Who works at Rockview state prison? Here’s a look at staffing and salary data
Public records detailing staffing and the salaries of hundreds of Rockview state prison and Quehanna Boot Camp workers offer a glimpse into the inner workings of the facilities as their proposed closure looms.
Decades of service are common among the more than 900 people employed or contracted there, an analysis of records obtained through Pennsylvania’s open records law found.
One maintenance manager at Rockview has been employed by the state Department of Corrections since 1991, besting a pair of corrections officers who have patrolled the prison’s cell blocks since 1993.
Some, meanwhile, are seemingly just getting started in their careers with the DOC. Two workers were hired Feb. 10, the same day Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration publicly announced its recommendation to close the facilities.
If the facilities close, the state Department of Corrections has said every affected staff member will be guaranteed a job offer at their existing pay and classification.
Put together, those who work at Rockview or Quehanna annually pull in nearly $64.7 million in base salary. Fifty-three people are paid six figures, including some administrators, corrections officers and registered nurse supervisors.
The top earner — the dentist at Quehanna — earns more than $195,000. The median salary across all positions is about $72,500.
The DOC denied the Centre Daily Times’ request for county of residence for each employee, citing the personal security exemptions in the state’s open records law. A Centre County spokesperson said the CDT would have to submit a Right-to-Know request to see if the county has any such records available.
Below, we’ve broken out the type of job and information about each. Note that this data only includes Rockview.
Administration
Number of positions: 16
Median salary: $50,866
Average tenure based on most recent hire date: Ten years, four months
Those listed by the DOC as working in administration have some of the greatest salary disparities, ranging from about $35,000 for clerical assistants to $170,000 for the prison’s superintendent.
Corrections officers
Number of positions: 423
Median salary: $73,859
Average tenure based on most recent hire date: Ten years, three months
Comprised of corrections officers and their managers, security jobs make up about two-thirds of all positions at Rockview.
Treatment, inmate and food services
Number of positions: 90
Average salary: $66,932
Average tenure based on most recent hire date: Seven years
Roles include counselors, treatment specialists, psychological services specialists and social workers.
Medical
Number of positions: 69
Average salary: $70,666
Average tenure based on most recent hire date: Six years, 10 months
Most who work in this area of the prison were employed after the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
Maintenance
Number of positions: 52
Average salary: $76,508
Average tenure based on most recent hire date: Eleven years, five months
This unit includes everything from carpentry and electronics to a locksmith and plumbing. It’s also home to the longest tenured DOC employee at Rockview.
This story was originally published March 20, 2025 at 1:16 PM.