Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Community and Social Service · SOC 21-1092 · O*NET 21-1092.00
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.
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists fall under the Community and Social Service category in the U.S. occupational classification. Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists earn a median salary of $64,520 per year, ranking in the top 40% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +2.6% job growth through 2034, projected to grow slower than the US average. Entry into this field typically requires a bachelor's degree, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do probation officers and correctional treatment specialists earn?
The median annual wage for probation officers and correctional treatment specialists is $64,520. That puts probation officers and correctional treatment specialists at #322 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is above the U.S. median for individual workers and reflects a stable, credentialed occupation. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
| 10th percentile (entry-level) | $45,390 |
| 25th percentile | $52,580 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $64,520 |
| 75th percentile | $84,030 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $106,290 |
| Median hourly wage | $31.02/hr |
Is probation officers and correctional treatment specialists a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for probation officers and correctional treatment specialists is +2.6%, projected to grow slower than the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 92K positions in 2024 to 94K in 2034, a net change of 2K. Flat growth typically reflects a mature, stable field. Most openings will come from retirements rather than new positions, which can favor candidates with strong networks and willingness to relocate.
What do probation officers and correctional treatment specialists do every day?
According to O*NET task surveys of working probation officers and correctional treatment specialists, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.
- 1.Prepare and maintain case folder for each assigned inmate or offender.
- 2.Gather information about offenders' backgrounds by talking to offenders, their families and friends, and other people who have relevant information.
- 3.Interview probationers and parolees regularly to evaluate their progress in accomplishing goals and maintaining the terms specified in their probation contracts and rehabilitation plans.
- 4.Discuss with offenders how such issues as drug and alcohol abuse and anger management problems might have played roles in their criminal behavior.
- 5.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.
- 6.Investigate alleged parole violations, using interviews, surveillance, and search and seizure.
- 7.Recommend remedial action or initiate court action in response to noncompliance with terms of probation or parole.
- 8.Arrange for medical, mental health, or substance abuse treatment services according to individual needs or court orders.
Top skills for probation officers and correctional treatment specialists
O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.
What education does my child need to become probation officers and correctional treatment specialist?
The standard path into probation officers and correctional treatment specialists begins with a bachelor's degree in a related field, followed by entry-level experience or internships during college. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Based on O*NET surveys of incumbents — what people in this job actually have, not what employers list as required.
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about probation officers and correctional treatment specialists
What is the median salary for probation officers and correctional treatment specialists?
The median annual salary for probation officers and correctional treatment specialists is $64,520 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is probation officers and correctional treatment specialists a growing career?
BLS projects +2.6% growth for probation officers and correctional treatment specialists from 2024 through 2034, which is flat growth projected to grow slower than the US average.
What education does my child need to become probation officers and correctional treatment specialist?
The typical entry path requires a bachelor's degree, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to probation officers and correctional treatment specialists?
Related occupations within the Community and Social Service category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 release.