How to become a probation and parole officer in Minnesota
The Minnesota Department of Corrections, Community Services / Field Services hires state probation and parole officers under the title Corrections Agent (series: Corrections Agent / Senior / Career). New probation and parole officers start at $54,538 a year, rising to $79,156.
Pay
| Starting salary | $54,538 |
|---|---|
| Top of scale | $79,156 |
| Scale effective | 2026-10-23 |
State posting (Job ID 97915, posted 2026-10-23): Corrections Agent $26.12 - $37.91/hr; $54,538 - $79,156/yr as printed. Senior level $60,030 - $88,030; Career level $68,841 - $101,476 (vacancies may be filled at any of the three levels). MAPE bargaining unit 214, classified, FLSA nonexempt.
Source:[careers.mn.gov]
Pay for this work across Minnesota
Federal survey figures for probation officers and correctional treatment specialists in Minnesota, counting every employer in the state, public and private, so they differ from the state's own pay scale above.
| People in this work | 2,040 |
|---|---|
| Lower pay (10th percentile) | $56,650 |
| Median pay | $81,580 |
| Higher pay (90th percentile) | $104,150 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state estimates (all employers)[bls.gov]
Requirements
- Education: No degree required: one year of work experience with clients from a diverse background in corrections, social work, social services, education, chemical dependency, mental health, residential treatment, or a related field. A bachelor's degree may substitute for the one year of experience; an associate's degree may substitute for six months. A bachelor's degree is preferred.
- Citizenship: Must be legally authorized to work in the U.S.; DOC does not sponsor work visas
- Criminal history check, including completion of all sentencing and restitution requirements (incl. probation)
- Screening for predatory offender registration and offender associations
- Employment history/reference checks
- Fingerprinting within the first 30 days of employment
- Sign a Physical Demands Analysis; may require respirator clearance
- Minnesota county employees working as a Probation Officer/Senior/Career may be eligible for an intergovernmental transfer or hire to a comparable Corrections Agent level
Source:[careers.mn.gov]
Hiring process
- Apply online at careers.mn.gov to a posted Corrections Agent/Senior/Career vacancy
- Resume screened against minimum qualifications
- Interview
- Background, criminal history, and reference checks for top candidates
- Sign Physical Demands Analysis; fingerprinting within 30 days of hire
Source:[careers.mn.gov]
Academy
Length not published. No official source found stating the length of DOC Corrections Agent basic training.
Pension and retirement
- Plan: Minnesota State Retirement System (MSRS), General Employees Retirement Plan
- Benefit formula: High-5 average salary (highest five successive years) × 1.7% per year for service through June 2025 and 1.9% per year for service earned after June 2025
- When you can retire: Full retirement age 66 if hired after 7-1-1989; reduced benefit if collected before full retirement age; vesting 3 years if working after June 30, 2023
- Social Security: yes, you also pay in
Plan terms from the MSRS 2026 pre-retirement seminar. Assignment of DOC Corrections Agents to the General Plan (rather than the MSRS Correctional Plan) not confirmed by an official source.
Source:[lcpr.mn.gov]