Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
SOC code 21-1092 · O*NET-SOC 21-1092.00 · Considerable preparation needed
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$66,270
a year
Hourly
$31.86
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$73,130
$35.16 per hour
Middle 50%
$54,250 – $84,780
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$46,840 – $107,790
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
89,390
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
- 10th percentile
- $46,840
- $22.52/hr
- 25th percentile
- $54,250
- $26.08/hr
- Median percentile
- $66,270
- $31.86/hr
- 75th percentile
- $84,780
- $40.76/hr
- 90th percentile
- $107,790
- $51.82/hr
Job outlook · federal projection 2024–34
+3%
Growing about as fast as average
92,300
jobs in 2024
94,800
projected for 2034
About 2,500 more jobs
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projections, 2024–34. Projections describe the broader occupation group and are estimates, not guarantees.
What do probation officers and correctional treatment specialists do?
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.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- 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.
How to qualify for this work
Most people in this role hold bachelor's degree — 88% of workers surveyed reported it as their level of education.
Preparation level: zone 4 — Considerable preparation needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Education reported by people doing this job
- Bachelor's Degree88%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree5%
- Master's Degree2%
- Post-Secondary Certificate2%
Common questions
How much does a probation officers and correctional treatment specialists earn?
The national median is $66,270 a year. The full range runs from $46,840 at the 10th percentile to $107,790 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a probation officers and correctional treatment specialists without a degree?
Not usually — this occupation sits in preparation zone 4, where the typical entry route is most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not. The education breakdown above shows what people in the role actually reported.
Is probation officers and correctional treatment specialists in demand?
Federal projections expect employment to grow by about 3% between 2024 and 2034 — growing about as fast as average. Openings also come from people retiring or changing jobs, which the growth figure does not count.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Active Listening4.0/5
- Speaking4.0/5
- Reading Comprehension3.9/5
- Critical Thinking3.9/5
- Writing3.8/5
- Monitoring3.8/5
- Active Learning3.4/5
Knowledge areas
- Law and Government4.4/5
- Public Safety and Security4.3/5
- English Language4.1/5
- Psychology4.1/5
- Therapy and Counseling4.0/5
- Sociology and Anthropology3.6/5
- Administrative3.4/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.2/5
Transferable strengths: Social Perceptiveness, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making.