Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists Salary: $64,520 Median Pay (2026 stats)
Executive Summary
About 86,820 probation officers and correctional treatment specialists work nationally, and $64,520 is the BLS national median annual wage. Projections imply about 2.9% annual growth; much hiring sits in federal, state, and local government, including state and local government schools and hospitals and the u.s. postal service (oews designation).
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists: what the data shows
Common questions about probation officers and correctional treatment specialists careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a probation officers and correctional treatment specialists?
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 21-1092.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 86,820 workers.
What does a probation officers and correctional treatment specialists do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Getting Information, Documenting/Recording Information, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards, Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a probation officers and correctional treatment specialists make?
BLS national median annual wage: $64,520 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $109,466 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $68,657 |
| 25th percentile | $87,279 |
| Median (50th) | $109,959 |
| 75th percentile | $127,493 |
| 90th percentile | $143,343 |
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Speaking, Social Perceptiveness, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Writing, and knowledge areas including Law and Government, Public Safety and Security, English Language, Psychology. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is probation officers and correctional treatment specialists in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 2.9% annual growth (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: 15.3%.
Ten-year projected employment change: 33.0%.
Current U.S. headcount: 86,820.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do probation officers and correctional treatment specialistss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 86,820 | 16.7% |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | 84,490 | 16.3% |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | 84,460 | 16.3% |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | 84,460 | 16.3% |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | 44,460 | 8.6% |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | 44,450 | 8.6% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | — | — |
| Correctional Officers and Jailers | 365,380 | $57,970 |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | — | — |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | 153,130 | $105,980 |
| Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators | 126,750 | $58,260 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists workforce.
Employment Over Time
86,820 U.S. workforce (OEWS)
California employment for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists grew from 29,540 in 2009 to 46,640 in 2025 (57.9%).
Historical employment for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists from the California OEWS series, 2009–2025. The U.S. workforce figure is national and is not the endpoint of this line.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$64,520 Median pay (BLS national)
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists earn $64,520 as the BLS national median annual wage.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists.
Salary distribution for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists.
Employment Growth Projections
2.9% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
53,795 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 15.3%
62,047 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 33.0%
This occupation is projected to grow at 2.9% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists.
Wage Trends by Industry
-0.4% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 12,950 employees, $106,570 avg wage
- TX: 7,490 employees, $54,510 avg wage
- NY: 4,420 employees, $79,580 avg wage
- FL: 4,360 employees, $52,470 avg wage
- PA: 4,240 employees, $67,970 avg wage
- NC: 3,160 employees, $58,150 avg wage
- OH: 3,150 employees, $62,050 avg wage
- NJ: 2,880 employees, $78,400 avg wage
- VA: 2,830 employees, $57,830 avg wage
- IL: 2,540 employees, $77,290 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 4,360 employees, $108,310 avg wage
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 3,520 employees, $80,550 avg wage
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: 1,850 employees, $72,880 avg wage
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 1,440 employees, $79,650 avg wage
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA: 1,270 employees, $112,890 avg wage
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 1,240 employees, $59,990 avg wage
- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI: 1,190 employees, $82,350 avg wage
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA: 1,160 employees, $100,410 avg wage
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL: 1,090 employees, $55,670 avg wage
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA: 1,020 employees, $57,540 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists.
Diversity
Demographic information on Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists in the US.
Gender and Age
The U.S. workforce for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists is about 86,820 people in our OEWS extract.
Gender and age distribution for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists in 2023 were Business, Social Sciences, General Studies.
Common majors for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists workers.
Education level distribution for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists.
Skills
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists need many skills, but most especially Speaking, Social Perceptiveness, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension.
Required skills for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists include Law and Government, Public Safety and Security, English Language, Psychology, Therapy and Counseling.
Knowledge areas required for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists include Oral Expression, Written Comprehension, Deductive Reasoning, Problem Sensitivity, Inductive Reasoning.
Required abilities for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists.
Daily Activities
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists spend their time on activities such as Getting Information, Documenting/Recording Information, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards, Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work.
Most important work activities for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists.
About
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists earn $64,520 as the BLS national median annual wage.
SOC Code
21-1092 - Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
Insights and Analysis
High earnings profile: Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists reports an average salary of $109,466, placing it among stronger-paying occupations.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 86,820 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 2.9%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.