How to become a Probation Officer or Correctional Treatment Specialist

Official title: Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists

Also called: Adult Probation Officer, Correctional Counselor, Deputy Probation Officer (DPO), Juvenile Probation Officer, Parole Agent, Parole Officer (PO), Probation Agent, Probation and Parole Officer, Probation Counselor, Probation Officer

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.

Main tasks

• 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 become one

Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists typically need a bachelor's degree. In addition, candidates may be required to pass oral, written, and psychological exams.

Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

• College: Social Work & Community degrees, Offered by 11 universities in the US
• Licence: A licence is required in 10 states.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $66,270 a year The middle half earn $54,250 to $84,780.
• About 93,700 people work in this job now, and about 96,500 are projected by 2035. (+3%)
• People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.

Related jobs

• Health Education Specialists
• Social and Human Service Assistants
• Community Health Workers

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Probation Officer or Correctional Treatment Specialist?

Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists typically need a bachelor's degree. In addition, candidates may be required to pass oral, written, and psychological exams.

How much does a Probation Officer or Correctional Treatment Specialist earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $66,270 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $54,250 to $84,780.

Is a Probation Officer or Correctional Treatment Specialist a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 3% by 2035, from about 93,700 to about 96,500 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Probation Officer or Correctional Treatment Specialist?

Usually. 81% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Probation Officer or Correctional Treatment Specialist?

People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.