<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0508</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2025-09-08</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000923796</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>GEO GROUP INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>GEO</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001012998</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ZOLEY GEORGE C</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>4955 TECHNOLOGY WAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BOCA RATON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>FL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>33431</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>true</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>true</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>false</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>false</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Executive Chairman</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <aff10b5One>false</aff10b5One>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2025-09-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>31176</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>20.5076</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3913256</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2025-09-09</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>31176</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>20.522</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3882080</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2025-09-10</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>31176</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>21.5207</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3850904</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>50000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">These transactions were entered into by the reporting person in connection with pre-arranged estate planning that is expected to result in a series of pre-planned transactions beginning on September 4, 2025 and involving a total of 155,881 shares held by the reporting person. With these transactions, 155,881 shares have been sold since September 4, 2025, out of the total of 155,881 shares contemplated under the reporting person's pre-arranged estate planning.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The sale price reported is the weighted average sale price for the number of shares of common stock sold. These shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $20.36 to $20.69, inclusive. Full information reporting the number of shares sold at each separate price will be supplied upon request by Securities and Exchange Commission Staff, the Issuer or a security holder of the Issuer.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The sale price reported is the weighted average sale price for the number of shares of common stock sold. These shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $20.37 to $20.64, inclusive. Full information reporting the number of shares sold at each separate price will be supplied upon request by Securities and Exchange Commission Staff, the Issuer or a security holder of the Issuer.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The sale price reported is the weighted average sale price for the number of shares of common stock sold. These shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $21.38 to $21.80, inclusive. Full information reporting the number of shares sold at each separate price will be supplied upon request by Securities and Exchange Commission Staff, the Issuer or a security holder of the Issuer.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Joe Negron, as Attorney-in-Fact for George C. Zoley</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2025-09-10</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
