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Salary comparison

Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists vs. Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors: Who Earns More?

Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialistss out-earn Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselorss by $7K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialistss land at $66,270 and Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselorss at $59,350. The education gap is real: probation officers and correctional treatment specialist programs typically require master's degree, while substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselor programs require master's degree. Top-paying state for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialistss is California ($103,640); for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselorss it's Alaska ($80,770).

Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors
Median salary
$66,270
$59,350
Hourly rate
$31.86/hr
$28.53/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$46,840
$38,940
Senior level (90th %)
$107,790
$97,590
Education required
Master's degree
Master's degree
U.S. employment
89,390
491,930
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
16.8%
Category
Community & Social
Community & Social
Top-paying state
California
Alaska

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
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors
Connecticut
$97,350
$63,590
Oregon
$84,920
$74,590
Vermont
$83,820
$61,810
Washington
$82,750
$68,910
New Jersey
$80,280
$62,820
Michigan
$79,760
$61,690
Alaska
$77,000
$80,770
Colorado
$71,680
$62,390
New Mexico
$66,000
$74,100
North Dakota
$65,140
$68,630
Nebraska
$63,460
$63,770
Arizona
$60,910
$65,300
Idaho
$59,780
$63,360
Wyoming
$56,580
$62,980
Texas
$52,880
$62,630

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialistss or Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselorss?

Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialistss earn more nationally. The median is $66,270 for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialistss versus $59,350 for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselorss, a difference of $7K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists or Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists or Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors?

Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists typically requires master's degree. Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors requires master's degree. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

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

California is the top-paying state for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialistss 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. Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Connecticut, Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialistss earn $97,350 vs. $63,590 for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselorss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists salary breakdownView →Full Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors salary breakdownView →Best cities for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialistss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselorss by take-home payExplore →How to become a probation officers and correctional treatment specialistsGuide →How to become a substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselorsGuide →