Probation officer demographics and statistics in the US
Probation officer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates probation officer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our probation officer estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about probation officers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 55,949 probation officers currently employed in the United States.
- 54.6% of all probation officers are women, while 45.4% are men.
- The average probation officer age is 43 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of probation officers is White (63.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (16.7%), Black or African American (14.3%) and Unknown (2.6%).
- Probation officers are most in-demand in Omaha, NE.
- San Jose, CA pays an annual average wage of $62,491, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women probation officers earned 95% of what men earned.
- Nevada is the best state for probation officers to live.
- Probation officers are 74% more likely to work at government companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Probation officer demographics by:
Probation officer gender statistics
54.6% of probation officers are women and 45.4% of probation officers are men.
- Female, 54.6%
- Male, 45.4%
Probation officer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 54.6% |
| Male | 45.4% |
Probation officer gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$47,203
Female income
$44,972
Probation officer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in probation officer positions over time. Currently, 54.6% of probation officers are female.
Probation officer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 47.45% | 52.55% |
| 2011 | 46.43% | 53.57% |
| 2012 | 48.05% | 51.95% |
| 2013 | 46.38% | 53.62% |
| 2014 | 46.57% | 53.43% |
| 2015 | 49.07% | 50.93% |
| 2016 | 47.76% | 52.24% |
| 2017 | 45.38% | 54.62% |
| 2018 | 46.96% | 53.04% |
| 2019 | 42.36% | 57.64% |
| 2020 | 44.26% | 55.74% |
| 2021 | 45.42% | 54.58% |
Probation officer related jobs gender ratio
We compared probation officers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, public health worker and rehabilitation engineer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Breastfeeding Educator | 2% | 98% |
| Certified Lactation Counselor | 3% | 97% |
| Lactation Specialist | 5% | 95% |
| Probation Officer | 45% | 55% |
| Donation Worker | 70% | 30% |
| Rehabilitation Engineer | 70% | 30% |
| Public Health Worker | 81% | 19% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Probation officer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among probation officers is White, which makes up 63.3% of all probation officers. Comparatively, 16.7% of probation officers are Hispanic or Latino and 14.3% of probation officers are Black or African American.
- White, 63.3%
- Hispanic or Latino, 16.7%
- Black or African American, 14.3%
- Unknown, 2.6%
- Asian, 2.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
Probation officer race
| Probation officer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 63.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 16.7% |
| Black or African American | 14.3% |
| Unknown | 2.6% |
| Asian | 2.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.9% |
Probation officer race and ethnicity over time
See how probation officer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Probation officer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 64.23% | 18.82% | 1.92% | 12.01% |
| 2011 | 60.69% | 22.66% | 1.75% | 12.19% |
| 2012 | 65.45% | 18.95% | 1.81% | 10.97% |
| 2013 | 62.69% | 19.48% | 1.71% | 13.51% |
| 2014 | 62.81% | 16.94% | 1.76% | 15.08% |
| 2015 | 62.32% | 18.56% | 2.23% | 12.88% |
| 2016 | 62.11% | 19.31% | 2.42% | 13.33% |
| 2017 | 62.22% | 17.93% | 2.55% | 13.92% |
| 2018 | 59.96% | 18.92% | 2.25% | 15.93% |
| 2019 | 63.04% | 17.60% | 2.74% | 13.41% |
| 2020 | 62.43% | 16.78% | 3.10% | 12.22% |
| 2021 | 63.28% | 14.31% | 2.20% | 16.71% |
Probation officer wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino probation officers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american probation officers have the lowest average salary at $44,418.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $47,044 |
| White | $47,607 |
| Black or African American | $44,418 |
| Asian | $47,199 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $49,911 |
Average probation officer age
See how the average age of probation officers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Probation officer age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 48 | |
| White | 44 | 44 |
| Black or African American | 50.5 | 43 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 46 | 40 |
Probation officer age breakdown
The average age of probation officers is 40+ years years old, representing 67% of the probation officer population.
Probation officer age breakdown
| Probation Officer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 67% |
| 30-40 years | 27% |
| 20-30 years | 6% |
Probation officer educational attainment
The most common degree for probation officers is bachelor's degree, with 73% of probation officers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 13% and master's degree degree at 10%.
- Bachelor's, 73%
- Master's, 13%
- Associate, 10%
- High School Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 3%
Probation officers by degree level
| Probation officer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 73% |
| Master's | 13% |
| Associate | 10% |
| High School Diploma | 1% |
| Other Degrees | 3% |
Probation officer jobs you might like
Probation officer wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $52,662 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $48,062 |
Probation officer employment statistics
Most probation officers work for a government in the government industry.
Company size where probation officers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where probation officers work.
Probation officer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 25% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 37% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 5% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 21% |
| > 10,000 employees | 6% |
Probation officer jobs by company type
Employees with the probation officer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most probation officers prefer to work at government companies over private companies.
Probation officer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 4% |
| Public | 2% |
| Private | 20% |
| Government | 74% |
Probation officer jobs by industry
The most common industries for probation officers are government, non profits and professional.
Probation officer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 73% |
| Non Profits | 6% |
| Professional | 5% |
| Education | 4% |
| Health Care | 4% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
Probation officer turnover and employment statistics
Probation officer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for probation officers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Probation officer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Probation officer unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2.19% |
| 2011 | 2.72% |
| 2012 | 1.96% |
| 2013 | 2.02% |
| 2014 | 1.44% |
| 2015 | 1.36% |
| 2016 | 0.93% |
| 2017 | 0.82% |
| 2018 | 1.78% |
| 2019 | 1.33% |
| 2020 | 0.72% |
| 2021 | 0.69% |
Average probation officer tenure
The average probation officer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 7,390 probation officers resumes in Zippia's database.
Probation officer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 14% |
| 1-2 years | 30% |
| 3-4 years | 16% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 17% |
Probation officer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of probation officers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Anger Control Counselor | 8.96% | 58,069 |
| Probation Officer | 9.50% | - |
| Career Technical Counselor | 10.75% | 96,519 |
| Social Insurance Analyst | 11.25% | 60,694 |
| Housing Coordinator | 11.48% | 38,873 |
| Certified Alcohol Counselor | 15.06% | 61,543 |
| Mental Health Therapist | 15.06% | 114,386 |
Similar probation officer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Anger Control Counselor | 8.96% | 58,069 |
| Career Technical Counselor | 10.75% | 96,519 |
| Social Insurance Analyst | 11.25% | 60,694 |
| Housing Coordinator | 11.48% | 38,873 |
| Certified Alcohol Counselor | 15.06% | 61,543 |
| Mental Health Therapist | 15.06% | 114,386 |
Foreign languages spoken by probation officers
The most common foreign language among probation officers is Spanish at 80.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 6.5% and Arabic is the third-most popular at 2.2%.
- Spanish, 80.0%
- French, 6.5%
- Arabic, 2.2%
- Portuguese, 1.6%
- German, 1.6%
- Other, 8.1%
Probation officer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 80.0% |
| French | 6.5% |
| Arabic | 2.2% |
| Portuguese | 1.6% |
| German | 1.6% |
| Other | 8.1% |
