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Probation and parole officer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a probation and parole officer. Probation and parole officers usually study criminal justice, psychology, or sociology. 76% of probation and parole officers hold a bachelor's degree, and 13% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 2,666 real probation and parole officer resumes to see exactly what probation and parole officer education sections show.
The most common colleges for probation and parole officers are the University of Central Missouri and the University of Central Missouri.
There are also many online probation and parole officer courses to help get the education required to be a probation and parole officer.
What education do you need to become a probation and parole officer?
What degree do you need to be a probation and parole officer?
- Bachelor's, 76%
- Master's, 13%
- Associate, 9%
- High School Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become a probation and parole officer?
- Criminal Justice, 54%
- Psychology, 9%
- Sociology, 6%
- Business, 4%
- Other Majors, 27%
Most common colleges for probation and parole officers
| Probation and parole officer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Central Missouri | 6.99% |
| University of Phoenix | 6.99% |
| North Carolina Central University | 6.99% |
| Southeast Missouri State University | 5.91% |
| Fayetteville State University | 5.65% |
Best majors for probation and parole officers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Criminal Justice | 53.9% |
| 2 | Psychology | 9.1% |
| 3 | Sociology | 6.5% |
| 4 | Business | 4.3% |
| 5 | Social Work | 4.1% |
Best colleges for probation and parole officers
The best colleges for probation and parole officers are Washington University in St Louis, Boston College, and Boston University.
A probation and parole officer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for probation and parole officers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become probation and parole officers.
1. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
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
20 best online courses for probation and parole officers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for probation and parole officers
The most affordable schools for probation and parole officers are California State University - Long Beach, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for probation and parole officers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for probation and parole officers.
1. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
2. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
7. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
8. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
9. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
10. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for probation and parole officers
The hardest universities for probation and parole officers to get into are Washington University in St Louis, Boston College, and Boston University.
Some great schools for probation and parole officers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for probation and parole officers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
2. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
3. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
4. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
5. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
Admissions rate
40%
SAT average
1,376
6. University of Chicago
Chicago, IL • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,520
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
8. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
Admissions rate
49%
SAT average
1,347
9. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,434
10. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for probation and parole officers
The easiest schools for probation and parole officers to get into are Nyack College, kean university, and bluefield college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a probation and parole officer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for probation and parole officers.
1. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
2. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
3. Bluefield College
Bluefield, VA • Private
Admissions rate
95%
SAT average
980
4. The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,046
5. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
6. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
7. University of Houston - Downtown
Houston, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,012
8. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
9. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
10. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
Average probation and parole officer salary by education level
| Probation and parole officer education level | Probation and parole officer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $51,822 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $47,100 |
Probation and parole officer education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025