New York City vs New York State Correction Officer — Which Are You Sitting?

The city examination

New York City runs its own Correction Officer examination through the Department of Citywide Administrative Services. It is computer-based, multiple choice, covers eleven cognitive abilities, and needs 70% to pass. Your score sets your place on a ranked eligible list.

The state process has no written test

New York State scores its Correction Officer Trainee title from an online questionnaire. The Department of Civil Service states that candidates answer questions about their education, certification, licensure and experience, and that the information provided serves as the test for these titles.

There is therefore nothing to study for it. If you are applying to the state rather than the city, no amount of practice questions changes your score — the answer is to make sure the questionnaire records your qualifications accurately.

Which one applies to you

Preparation sold for the state correction title is preparation for an examination that does not exist in written form. That is worth knowing before anybody spends money on it, including here.

• Applying to the New York City Department of Correction — the city examination, and this product prepares it.
• Applying to a New York State facility — the state questionnaire, and there is no written test to prepare.
• Applying to the NYPD — a third examination again, measuring nine abilities rather than eleven.

Related guides

• The NYC Correction Officer Exam Format
• The Math on the NYC Correction Officer Exam
• NYC Correction Officer Reasoning and Ordering Questions