Federal Bureau of Prisons Pay Raise 2025: Major 2026 Pay Raise News for Federal Law Enforcement

After a modest federal bureau of prisons pay raise in 2025 and the elimination of key retention incentives, correctional officers across the country will finally see a more meaningful change in 2026. On August 28, 2025, President Trump unveiled a sweeping set of pay changes that will directly impact federal law enforcement professionals including correctional officers at the Bureau of Prisons (BOP).

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This announcement is especially important for the BOP workforce, which has faced some of the steepest recruitment and retention challenges in the federal system. Chronic understaffing, mandatory overtime, and the loss of incentive pay left many officers frustrated in 2025. Now, the 2026 pay adjustment represents both financial relief and a recognition of their frontline service.

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Federal Bureau of Prisons Pay Raise 2025 vs. 2026

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The difference between the 2025 and 2026 raises is stark:

• 2025: Federal employees received only a 1.7% across-the-board pay increase. For Bureau of Prisons officers, this was overshadowed by the removal or reduction of retention incentives at dozens of institutions. These incentives, which once added up to 25% extra pay, were designed to attract officers to difficult postings. Their removal meant that many officers actually took home less pay in 2025 than in 2024, despite the official “raise.”
  
  
• 2026: By comparison, correctional officers will benefit from both a 1% base raise and a special 2.8% law enforcement adjustment, totalling an estimated 3.8% raise. Unlike temporary bonuses, this increase will be built into base pay, meaning it counts for retirement contributions, overtime calculations, and long-term earnings.
  
  

This shift shows a clear change in federal pay policy moving from temporary incentives toward more permanent, structural raises for frontline law enforcement.

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What’s Changing in 2026?

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The Alternative Pay Plan for 2026 outlines two key changes:

1. 1% Base Pay Raise – Every federal employee, regardless of role, will see this modest increase. While it lags behind inflation, it ensures a uniform baseline adjustment.
   
   
2. Law Enforcement Special Rate of 2.8% – This is where the most significant change comes in. BOP correctional officers, along with other frontline law enforcement roles, will receive this additional raise on top of the base increase, bringing the total adjustment to 3.8%.
   
   

Locality pay, however, will remain frozen at 2025 levels, which means that officers in high-cost areas like New York, Los Angeles, or Washington D.C. will not see extra relief from cost-of-living adjustments. Still, the inclusion of a law enforcement-specific increase represents a win for correctional officers who have long argued that their pay failed to reflect the risks and demands of their job.

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How Will the Special Law Enforcement Raise Work?

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The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is using its special salary rate authority to apply this adjustment. Here’s why this matters:

• Counts Toward Benefits: Unlike temporary incentives or hazard pay, the special rate counts toward retirement contributions, overtime pay, and pension calculations. Over the course of a career, this makes a significant financial difference.
  
  
• Addresses Retention: The BOP has struggled to maintain adequate staffing levels. By increasing base pay, the agency hopes to curb turnover and reduce the reliance on mandatory overtime, which has been a major source of burnout.
  
  
• Salary Caps: There are limits. For 2026, the federal salary cap is projected at $197,200. Officers at the very top pay grades may see smaller increases due to this ceiling, though most BOP correctional officers will benefit fully from the adjustment.
  
  

This structural change means correctional officers are less dependent on short-term pay incentives, which can be rescinded, and more secure in their long-term earnings.

You must read about - federal pay raise 2026

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Who Qualifies for the Special Rates?

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The additional law enforcement adjustment is not limited to the Bureau of Prisons. OPM is working with multiple agencies to determine which positions qualify. The current list includes:

• Bureau of Prisons Correctional Officers
  
  
• Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Agents and Officers
  
  
• Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agents and staff
  
  
• Secret Service agents and Uniformed Division officers
  
  
• FBI, DEA, ATF, and U.S. Marshals Service agents
  
  
• Federal Protective Service officers
  
  
• U.S. Park Police
  
  

For BOP officers specifically, this is a welcome shift. However, OPM has clarified that not all roles will automatically receive the full 3.8% raise, and some personnel may see adjustments depending on their grade and locality.

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Timeline: When Will BOP Officers See the Raise?

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Timing is critical for federal employees planning their finances. Here’s what we know:

• Late 2025: OPM will release the official special salary rate tables, showing exactly which positions and grades are included. These tables will break down pay by grade and step, allowing officers to calculate their new earnings.
  
  
• January 11, 2026: The new pay rates will go into effect, aligning with the first full pay period of the year. Correctional officers can expect the adjustment to show up in their first January paychecks.
  
  

This timeline ensures that the raises coincide with the standard annual increase, giving officers a clear starting point for 2026.

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Why the Bureau of Prisons Pay Raise Matters

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The 2026 raise is more than a financial adjustment it’s a recognition of the unique challenges BOP officers face. Federal prisons have been plagued by:

• Chronic staffing shortages, leading to dangerous working conditions.
  
  
• Mandatory overtime, forcing officers into exhausting schedules.
  
  
• High attrition rates, with many officers leaving for state or local jobs that offer more competitive compensation.
  
  

By providing a structural pay increase rather than short-term bonuses, the federal government is signalling that it takes these issues seriously. This is not just about competing with state and local agencies, but about ensuring the long-term stability of the federal corrections workforce.

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Additional Pay Flexibilities

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Even with the new raises, the BOP and other federal agencies still retain tools to boost compensation in high-need areas:

• Recruitment Incentives – Cash bonuses to attract new hires in understaffed facilities.
  
  
• Retention Incentives – Extra pay to keep experienced staff in critical roles.
  
  
• Relocation Incentives – Financial support for officers who transfer to facilities facing staffing crises.
  
  

These flexibilities can supplement the structural raise, particularly in rural areas or high-cost cities where staffing gaps remain.

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1. Are federal employees getting a pay raise in 2025?

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Yes federal employees did receive a pay raise in 2025.

• The across-the-board (base) increase was 1.7 %.
  
  
• In addition, there was an average 0.3 % locality adjustment in many localities, so the total effective increase in many areas was closer to 2.0 %.
  
  
• (However, note that for some agencies and roles, retention or incentive pay supplements were reduced or removed in 2025, which diluted the effective pay gain for affected employees.)
  
  

So while yes there was a raise for most federal employees in 2025 for some, changes to incentive pay meant their overall compensation did not increase as much as expected.

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2. What is the “19.5 pay raise”?

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The phrase “19.5 pay raise” most likely refers to a proposed 19.5 % increase for junior enlisted military personnel (in the U.S. armed forces) that appeared in discussions over the National Defense Authorization Act, not to federal civilian employees. 

Here’s what is known:

• The House version of a defense bill had proposed giving junior enlisted troops (E-1 through E-3) a 19.5 % pay raise (i.e. they would get the base raise plus an extra boost) to address pay disparity concerns.
  
  
• The Senate’s version diverged, proposing a more modest extra raise (e.g. 5.5 % total for those grades).
  
  
• So “19.5 pay raise” is not about BOP or standard federal employees it's about military pay proposals.
  
  

If you saw “19.5 pay raise” in another context (e.g. for law enforcement, corrections, etc.), tell me the source and I’ll help clarify.

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3. What is the 2026 federal pay raise?

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For 2026, the plan is:

• Base Raise: 1 % for most federal employees under the General Schedule and certain other pay systems.
  
  
• Locality Pay: Locality rates (which adjust pay based on geographic cost-of-living) will be frozen at their 2025 levels (i.e. no increase) for 2026
  
  
• Special Law Enforcement Rates: In addition, certain law enforcement and correctional officer positions (including BOP correctional officers) may receive an additional ~2.8 % pay increase via special salary rate authority, bringing their total raise to around 3.8 %.
  
  
  
  • These “special salary rates” are intended to address recruitment and retention challenges.
    
    
  • The special rates, when applied, count toward benefits like overtime and retirement.
    
    
  • However, those special rates are subject to a salary cap (Level IV of the Executive Schedule, projected ~ $197,200) under U.S. law.
    
    

So in short: 1 % base raise for most, no locality raise, and for qualifying law enforcement / corrections roles, an extra 2.8 % special rate (i.e. up to 3.8 % total) may apply.

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4. What is the hiring bonus / recruitment incentive for the Bureau of Prisons?

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The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) offers recruitment incentives / hiring bonuses to attract new correctional officers. The specifics depend on the location, pay grade, and timing. Some of the known figures:

• On the BOP’s jobs page, it advertises a $10,000 sign-on bonus for correctional officers (conditions apply) as part of their hiring package.
  
  
• In past recruitment campaigns, BOP offered a bonus equal to the greater of $10,000 or 25% of the initial base salary for new correctional officer hires during certain periods.
  
  
• In other cases, recruitment incentives of 10% of base pay have been offered in “hard-to-fill” locations.
  
  
• Note: These incentives may come with conditions (e.g. stay for a certain number of years, work at a specified facility).
  
  
• Also, in 2025, BOP reduced or eliminated many retention incentives (which are different from hiring bonuses) these can add 10% to 25% to base pay for existing employees.
  
  

So, the hiring bonus for new correctional officers at BOP is commonly $10,000 or a percentage (e.g. 25%) of base pay, whichever is higher, in selected facilities under specific recruitment programs.

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Disclaimer:

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The information provided is based on the latest official announcements and available data as of October 2025. Pay raise percentages, eligibility, and implementation details are subject to final approval and publication by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and other federal authorities. Special pay rates and salary adjustments may vary by position, grade, and geographic location and are subject to federal salary caps and applicable laws. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or employment advice. For personalized guidance, please consult an authorized federal employment or financial advisor.

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