Probation Officers vs Child Development Specialists
Median pay is about $7k higher for Probation Officers. Both usually start with the same education: bachelor's.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Probation Officers | Child Development Specialists |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $66,270, higher | $59,550 |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $54,250, higher | $48,270 |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $84,780, higher | $76,070 |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +3.0% Growing | +4.4% Growing fast, higher |
| Openings a year | 7,900 | 33,900 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Bachelor's | Bachelor's |
| Difficulty modeled | 2.6 / 5 | 2.8 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Moderate | Moderate |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 46th pct | 34th pct |
Skills
Both lean on the same top skills: active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, critical thinking, writing, monitoring.
More comparisons
Compare Probation Officers with
Compare Child Development Specialists with
Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.