How to become a probation and parole officer in New Jersey
The New Jersey Judiciary (Superior Court), Probation Services / vicinage Probation Divisions hires state probation and parole officers under the title Probation Officer. New probation and parole officers start at $55,943 a year, rising to $91,347.
Pay
| Starting salary | $55,943 |
|---|---|
| Top of scale | $91,347 |
| Scale effective | 2026-10-13 |
NJ Judiciary posting 2026-13375 (Morris/Sussex Vicinage, opened 2026-10-13): $55,943.00 to $95,153.11 for Schedule A and $55,943.00 to $91,346.99 for Schedule B. New hires (and employees hired on/after Oct 31, 2015) are Schedule B; new hires normally start at the range minimum. Parole (as opposed to probation) is supervised by the separate NJ State Parole Board, whose entry title is not covered here.
Source:[governmentjobs.com]
Pay for this work across New Jersey
Federal survey figures for probation officers and correctional treatment specialists in New Jersey, counting every employer in the state, public and private, so they differ from the state's own pay scale above.
| People in this work | 2,890 |
|---|---|
| Lower pay (10th percentile) | $52,210 |
| Median pay | $80,280 |
| Higher pay (90th percentile) | $107,790 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state estimates (all employers)[bls.gov]
Requirements
- Education: External applicants: a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in any area, which includes or is supplemented by 24 credit hours in the behavioral or social sciences. Applicants near graduation may apply but must complete the degree by the start date; transcript required. Foreign degrees must be evaluated by a recognized evaluation service.
- Citizenship: U.S. citizenship not required; must be authorized to work in the U.S.
- Thorough background check including fingerprinting
- New Jersey First Act: must establish and maintain principal residence in New Jersey within one year of hire (exemptions possible)
- Driver's license valid in NJ only if operating a vehicle is an essential duty
- Some positions require lifting 30-50 lb frequently and up to 75 lb occasionally
Source:[governmentjobs.com]
Hiring process
- Apply online to a posted NJ Judiciary Probation Officer vacancy with resume and transcript
- Selection (applicant pool may be used for five months)
- Background check with fingerprinting
- Official transcript before start date
Source:[governmentjobs.com]
Academy
Length not published. No official source found describing a required basic training course or its length for Judiciary Probation Officers.
Pension and retirement
- Plan: Public Employees' Retirement System of New Jersey (PERS), Tier 5
- Benefit formula: Years of Service / 60 × Final Average Salary (Tier 5: average of the last 60 months, or five highest fiscal years if higher)
- When you can retire: Service retirement at age 65 (Tier 5, enrolled on or after June 28, 2011); early retirement with 30 or more years of service before age 65
Judiciary posting lists the Public Employee's Retirement System pension program as a benefit; Tier 5 applies to members eligible for enrollment on or after June 28, 2011.
Source:[nj.gov]