Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments. Probation officer salaries are typically better for professionals with prior experience in psychological care, counseling, social work, law enforcement, or chemical dependency treatment. These fields help individuals to develop skills that can transfer well to probation officer jobs, and employers like to have these experienced professionals join their organizations. Quite often, employers will offer financial incentives to bring them on board. According to the U. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the most lucrative salaries for this profession are paid by municipal governments. As government positions, probation officer salaries are greatly dependent on the affluence of the government agency and the cost of living within an area. According to the BLS, the highest average salaries for probation officers were in California, New Jersey and Connecticut — these areas have higher average household incomes and the courts have ad...