1. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
What is a Parole Officer?
The average parole officer salary is $45,474. The most common degree is a bachelor's degree degree with an criminal justice major. It usually takes 1-2 years of experience to become a parole officer. Parole officers with a Microsoft Office Specialist: Expert (Office 365 and Office 2019) certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 3% and produce 3,000 job opportunities across the U.S.
What Does a Parole Officer Do
There are certain skills that many parole officers have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed communication skills, emotional stability and organizational skills.
How To Become a Parole Officer
If you're interested in becoming a parole officer, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 75.3% of parole officers have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 14.5% of parole officers have master's degrees. Even though most parole officers have a college degree, it's impossible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Parole Officer Career Paths
In addition to switching up your job search, it might prove helpful to look at a career path for your specific job. Now, what's a career path you ask? Well, it's practically a map that shows how you might advance from one job title to another. Our career paths are especially detailed with salary changes. So, for example, if you started out with the role of security officer you might progress to a role such as technician eventually. Later on in your career, you could end up with the title case manager.
Parole Officer
Case Manager
5 Years
Senior Social Worker
6 Years
Project Director
8 Years
Director Of Social Services
6 Years
Patient Care Manager
5 Years
Clinical Director
9 Years
Show More
Average Salary for a Parole Officer
Parole Officers in America make an average salary of $45,474 per year or $22 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $66,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $31,000 per year.
Average Parole Officer Salary
$45,474 Yearly$21.86 hourly
What Am I Worth?
Roles and Types of Parole Officer
There are several types of parole officer, including:
Probation Officer
Role:
A Probation officer lives a fascinating life. Probation officers meet with criminals during their probation period to keep an eye on their behavior. They work with the criminals to prevent them from committing any new crime.
The role of a probation officer is to make sure the criminal fulfills every probationary demand. In case of any violation, they immediately report it to the local court. Before sentencing the offender, they carry out an investigation into the offender's criminal and personal history. They are bound to carry through with anything that courts assign to them.
To become a successful probation officer, you need a minimum associate's degree in criminal justice. But you require a bachelor's degree to work with more extensive and in-demand agencies. With pay of $20.05 per hour, you can work 40 hours every week, but might spend additional time meeting deadlines and doing investigations.
- Average Salary: $47,252
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
Juvenile Probation Officer
Role:
Juvenile probation officers manage and supervise the cases of youth offenders who are either under parole or probation. Their main duties revolve around monitoring the activities of their assigned cases to ensure that they don't commit any more offenses. Usually, this entails them visiting the youth's homes or even accompanying them to school. Furthermore, a juvenile probation officer conducts interviews, recommends rehabilitation or reformative plants for the offender, and coordinates with other parties such as schools, social services, and law enforcement agencies.
To meet their goal in turning youth offenders' lives around, however, a juvenile probation officer must also serve as a positive role model and provide counseling services to help youngsters overcome their issues. To become a juvenile probation officer, you must have a degree in criminal justice, psychology, social work, or something similar. You may also be required to have certification as a juvenile probation officer, which means you have undergone training to counsel troubled youth.
As a juvenile probation officer, you can earn an average of $48,000 per year. However, don't expect this job to be easy - be prepared for a lot of resistance, negative attitudes, and wrongful acts. Nevertheless, you can help youth offenders change their lives by doing your duties well.
- Average Salary: $46,765
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
Probation And Parole Officer
Role:
A probation and parole officer is a government-appointed official that is responsible for overseeing convicted offenders on probation. Some offenders are released from prison on probation after they've served only a part of their sentences. The aim of this is to guide offenders back into living as law-abiding citizens in society while also reducing the possibility that they will commit another offense.
Therefore, the probation and parole officer checks in with the assigned offender from time to time. They will ensure that this person adheres to the conditions of their probation or parole.
Since a parole officer's role can include working closely with violent offenders, it can be a dangerous job. They sometimes have to visit these offenders at home to carry out inspections. That is why not everyone is fit for this role. You must have a degree in psychology, criminal justice, or corrections to be a probation and payroll officer.
- Average Salary: $46,271
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
States With The Most Parole Officer Jobs
Mouse over a state to see the number of active parole officer jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where parole officers earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average Salary: Job Openings:
Number Of Parole Officer Jobs By State
| Rank | State | Number of Jobs | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 1,646 | $46,000 |
| 2 | New York | 1,560 | $57,808 |
| 3 | Illinois | 1,371 | $47,825 |
| 4 | Virginia | 1,212 | $43,117 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 1,167 | $58,025 |
| 6 | Georgia | 1,157 | $33,691 |
| 7 | North Carolina | 1,111 | $40,697 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | 1,047 | $41,939 |
| 9 | New Jersey | 1,013 | $55,827 |
| 10 | Minnesota | 969 | $51,143 |
| 11 | Ohio | 877 | $43,589 |
| 12 | Arizona | 777 | $53,177 |
| 13 | Maryland | 753 | $49,120 |
| 14 | Michigan | 728 | $46,821 |
| 15 | Colorado | 693 | $46,899 |
| 16 | Washington | 679 | $51,512 |
| 17 | Indiana | 659 | $35,307 |
| 18 | Missouri | 567 | $31,107 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | 562 | $35,857 |
| 20 | Tennessee | 498 | $41,223 |
| 21 | Alabama | 461 | $47,421 |
| 22 | South Carolina | 400 | $38,451 |
| 23 | Iowa | 391 | $50,978 |
| 24 | Oregon | 355 | $59,035 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | 318 | $41,524 |
| 26 | Kentucky | 315 | $40,154 |
| 27 | Nevada | 314 | $63,853 |
| 28 | Louisiana | 313 | $51,631 |
| 29 | Idaho | 311 | $46,603 |
| 30 | Connecticut | 305 | $59,364 |
| 31 | Mississippi | 279 | $60,393 |
| 32 | Kansas | 259 | $49,144 |
| 33 | Arkansas | 252 | $35,350 |
| 34 | Nebraska | 241 | $39,686 |
| 35 | New Mexico | 222 | $48,612 |
| 36 | New Hampshire | 182 | $56,422 |
| 37 | Rhode Island | 146 | $59,016 |
| 38 | Maine | 143 | $48,034 |
| 39 | West Virginia | 143 | $42,233 |
| 40 | North Dakota | 125 | $54,020 |
| 41 | Florida | 118 | $41,543 |
| 42 | South Dakota | 99 | $40,106 |
| 43 | Vermont | 82 | $53,987 |
| 44 | California | 29 | $64,567 |
| 45 | Alaska | 2 | $62,126 |
| 46 | Utah | 1 | $59,897 |
| 47 | Delaware | 0 | $59,289 |
| 48 | Wyoming | 0 | $47,493 |
| 49 | Hawaii | 0 | $41,455 |
| 50 | Montana | 0 | $35,981 |
Top Colleges for Parole Officers
2. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
3. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-State Tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
4. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,410
Enrollment
31,321
5. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-State Tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
6. SUNY at Albany
Albany, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$10,011
Enrollment
13,434
7. San Jose State University
San Jose, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,796
Enrollment
27,125
8. Coppin State University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-State Tuition
$8,873
Enrollment
2,326
9. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-State Tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
10. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-State Tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
Top Skills For a Parole Officer
The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 15.3% of parole officers listed sex offenders on their resume, but soft skills such as communication skills and emotional stability are important as well.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Parole Officer Resume templates
Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Parole Officer templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Parole Officer resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Parole Officer diversity
Parole Officer Gender Distribution
Female
52%
Male
49%
After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- Among parole officers, 51.5% of them are women, while 48.5% are men.
- The most common race/ethnicity among parole officers is White, which makes up 60.7% of all parole officers.
- The most common foreign language among parole officers is Spanish at 84.8%.
Online Courses For Parole Officer That You May Like
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Best States For a Parole Officer
Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a parole officer. The best states for people in this position are California, Nevada, Alaska, and Mississippi. Parole officers make the most in California with an average salary of $64,567. Whereas in Nevada and Alaska, they would average $63,853 and $62,126, respectively. While parole officers would only make an average of $60,393 in Mississippi, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.
1. Nevada
Total Parole Officer Jobs: 314
Highest 10% Earn:
$94,000
Location Quotient:
1.73
$63,853
Avg. Salary
2. Mississippi
Total Parole Officer Jobs: 279
Highest 10% Earn:
$89,000
Location Quotient:
1.51
$60,393
Avg. Salary
3. Rhode Island
Total Parole Officer Jobs: 146
Highest 10% Earn:
$91,000
Location Quotient:
1.38
$59,016
Avg. Salary
How Do Parole Officers Rate Their Jobs?
Top Parole Officer Employers
Most Common Employers For Parole Officer
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gulf Coast Trade Center | $54,374 | $26.14 | 6 |
| 2 | New York State Technology Enterprise | $53,812 | $25.87 | 5 |
| 3 | Michigan Corrections Organization | $53,376 | $25.66 | 3 |
| 4 | Natural Resources Conservation | $53,111 | $25.53 | 16 |
| 5 | Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Authority | $52,225 | $25.11 | 3 |
| 6 | State of Connecticut | $50,339 | $24.20 | 10 |
| 7 | Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development | $45,982 | $22.11 | 4 |
| 8 | Texas Department of Transportation | $45,815 | $22.03 | 61 |
| 9 | State of West Virginia | $45,740 | $21.99 | 3 |
| 10 | NC Department of Insurance | $44,788 | $21.53 | 2 |
Parole Officer Videos
Police Jobs : Being a Probation Officer
A Career as a Corrections Probation Officer and Community Work Supervisor (JTJS62011)
Becoming a Parole Officer FAQs
Parole Officer Vs. Probation Officer
A parole officer supervises individuals who have been convicted of a crime and have served time in prison and who have been granted parole before the end of their actual sentence, while a probation officer supervises individuals who have been convicted of a crime but were sentenced to probation rather than jail time.
Have more questions? See all answers to common community and social services questions.