Prison service officers (below principal officer): average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time prison service officers (below principal officer) in the UK earned a median £41,287 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): £2,248 above the all-jobs median of £39,039.
What the figures show
That ranks 123rd of 382 occupations on this measure.
Median full-time pay: women £30,588 a year, men £45,139 a year.
ASHE counts roughly 10,000 employee jobs, 80% full-time.
Since 2021 the median has risen 28.3% (from £32,188), faster than the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 38,500 people in this line of work across the UK.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20th percentile | – | £597.40 | £15.41 | £23,037* | £438.70 | £15.10 |
| 25th percentile | – | £613.80 | £16.57* | £25,714* | £516.50 | £16.34 |
| 30th percentile | £31,090* | £623.60 | £17.52* | £26,878* | £527.10* | £17.33 |
| 40th percentile | £37,600* | £721.20 | £19.85 | £29,779* | £598.00* | £19.82 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £41,287* | £754.10 | £21.01 | £31,603* | £660.60 | £21.00 |
| 60th percentile | £45,219* | £782.90* | £22.37* | £40,850* | £733.70* | £22.37 |
| 70th percentile | – | £897.40* | £24.63* | £45,199* | £782.90* | £24.06 |
| 75th percentile | – | – | – | – | – | £24.98* |
| Mean | £41,305 | £811.60 | £21.37 | £36,388 | £706.20 | £21.18 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £32,188 | £605.70 | £15.25 | £29,734 | £574.30 | 25* |
| 2022 revised | £30,972 | £625.00 | £14.98 | £30,027 | £593.00 | 18* |
| 2023 revised | £29,972* | £636.90 | £15.19 | £29,772* | £615.00 | 9* |
| 2024 revised | £38,799 | £663.00 | £17.03 | £36,710 | £650.00 | 18* |
| 2025 provisional | £41,287* | £754.10 | £21.01 | £31,603* | £660.60 | 10* |
Prison service officers (below principal officer) by region
UK: 38,500 (± 7,600), April 2025 to March 2026.
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What prison service officers (below principal officer) do
Prison service officers (below principal officer) direct, co-ordinate and participate in guarding inmates and maintaining discipline in prisons and other detention centres. (ONS SOC 2020, 3314)
Also covers: custodial manager, prison custodial officer, prison escort officer, prison officer, prison warden, auxiliary officer, borstal officer, discipline officer, prison auxiliary, discipline officer (borstal), operational support grade, prison custody officer, prison custody supervisor, prisoner custody officer and operational support grade officer.
- Escorts prisoners to and from cells and supervises them during meals, recreation and visiting periods
- Watches for any infringements of regulations and searches prisoners and cells for weapons, drugs and other contraband items
- Guards entrances and perimeter walls
- Investigates disturbances or any other unusual occurrences
- Escorts prisoners transferred from one institution to another
- Runs prisoner rehabilitation and support programmes
There are no formal academic requirements for entry, but candidates must pass a pre-entry test and full medical examination. Basic training is followed by a 12 month probationary period during which further on-the-job training is provided. Background checks are required for entrants, and there are generally nationality restrictions and a lower age limit of 18 years.
Related
Protective service occupations · Fire service officers (watch manager and below) · Police officers (sergeant and below) · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026