You get a masters degree after you get a job in your chosen field, otherwise, you may price yourself out of the market. Employers who require degrees can hire entry level employees with a bachelors for less money, if they pay a bonus for higher degrees. airbob61@verizon.net Â· 8 years ago.
As of 2011, the highest-paying state for corrections officers was New Jersey, where the average salary was $69,840 a year. California ranked second at $66,540, followed by Massachusetts at $57,450, New York at $56,900 and Alaska at $55,380.
The next highest salary is found at the state level with an average of $44,180; state governments are also the largest employers, with 236,890 correctional officers working in state departments of corrections.he following states paid the highest average annual salaries for correctional officers in 2011: 1  New Jersey â $69,310. 2  California â $66,930. 3  New York â $61,140. 4  Massachusetts â $60,700.