Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
Job Zone 4 - Considerable preparation needed
Provide social services to assist in rehabilitation of law offenders in custody or on probation or parole. Make recommendations for actions involving formulation of rehabilitation plan and treatment of offender, including conditional release and education and employment stipulations.
Median pay: $66,270/yr (U.S. national, May 2025)
Typical range nationwide (10th–90th percentile). This is a population snapshot, not a personal prediction - actual pay varies by location, employer, and experience.
Job outlook: +2.6% projected growth, 2024–2034 — about as fast as average.
About 7,900 openings per year, on average, over the decade.
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS and Employment Projections.
• Prepare and maintain case folder for each assigned inmate or offender.
• Gather information about offenders' backgrounds by talking to offenders, their families and friends, and other people who have relevant information.
• Interview probationers and parolees regularly to evaluate their progress in accomplishing goals and maintaining the terms specified in their probation contracts and rehabilitation plans.
• Discuss with offenders how such issues as drug and alcohol abuse and anger management problems might have played roles in their criminal behavior.
• Supervise people on community-based sentences, such as electronically monitored home detention, and provide field supervision of probationers by conducting curfew checks or visits to home, work, or school.
• Investigate alleged parole violations, using interviews, surveillance, and search and seizure.
• Recommend remedial action or initiate court action in response to noncompliance with terms of probation or parole.
• Arrange for medical, mental health, or substance abuse treatment services according to individual needs or court orders.
What's the median pay for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists?
The median pay for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists is $66,270 per year, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What's the job outlook for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists?
Employment for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists is projected to change +2.6% from 2024 to 2034 - about as fast as average.
What education is typically required for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists?
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
How many job openings are there each year for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists?
About 7,900 openings per year, on average, over the decade.