TDCJ News
Legislative Updates: Pay Increases for All COs and Employees
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice received an unprecedented amount of funding during the 88th Legislative Session. This investment of funds will make a significant difference across the agency and help us fulfill our 2030 Vision.
Pay increases
Correctional Officer staffing continues to be the agency’s number one priority. In April 2022, state leadership approved a 15% pay increase for correctional officers. In this legislative session, lawmakers continued funding for the pay raise and approved a 10% cumulative pay raise for ALL TDCJ employees.
Two separate 5% base pay increases have been approved over the next two fiscal years. The first increase will be effective July 1, 2023. The second increase will be effective September 1, 2024.
Each increase will result in a minimum of a $3,000-dollar annual pay raise for all employees. This funding is for all correctional officers and staff in correctional facilities, parole offices and administrative offices across the state.
For correctional officers, this increase combined with the 15% pay increase last year, will result in a 25% pay raise over 30 months.
Full-Time Correctional Officer Salary, Effective July 1, 2023
| Title | Months of Service | *Non-Maximum Unit | **Maximum Security Unit | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | Monthly | Hourly (Estimate) |
Annual | Monthly | Hourly (Estimate) |
||
| CO II | 0-2 | $44,674 | $3,722.82 | $21.48 | $46,014 | $3,834.50 | $22.12 |
| CO II | 3-6 | $45,890 | $3,824.18 | $22.06 | $47,267 | $3,938.91 | $22.72 |
| CO III | 7-12 | $47,048 | $3,920.64 | $22.62 | $48,459 | $4,038.26 | $23.30 |
| CO IV | 13-24 | $48,323 | $4,026.91 | $23.23 | $49,773 | $4,147.72 | $23.93 |
| CO IV | 25-36 | $49,679 | $4,139.90 | $23.88 | $51,169 | $4,264.10 | $24.60 |
| CO IV | 37-72 | $51,035 | $4,252.89 | $24.54 | $52,566 | $4,380.48 | $25.27 |
| CO V | 73+ | $54,338 | $4,528.20 | $26.12 | $55,969 | $4,664.05 | $26.91 |
Part-Time Correctional Officer Salary, Effective July 1, 2023
| Title | Months of Service | *Non-Maximum Unit | **Maximum Security Unit | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | Monthly | Hourly (Estimate) |
Annual | Monthly | Hourly (Estimate) |
||
| CO II | 0-2 | $22,337 | $1,861.41 | $21.48 | $23,007 | $1,917.25 | $22.12 |
| CO II | 3-6 | $22,945 | $1,912.09 | $22.06 | $23,633 | $1,969.45 | $22.72 |
| CO III | 7-12 | $23,524 | $1,960.32 | $22.62 | $24,230 | $2,019.13 | $23.30 |
| CO IV | 13+ | $24,162 | $2,013.46 | $23.23 | $24,886 | $2,073.86 | $23.93 |
Full-Time Correctional Officer Salary, Effective September 1, 2024
| Title | Months of Service | *Non-Maximum Unit | **Maximum Security Unit | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | Monthly | Hourly (Estimate) |
Annual | Monthly | Hourly (Estimate) |
||
| CO II | 0-2 | $47,674 | $3,972.82 | $22.92 | $49,104 | $4,092.00 | $23.61 |
| CO II | 3-6 | $48,890 | $4,074.18 | $23.50 | $50,357 | $4,196.41 | $24.21 |
| CO III | 7-12 | $50,048 | $4,170.64 | $24.06 | $51,549 | $4,295.76 | $24.78 |
| CO IV | 13-24 | $51,323 | $4,276.91 | $24.67 | $52,863 | $4,405.22 | $25.41 |
| CO IV | 25-36 | $52,679 | $4,389.90 | $25.33 | $54,259 | $4,521.60 | $26.09 |
| CO IV | 37-72 | $54,035 | $4,502.89 | $25.98 | $55,656 | $4,637.98 | $26.76 |
| CO V | 73+ | $57,338 | $4,778.20 | $27.57 | $59,059 | $4,921.55 | $28.39 |
Part-Time Correctional Officer Salary, Effective September 1, 2024
| Title | Months of Service | *Non-Maximum Unit | **Maximum Security Unit | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | Monthly | Hourly (Estimate) |
Annual | Monthly | Hourly (Estimate) |
||
| CO II | 0-2 | $23,837 | $1,986.41 | $22.92 | $24,552 | $2,046.00 | $23.61 |
| CO II | 3-6 | $24,445 | $2,037.09 | $23.50 | $25,178 | $2,098.20 | $24.21 |
| CO III | 7-12 | $25,024 | $2,085.32 | $24.06 | $25,775 | $2,147.88 | $24.78 |
| CO IV | 13+ | $25,662 | $2,138.46 | $24.67 | $26,431 | $2,202.61 | $25.41 |
Training Facility
This Legislative session also saw to the approval for the construction of new state-of-the-art facilities. One such facility will be a new training center located in Huntsville that will be used to train staff across the state. With this new complex, we can improve training and better equip staff to provide public safety.
Safety Enhancements
The legislature also provided funding for safety and security enhancements. With this investment, the TDCJ will purchase individual protective gear for our correctional officers to include body worn cameras for use in maximum security areas, as well as additional security and surveillance equipment for our facilities. These items will help the agency protect our correctional officers and our Texas communities.
These are only a few of the items approved during this historic session. All the items authorized by the legislature will bolster the agency’s ability to transform lives for a better Texas and protect the public of our great state.