Federal Prison Salary

• According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, salaries for registered nurses working in a federal prison start at the GS-9 level, or $41,563, as of June 2011. With at least two years of masters-level education, or a year of specialized experience equivalent to a GS-7 level, the salary for a correctional nurse progresses to a GS-10 level or $45,771 a year.
  
  

Local Prison Salary

• California Prison Health Care Services lists the salary for correctional nurses at adult and juvenile detention centers as $7,285 to $8,431 a month, except for registered nurses at San Quentin State Prison and Salinas Valley State Prison who earn between $8,030 and $9,296 per month. According to the New York State Department of Corrections, registered nurses can earn up to $74,000 a year depending on experience, shift and facility location.
  
  

Salary by Facility Level

• Sometimes the salary of a correctional nurse increases according to the type of facility she works at. The South Carolina Department of Corrections offers registered nurses who work at Level I facilities $42,973 a year. Those who work in a moderate security Level II prison earn a 2 percent incentive on top of that base salary. Correctional nurses in Level III facilities, with more violent offenders, earn a 3 percent salary incentive.
  
  

Benefits

• Besides the financial compensation, facilities may also provide benefits packages to their correctional nurses. The North Carolina Department of Corrections offers a disability income plan, supplemental retirement benefits, at least 94 annual leave hours a year, 12 sick days a year, health insurance, tuition assistance and shift premium pay.