Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist

Impact: Direct, Social

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.

What the day looks like

People interaction
Extensive
Team vs solo
Team
Client facing
Always
Impact visibility
High
Travel
Moderate
Schedule flexibility
Rigid
Remote work
On-site Only
Typical work hours
40-50 hours/week
Stress level
High

At a glance

Median salary
$66,270 annual
Entry-level
$53,016 annual
Senior
$79,524 annual
Growth by 2033
Average (3% to 4%)
Demand
Stable
Freelance potential
None
Salary growth potential
High
Typical student debt
$30,000 - $60,000

Skills you'll use

Hard skills

  • Court records databases
  • Microsoft Access
  • Microsoft Outlook

Soft skills

  • Active Listening
  • Speaking
  • Critical Thinking

Technical complexity: Moderate

How to get there

Minimum education
Bachelor’s degree
Licensing
Yes
Years to mid-career
4-7 years
Years to senior
8-12 years
Career switching
Moderate

Where this career leads

How people arrive here

    Where you can go from here

      Typical progression

      1. Senior Probation Officer, Supervisor, Administrator

      Future outlook

      Automation probability
      Low
      AI disruption risk
      Low
      Demand trend
      Stable

      How people feel about it

      Overall satisfaction
      3.4/10
      Meaning
      3.8/10
      Work-life balance
      2.8/10
      Prestige
      6.5/10
      Social perception
      Low

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