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While parole officers and probation officers are often discussed together, these two jobs are not identical.
A parole officer works with a person who has been released from a state or federal prison.
A prisoner may be released on parole, but the individual is still not completely free of supervision, and the release has strict conditions.
Parole can be revoked for almost any type of infraction.
Learn more about how to become a probation officer.
The role of a parole officer is to help an individual who has been incarcerated adjust to life outside the prison.
They do this by creating a plan for the individual before they are released from prison.
The plan will consist of housing, employment, education, health care, and drug screenings, as well as other activities that will help the parolee rehabilitate and function within society.
A parole officer will observe the parolees and attend parole hearings to make recommendations based on their surveillance and interviews with the individual.
On average, a parole officer may have anywhere from 70 to 130 cases that are active at once.
This position is dangerous as a parole officer is working directly with convicts and their families and friends.
Joining an association such as the American Probation and Parole Association can help you appear more established and have the support of an organization behind you.
Education Requirements
To become a parole officer, an individual must first obtain a bachelor’s degree.
The most commonly held degrees by parole officers include corrections, criminal justice, psychology, social work, sociology, counseling, business administration, and other degrees related to these areas.
Those who are interested in becoming a federal parole officer will likely have to have at least a year of graduate work in social work, psychology, counseling, or a related field.
Minimum Requirements
Most county and state parole jobs require a bachelor’s degree at the very minimum, with federal positions requiring at least a year of graduate school.
Individuals must be at least 20 years old, carry a valid driver’s license, and complete the required training and certification courses that are required by the county, state, or federal regulations.
Parole officers will often have to become certified within the state in which they wish to work before they are allowed to apply for a position.
Once accepted, they will then go through extensive training before taking on their first case.
Individuals must also be licensed to carry a firearm in the state where they live.
A drug screening, background investigation, and psychological examination will also be required.
There are some states that require a parole officer to work for at least 2 years in counseling or corrections positions before being considered for a parole officer position.
Education Requirements by State
While most states do not require a formal license, they typically mandate specific education, training, and certification standards.
* New legislation could be introduced that mandates licensing for this vital role.
Below is a state-by-state summary highlighting key requirements:
| State (Department of Corrections Website) | Certification Requirement |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Completion of state-mandated training; no formal license required. |
| Alaska | Certification through the Alaska Police Standards Council; may require POST certification. |
| Arizona | Training through the Arizona Department of Corrections; POST certification may be required. |
| Arkansas | Completion of training through the Arkansas Department of Community Correction. |
| California | Completion of the state's parole agent academy; POST certification may be required. |
| Colorado | Training through the Colorado Department of Corrections; no formal license required. |
| Connecticut | Completion of training through the Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles. |
| Delaware | Training through the Delaware Department of Correction; no formal license required. |
| Florida | Certification through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE); completion of the Florida Basic Recruit Training Program. |
| Georgia | Certification through the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (POST); acceptable scores on standardized tests like COMPASS, ASSET, SAT, ACT, or CPE. |
| Hawaii | Training through the Hawaii Department of Public Safety; no formal license required. |
| Idaho | Training through the Idaho Department of Correction; POST certification may be required. |
| Illinois | Completion of a 40-hour Basic Adult Probation Officer Training program at the University of Illinois, Springfield. |
| Indiana | Training through the Indiana Department of Correction; no formal license required. |
| Iowa | Training through the Iowa Department of Corrections; no formal license required. |
| Kansas | Training through the Kansas Department of Corrections; no formal license required. |
| Kentucky | Training through the Kentucky Department of Corrections; no formal license required. |
| Louisiana | Training through the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections; no formal license required. |
| Maine | Field training lasting six months; no formal license required. |
| Maryland | Training through the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services; no formal license required. |
| Massachusetts | Training through the Massachusetts Parole Board; no formal license required. |
| Michigan | Training through the Michigan Department of Corrections; no formal license required. |
| Minnesota | Licensing through the Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST). |
| Mississippi | Training through the Mississippi Department of Corrections; no formal license required. |
| Missouri | Training through the Missouri Department of Corrections; POST certification may be required. |
| Montana | Training through the Montana Department of Corrections; no formal license required. |
| Nebraska | Training through the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services; no formal license required. |
| Nevada | Certification through the Nevada Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) Commission. |
| New Hampshire | Training through the New Hampshire Department of Corrections; no formal license required. |
| New Jersey | Completion of the Basic Course for Investigators at the DCJ Training Academy; civil service examination required. |
| New Mexico | Training through the New Mexico Corrections Department; no formal license required. |
| New York | Peace Officer certification required; civil service examination and state training. |
| North Carolina | Certification through the North Carolina Department of Justice; includes background check, medical and psychological evaluations, and firearms training if applicable. |
| North Dakota | Training through the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; no formal license required. |
| Ohio | Training through the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction; no formal license required. |
| Oklahoma | Training through the Oklahoma Department of Corrections; no formal license required. |
| Oregon | Training through the Oregon Department of Corrections; no formal license required. |
| Pennsylvania | Training through the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole; no formal license required. |
| Rhode Island | Training through the Rhode Island Parole Board; no formal license required. |
| South Carolina | Completion of the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy Basic Police Certification course and an Agent Basic Academy; agents are armed and have statewide arrest powers. |
| South Dakota | Training through the South Dakota Department of Corrections; no formal license required. |
| Tennessee | Training through the Tennessee Department of Correction; no formal license required. |
| Texas | Completion of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) training academy; no formal license required. |
| Utah | Training through the Utah Department of Corrections; Peace Officer certification required. |
| Vermont | Completion of the Vermont Correctional Academy and field training; no formal license required. |
| Virginia | Certification through the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services; no formal license required. |
| Washington | Training through the Washington State Department of Corrections; no formal license required. |
| West Virginia | Training through the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation; no formal license required. |
| Wisconsin | Completion of a probation and parole agent training program through the Wisconsin Department of Corrections; no formal license required. |
| Wyoming | Training through the Wyoming Department of Corrections; no formal license required. |
| District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.) | Training through the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA); no formal license required. |
| Puerto Rico | Completion of training through the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; no formal license required. |
Salary & Job Outlook
The salary of a parole officer will vary based on the position and the amount of education that an individual has.
Those with at least a year of graduate school under their belt will increase their chances of obtaining a job in this area.
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) lists the average yearly salary of a parole officer at $64,520 (2024).
The job growth for these positions is expected to be around 4% through the year 2033.
U.S. Average Salary: $67,880
Salary Information by State
| State | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 970 | $54,790 | $26.34 | $73,200 | $37,770 |
| Arizona | 2,280 | $61,690 | $29.66 | $83,450 | $45,790 |
| Arkansas | 950 | $48,360 | $23.25 | $58,490 | $39,690 |
| California | 13,420 | $102,230 | $49.15 | $138,220 | $64,960 |
| Colorado | 2,280 | $66,070 | $31.77 | $90,420 | $50,980 |
| Connecticut | 1,130 | $92,970 | $44.70 | $117,540 | $61,730 |
| Delaware | 370 | $57,410 | $27.60 | $74,880 | $45,900 |
| Florida | 4,420 | $44,740 | $21.51 | $58,800 | $32,260 |
| Georgia | 2,380 | $50,190 | $24.13 | $61,900 | $39,580 |
| Hawaii | 40 | $68,540 | $32.95 | $90,210 | $52,040 |
| Idaho | 700 | $56,560 | $27.19 | $71,780 | $46,800 |
| Illinois | 2,520 | $72,600 | $34.91 | $98,590 | $47,080 |
| Indiana | 1,840 | $58,600 | $28.17 | $80,020 | $39,840 |
| Iowa | 830 | $73,220 | $35.20 | $95,330 | $52,000 |
| Kansas | 670 | $52,200 | $25.09 | $63,970 | $42,370 |
| Kentucky | 790 | $41,270 | $19.84 | $51,360 | $34,800 |
| Louisiana | 790 | $57,240 | $27.52 | $77,210 | $41,350 |
| Maine | 170 | $59,440 | $28.58 | $65,150 | $48,880 |
| Maryland | 1,180 | $71,430 | $34.34 | $86,440 | $53,640 |
| Massachusetts | 1,350 | $82,700 | $39.76 | $98,650 | $57,010 |
| Michigan | 2,090 | $69,670 | $33.49 | $77,670 | $52,080 |
| Minnesota | 1,740 | $77,890 | $37.45 | $100,880 | $51,260 |
| Mississippi | 300 | $35,040 | $16.85 | $44,800 | $27,460 |
| Missouri | 2,200 | $43,910 | $21.11 | $49,710 | $39,950 |
| Montana | 360 | $51,330 | $24.68 | $61,900 | $44,210 |
| Nebraska | 700 | $56,390 | $27.11 | $65,140 | $41,440 |
| Nevada | 710 | $68,080 | $32.73 | $85,760 | $49,260 |
| New Hampshire | 180 | $69,730 | $33.52 | $82,780 | $53,140 |
| New Jersey | 2,800 | $79,070 | $38.02 | $102,110 | $50,750 |
| New Mexico | 590 | $56,690 | $27.26 | $67,250 | $48,880 |
| New York | 4,140 | $83,920 | $40.35 | $108,900 | $59,530 |
| North Carolina | 3,060 | $53,470 | $25.71 | $68,240 | $41,790 |
| North Dakota | 180 | $61,680 | $29.65 | $74,260 | $50,900 |
| Ohio | 2,510 | $60,740 | $29.20 | $83,060 | $41,940 |
| Oklahoma | 810 | $51,520 | $24.77 | $63,630 | $39,160 |
| Oregon | 1,310 | $78,850 | $37.91 | $100,860 | $57,240 |
| Pennsylvania | 4,390 | $64,560 | $31.04 | $86,330 | $43,780 |
| South Carolina | 350 | $53,610 | $25.77 | $67,410 | $45,820 |
| South Dakota | 310 | $57,250 | $27.53 | $65,850 | $49,150 |
| Tennessee | 2,600 | $48,840 | $23.48 | $61,620 | $34,470 |
| Texas | 6,460 | $50,510 | $24.28 | $64,730 | $40,210 |
| Utah | 830 | $69,330 | $33.33 | $87,940 | $45,860 |
| Vermont | 180 | $72,230 | $34.73 | $85,920 | $58,460 |
| Virginia | 2,780 | $54,630 | $26.26 | $69,990 | $42,000 |
| Washington | 2,090 | $71,750 | $34.49 | $94,270 | $57,600 |
| West Virginia | 900 | $48,430 | $23.28 | $63,380 | $35,460 |
| Wisconsin | 1,370 | $55,710 | $26.79 | $69,120 | $45,320 |
| Wyoming | 160 | $56,040 | $26.94 | $68,020 | $48,750 |
Annual Average Salary: Top 10 States
California tops the list in this field, with an average salary of $102,230.
These are the leading 10 states in terms of earnings in the field:
* Salary information based on the May 2023 Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Survey for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists, OCC Code 21-1092, BLS.* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Does It Take to Become a Parole Officer?
It typically takes about 4 years to become a parole officer, as most positions require a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, corrections, or a related field.
Some roles may also require additional training or certification, which can take a few months more, depending on the state or agency.
How Much Does It Cost to Become a Parole Officer?
Considering the cost of a bachelor’s degree in fields like criminal justice, sociology, psychology, or social work, you can expect to pay:
Public universities (in-state tuition): Approximately $2,000 to $10,000 per year
Private universities: Up to $40,000 per year
Many students offset these costs through financial aid, scholarships, or transfer credits.
In certain jurisdictions, parole officers are required to carry firearms, which means additional training.
40-hour mandatory firearms training costs vary and are often covered by the employer.
Are Parole Officers in High Demand?
Demand for parole officers is expected to remain strong as more governments see the benefits and economic value of community-based corrections compared to incarceration.
Can a Parole Officer's Career Be Impactful and Meaningful?
A career as a parole officer provides an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in individuals’ lives and contribute to the safety of communities.
Research shows that parole officers who use a therapeutic and supportive approach are effective in helping parolees successfully reintegrate into society.
By providing guidance, support, and connection to community resources, they can reduce recidivism rates and help parolees build better futures.
I think they play a vital role in the criminal justice system, where professionals help individuals reintegrate into society and lead productive lives.
The ability of parole officers to build trusting relationships with their clients is impressive, as it fosters positive change and promotes successful reentry into the community.
It is not about enforcing rules, it’s about making a positive impact on people’s lives and contributing to the betterment of our communities.