Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
Also called: Probation Officers
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.
Also called: Adult Probation and Parole Officer, Adult Probation Officer, Attendance Officer, Community Corrections Specialist, Community Supervision Officer, Correctional Case Manager
Median pay
$66,270
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$46,840 – $107,790
People employed
89,390
Holland code
SCE
Social · Conventional · Enterprising
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
- 2.Do you enjoy serving customers or the public?
- 3.Do you work well under tight deadlines?
- 4.Are you OK repeating the same tasks most of the day?
- 5.Do you want to stay at 40 hours a week or less?
The hard parts
- Dealing with conflict is part of the job
- Tight deadlines are common
- May deal with aggressive people
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (46 states with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists salary in every state →
What probation officers and correctional treatment specialists do
- 01Prepare and maintain case folder for each assigned inmate or offender.
- 02Gather information about offenders' backgrounds by talking to offenders, their families and friends, and other people who have relevant information.
- 03Interview probationers and parolees regularly to evaluate their progress in accomplishing goals and maintaining the terms specified in their probation contracts and rehabilitation plans.
- 04Discuss with offenders how such issues as drug and alcohol abuse and anger management problems might have played roles in their criminal behavior.
- 05Supervise 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.
- 06Investigate alleged parole violations, using interviews, surveillance, and search and seizure.
Skills that matter most
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Monitoring
- Writing
Knowledge
- Law and Government
- Public Safety and Security
- English Language
- Psychology
- Therapy and Counseling
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Social Orientation
- Self-Control
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a bachelor's degree (O*NET Job Zone 4).
- Related work experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years.
- On-the-job training: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from probation officers and correctional treatment specialists
- First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers83% · +18%
- Social and Community Service Managers81% · +21%
- Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers78% · group pay
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School76% · +12%
- Compliance Officers76% · +22%
Change into probation officers and correctional treatment specialists
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers78% · $80,730
- First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers78% · $77,970
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School76% · $74,260
- Residential Advisors74% · $42,240
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term74% · $41,670
Majors that lead here
- Social Work
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.