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Salary comparison

Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists vs. Social and Human Service Assistants: Who Earns More?

Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists out-earn Social and Human Service Assistants by $20K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists land at $66,270 and Social and Human Service Assistants at $45,930. The education gap is real: probation officers and correctional treatment specialist programs typically require master's degree, while social and human service assistant programs require master's degree. Top-paying state for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists is California ($103,640); for Social and Human Service Assistants it's District of Columbia ($59,460).

Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
Social and Human Service Assistants
Median salary
$66,270
$45,930
Hourly rate
$31.86/hr
$22.08/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$46,840
$34,200
Senior level (90th %)
$107,790
$63,290
Education required
Master's degree
Master's degree
U.S. employment
89,390
437,860
Job growth (10-year)
2.6%
6.4%
Category
Community & Social
Community & Social
Top-paying state
California
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists median pay.

State
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
Social and Human Service Assistants
California
$103,640
$51,090
Massachusetts
$94,590
$47,130
Oregon
$84,920
$51,230
Vermont
$83,820
$46,640
Washington
$82,750
$54,770
Minnesota
$81,580
$49,940
New York
$80,350
$47,190
New Jersey
$80,280
$48,420
Alaska
$77,000
$47,360
Maryland
$76,390
$47,210
Illinois
$74,390
$46,950
Colorado
$71,680
$47,690
Maine
$71,140
$47,710
New Mexico
$66,000
$46,340
Idaho
$59,780
$47,540

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists or Social and Human Service Assistants?

Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists earn more nationally. The median is $66,270 for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists versus $45,930 for Social and Human Service Assistants, a difference of $20K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists or Social and Human Service Assistants?

Social and Human Service Assistants has the better 10-year outlook at 6.4% projected growth, compared to 2.6% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists or Social and Human Service Assistants?

Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists typically requires master's degree. Social and Human Service Assistants requires master's degree. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists get paid the most?

California is the top-paying state for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists at $103,640/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists vs. Social and Human Service Assistants pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In California, Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists earn $103,640 vs. $51,090 for Social and Human Service Assistants. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists salary breakdownView →Full Social and Human Service Assistants salary breakdownView →Best cities for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Social and Human Service Assistants by take-home payExplore →How to become a probation officers and correctional treatment specialistsGuide →How to become a social and human service assistantsGuide →