518 graduates from the 2012-2013 school year.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 5.98%
  • Program Graduates: 31
  • Total Graduates: 518

School Details

  • School Type: Public, <2-year
  • Website: polaris.edu
  • School Size: Less than 1,000
11

Urbana University

579 College Way, Urbana, OH 43078-2091

Urbana University ranks 11th in our rankings with nineteen students graduating from programs in law enforcement administration and criminal justice out of a total 358 graduates in the 2012-2013 school year.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 5.31%
  • Program Graduates: 19
  • Total Graduates: 358
  • Programs:
    • Law Enforcement Administration
    • Criminal Justice

School Details

  • School Type: Private, 4-year
  • Website: urbana.edu
  • School Size: 1,000 - 5,000
12

Kent State University

6000 Frank Ave NW, Canton, OH 44720-7599

Kent State University at Stark ranks twelfth in our latest rankings with thirteen students graduating from programs in criminal justice out of a total 264 graduates.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 4.92%
  • Program Graduates: 13
  • Total Graduates: 264

School Details

13

Zane State College

1555 Newark Rd, Zanesville, OH 43701-2626

Zane State College ranks 13th in our latest rankings with forty-two students completing programs in criminal justice, criminal justice, and corrections out of a total a thousand students from the 2012-2013 school year.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 4.04%
  • Program Graduates: 42
  • Total Graduates: 1,040
  • Programs:
    • Criminal Justice
    • Police Science
    • Corrections

School Details

  • School Type: Public, 2-year
  • Website: zanestate.edu
  • School Size: 1,000 - 5,000
14

Remington College-Cleveland Campus

14445 Broadway Ave, Cleveland, OH 44125-1957

Remington College-Cleveland Campus ranks 14th in our latest rankings with twenty-two students completing programs in law enforcement administration out of a total 566 graduates.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 3.89%
  • Program Graduates: 22
  • Total Graduates: 566

School Details

15

University of Cincinnati-Clermont College

4200 Clermont College Dr, Batavia, OH 45103

University of Cincinnati-Clermont College ranks 15th in our rankings with 42 students graduating from programs in criminal justice out of a total a thousand students in the 2012-2013 school year.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 3.78%
  • Program Graduates: 42
  • Total Graduates: 1,112

School Details

  • School Type: Public, 4-year
  • Website: ucclermont.edu
  • School Size: 1,000 - 5,000
16

Central State University

1400 Brush Row Rd, Wilberforce, OH 45384-1004

Central State University ranks 16th in our rankings with 19 students completing programs in criminal justice out of a total 518 students in the 2012-2013 school year.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 3.67%
  • Program Graduates: 19
  • Total Graduates: 518

School Details

17

University of Cincinnati-Main Campus

2624 Clifton Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0063

University of Cincinnati-Main Campus ranks 17th in our latest rankings with 597 students completing programs in criminal justice out of a total seventeen thousand students.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 3.40%
  • Program Graduates: 597
  • Total Graduates: 17,582

School Details

  • School Type: Public, 4-year
  • Website: cech.uc.edu
  • School Size: More than 20,000
18

Defiance College

701 N Clinton, Defiance, OH 43512

Defiance College ranks 18th in our rankings with 13 students completing programs in criminal justice out of a total 398 graduates from the 2012-2013 school year.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 3.27%
  • Program Graduates: 13
  • Total Graduates: 398

School Details

  • School Type: Private, 4-year
  • Website: defiance.edu
  • School Size: Less than 1,000
19

Youngstown State University

One University Plaza, Youngstown, OH 44555-0001

Youngstown State University ranks nineteenth in our latest rankings with 131 students graduating from programs in criminal justice out of a total four thousand students.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 3.01%
  • Program Graduates: 131
  • Total Graduates: 4,356

School Details

  • School Type: Public, 4-year
  • Website: web.ysu.edu
  • School Size: 10,000 - 20,000
20

Scioto County Career Technical Center

951 Vern Riffe Drive, Lucasville, OH 45648-0766

Scioto County Career Technical Center ranks twenty in our latest rankings with eleven students graduating from programs in criminal justice out of a total 382 graduates from the 2012-2013 school year.

Ranking Details

  • Percent of Graduates: 2.88%
  • Program Graduates: 11
  • Total Graduates: 382

School Details

  • School Type: Public, <2-year
  • Website: sciototech.org
  • School Size: Less than 1,000

Continued List of All Criminal Jusitice Programs in Ohio

ProgramWebsite

Heidelberg University

310 E Market St, Tiffin, OH 44883-2462
Phone: (419) 448-2000

Clark State Community College

570 E Leffel Ln, Springfield, OH 45501-0570
Phone: (937) 325-0691

James A Rhodes State College

4240 Campus Dr, Lima, OH 45804
Phone: (419) 221-1112

North Central State College

2441 Kenwood Circle, Mansfield, OH 44901-0698
Phone: (419) 755-4800

Lakeland Community College

7700 Clocktower Drive, Kirtland, OH 44094-5198
Phone: (440) 525-7000

University of Mount Union

1972 Clark Ave., Alliance, OH 44601-3993
Phone: (800) 992-6682

Terra State Community College

2830 Napoleon Rd, Fremont, OH 43420-9670
Phone: (419) 334-8400

University of Cincinnati - Blue Ash College

9555 Plainfield Rd, Blue Ash, OH 45236-1096
Phone: (513) 745-5600

Northwest State Community College

22600 State Route 34, Archbold, OH 43502-9542
Phone: (419) 267-5511

Owens Community College

30335 Oregon Rd, Perrysburg, OH 43551
Phone: (567) 661-7000

Bowling Green State University - Firelands

One University Drive, Huron, OH 44839-9791
Phone: (419) 433-5560

EHOVE Career Center

316 W Mason Rd, Milan, OH 44846
Phone: (419) 499-4663 x280

Southern State Community College

100 Hobart Dr, Hillsboro, OH 45133
Phone: (937) 393-3431

Lorain County Community College

1005 North Abbe Rd, Elyria, OH 44035-1691
Phone: (440) 366-5222

Hocking College

3301 Hocking Parkway, Nelsonville, OH 45764
Phone: (740) 753-3591

Lourdes University

6832 Convent Blvd, Sylvania, OH 43560-2898
Phone: (419) 885-3211

University of Toledo

2801 W Bancroft, Toledo, OH 43606-3390
Phone: (419) 530-4636

Eastern Gateway Community College

4000 Sunset Blvd, Steubenville, OH 43952-3598
Phone: (740) 264-5591

Lake Erie College

391 W Washington St, Painesville, OH 44077-3389
Phone: (440) 375-7000

Edison State Community College

1973 Edison Dr, Piqua, OH 45356-9239
Phone: (937) 778-8600

Wilberforce University

1055 N Bickett Rd, Wilberforce, OH 45384-1001
Phone: (937) 376-2911

Sinclair Community College

444 W. Third St., Dayton, OH 45402-1460
Phone: (937) 512-3000

Warren County Career Center

3525 North State Route 48, Lebanon, OH 45036-1099
Phone: (513) 932-8145 x5249

Washington State Community College

710 Colegate Dr, Marietta, OH 45750
Phone: (740) 374-8716

University of Akron Main Campus

302 Buchtel Common, Akron, OH 44325-4702
Phone: (330) 972-7111

Central Ohio Technical College

1179 University Drive, Newark, OH 43055-1767
Phone: (740) 366-1351

Bowling Green State University

220 McFall Ctr, Bowling Green, OH 43403
Phone: (419) 372-2531

Marion Technical College

1467 Mount Vernon Ave, Marion, OH 43302-5694
Phone: (740) 389-4636 x229

Wilmington College

1870 Quaker Way, Wilmington, OH 45177
Phone: (800) 341-9318

The University of Findlay

1000 North Main Street, Findlay, OH 45840-3653
Phone: (419) 422-8313

Xavier University

3800 Victory Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45207-1092
Phone: (513) 745-3000

Cuyahoga Community College District

700 Carnegie Ave, Cleveland, OH 44115-2878
Phone: (800) 954-8742

Bluffton University

1 University Drive, Bluffton, OH 45817-2104
Phone: (419) 358-3000

Mount Vernon Nazarene University

800 Martinsburg Rd, Mount Vernon, OH 43050-9500
Phone: (740) 392-6868

Baldwin Wallace University

275 Eastland Rd, Berea, OH 44017-2088
Phone: (440) 826-2900

Stark State College

6200 Frank Ave NW, North Canton, OH 44720
Phone: (330) 494-6170 x4785

Columbus State Community College

550 E Spring St, Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614) 287-5353

Cedarville University

251 N. Main Street, Cedarville, OH 45314-0601
Phone: (937) 766-2211

Ohio Dominican University

1216 Sunbury Road, Columbus, OH 43219
Phone: (614) 253-2741

Ohio Northern University

525 S. Main St, Ada, OH 45810-1599
Phone: (419) 772-2000

Ashland University

401 College Ave 206G Founders Hall, Ashland, OH 44805
Phone: (419) 289-4142

University of Dayton

300 College Park, Dayton, OH 45469
Phone: (937) 229-1000

Miami University-Oxford

501 East High St, Oxford, OH 45056
Phone: (513) 529-1809

Franklin University

201 S Grant Ave, Columbus, OH 43215-5399
Phone: (614) 797-4700

Ohio Correctional Officer Certification Requirements

The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction has an ongoing recruitment campaign for individuals who are interested in becoming correctional officers employed by the state's penitentiaries and county jails. As the role is challenging, the Ohio DRC has mandated that it will ensure that only those candidates who meet all the requirements of the role will be considered for employment. To follow the standard that they have established, the department has a multi-stage hiring process that ensures that only the best candidates will be left for selection. Applicants start the process by ensuring that they have the following proof of eligibility to accompany their online application:

  • Proof of age and U.S. citizenship
  • Valid Ohio driver's license
  • No felony charges
  • Possess a high school diploma or GED
  • Veterans have proof of DD-214 (honorable discharge documents)
  • Proof of negative drug test

Candidates who meet the minimum eligibility requirements for the state will then be contacted to pursue additional assessments in the institutions that they chose as part of their online profile. Those who fail any part of the assessment are welcome to reapply at a later time. The assessments are as follows:

  • Fitness testing
  • Physical assessment by medical staff
  • Video assessment
  • Extensive personal and professional background check
  • Fingerprinting

Candidates who pass the assessment portion of the hiring process will be contacted for an in-person interview at which time their satisfactory status will remain active for a period of 24 months. In this time, they may be scheduled for NEO (New Employee Orientation) at the start of their position. Employment will be finalized upon successful completion of the final phase of training.

Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction

770 West Broad Street
Columbus, OH 43222
Phone: (614) 387-0588
http://www.drc.ohio.gov/

Ohio Correctional Officer Employment & Outlook

Correctional Officer Salary: Ohio vs National Salary Comparison

Source: BLS State Cross-Industry Estimates 2011

The state of Ohio is committed to serve and support correctional facilities in the state by encouraging growth in the field. The median income for front-line correctional officers throughout the state is higher at $42,600 than the median national income of $39,800. CareerInfoNet.org has published state and national trends at http://www.careerinfonet.org/occ_rep.asp?next=occ_rep&Level=&optstatus=011000000&jobfam=33&id=1&nodeid=2&soccode=333012&menuMode=&stfips=39&x=61&y=14 which predict that jobs in Ohio are at a 1% decline from now until 2022. The predicted job decline translates into approximately 340 jobs annually in the form of existing vacancies over the next decade.

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

Ohio Correctional Officer Salaries By Area

The table below lists career information collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for correctional officers in Ohio. The table is sorted by total employment, with the largest metropolitan areas listed first.

AreaTotal EmploymentAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Columbus2,690$20.18$41,980
Cleveland, Elyria, Mentor2,140$20.06$41,720
Cincinnati, Middletown1,430$18.56$38,600
Youngstown, Warren, Boardman1,290$21.30$44,310
Toledo490$19.35$40,260
Dayton330$19.98$41,560
Lima300$21.52$44,760
Akron180$16.46$34,240