Prevailing Wage for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
Adult Probation Officers and Correctional Counselors sponsored on H-1B or green card visas must meet the DOL prevailing wage floor before an LCA can be certified. DOL sets four experience-based wage levels for this occupation, and the floor shifts significantly by city, so where the worksite sits on the LCA determines the minimum your offer must clear.
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Entry-level adult probation officers new to the occupation, typically with a bachelor's degree and limited supervised field experience. Work is closely supervised with routine caseloads. Most candidates transitioning into the role from unrelated fields or recent graduates file at this level.
The most common filing level for adult probation officers. Candidates bring one to three years of direct case supervision experience, handle standard caseloads independently, and apply established rehabilitation and compliance frameworks with moderate oversight.
Experienced parole officers or correctional counselors who manage complex or high-risk caseloads, exercise independent judgment on conditional release recommendations, and may informally mentor junior staff. Several years of progressively responsible field experience is typical.
Senior probation officers or lead correctional counselors in specialized units, supervisory capacities, or policy development roles. These professionals set rehabilitation program standards, oversee staff performance, and operate with full professional autonomy.
Prevailing Wage for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Adult Probation Officer and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Confirm your caseload complexity matches your level
DOL bases wage levels on actual job duties, not job titles. A parole officer managing high-risk or specialized caseloads often qualifies for Level 3 even if the posting carries a generic title, which can meaningfully raise the prevailing wage floor the employer must meet.
Watch for California metro wage gaps
San Jose and San Francisco post prevailing wages for this occupation that run more than double the national median. If your offer is based on a national average rather than the certified LCA worksite metro, the employer may be filing at a floor that understates local rates.
Check whether government agency titles map correctly
County probation departments frequently post titles like Deputy Probation Officer or Correctional Counselor. Confirm the employer's LCA lists SOC 21-1092 and not a social worker code, since title aliases can cause the prevailing wage determination to reference a different occupational floor.
Use Migrate Mate to find employers with sponsorship history
Correctional and probation roles at government contractors and nonprofit supervision agencies sometimes sponsor H-1B candidates. Migrate Mate shows which employers have actually sponsored this occupation before, so you can focus outreach on agencies with a documented sponsorship track record.
Jobs for Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Adult Probation OfficerPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 21-1092.00 alongside Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Adult Probation Officer Prevailing Wage
Adult Probation Officer Prevailing Wage
Adult Probation Officer positions fall under SOC 21-1092.00 (Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Correctional Counselor Prevailing Wage
Correctional Counselor Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Correctional Counselor for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 21-1092.00 (Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Deputy Probation Officer (DPO) Prevailing Wage
Deputy Probation Officer (DPO) Prevailing Wage
Deputy Probation Officer (DPO) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 21-1092.00 (Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Juvenile Probation Officer Prevailing Wage
Juvenile Probation Officer Prevailing Wage
Juvenile Probation Officer positions fall under SOC 21-1092.00 (Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Parole Agent Prevailing Wage
Parole Agent Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Parole Agent for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 21-1092.00 (Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Parole Officer (PO) Prevailing Wage
Parole Officer (PO) Prevailing Wage
Parole Officer (PO) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 21-1092.00 (Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Probation Agent Prevailing Wage
Probation Agent Prevailing Wage
Probation Agent positions fall under SOC 21-1092.00 (Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Probation and Parole Officer Prevailing Wage
Probation and Parole Officer Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Probation and Parole Officer for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 21-1092.00 (Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Probation Counselor Prevailing Wage
Probation Counselor Prevailing Wage
Probation Counselor is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 21-1092.00 (Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Probation Officer Prevailing Wage
Probation Officer Prevailing Wage
Probation Officer positions fall under SOC 21-1092.00 (Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for adult probation officers?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across metro areas nationwide. For each area, DOL calculates four wage levels tied to experience and responsibility. The employer selects the level that matches the actual job duties described in the LCA, and that level's wage becomes the certified floor the offered salary must meet.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
Level 1 covers entry-level adult probation officers under close supervision. Level 2 applies to qualified officers working independently on standard caseloads and is the most common filing level for this occupation. Level 3 covers experienced parole officers handling complex cases. Level 4 applies to senior or lead correctional counselors in supervisory or policy roles. The employer determines the level based on the duties listed in the LCA, not the job title alone.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same probation officer role vary so much by city?
DOL conducts regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys that capture local labor market rates, so the certified wage reflects what employers in that metro actually pay for the occupation. The LCA must list the actual worksite location, not the employer's headquarters, so the wage floor is set by where the officer will physically report. High-cost metros like San Jose and San Francisco produce floors well above the national median because local government agencies pay at significantly higher scales.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot receive LCA certification from OFLC if the offered wage falls below the prevailing wage for the worksite area and experience level. For H-1B petitions, USCIS checks LCA compliance as part of petition review. If the wage is deficient, the LCA will not certify, and without a certified LCA the H-1B petition cannot be filed. Employers must either raise the offered salary to meet the floor or reclassify the role at a different level that matches the actual duties.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for an adult probation officer role at a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up the prevailing wage for SOC code 21-1092 in the metro area where the job is located. Select the wage level that matches the duties in your offer letter. You can also review recent LCA disclosure data published by OFLC to see what wages employers have certified for this occupation in that metro. For finding employers that have actively sponsored correctional counselor and probation officer roles, Migrate Mate filters by occupation and shows each employer's historical sponsorship counts.
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