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Probation Officer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a probation officer is $95,900 per annum, before tax, up $20,000 since 2018.
- Pay is set by the enterprise agreement of the state or territory department you join, so the classification level you are appointed at matters more than any negotiation at the offer stage.
- Shift or on-call duties, court liaison work and remote or regional placements can attract additional allowances.
- Progression into senior case management or supervisory classifications is the main route to higher earnings.
The median salary rose by $20,000 between 2018 and 2024; the dashed line shows a projection to 2028 based on the real ABS Wage Price Index growth rate, not a role-specific forecast.
Roles that pay more than probation officer
The largest typical pay rise is $17,000 a year, moving into Social Worker.
- Social Worker+$17,000/yr
- Corrections Officer+$12,300/yr
How to negotiate a higher probation officer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time probation officer salary is $95,900; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Casework and client support and Risk assessment tend to command a premium over general probation officer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Social Worker pays a typical $17,000 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Probation Officer salary questions
How much do probation officers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a probation officer is $95,900 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is probation officer pay rising or falling?
The median probation officer salary is up $20,000 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than probation officer?
Social Worker pays a typical $17,000 a year more and draws on similar skills to probation officer.
Related salaries
- Corrections Officer salary
- Social Worker salary
- Community Development Officer salary
- Family Violence Practitioner salary
- Youth Justice Worker salary
- Social Security Assessor salary
Pay advice
- How to ask for a pay rise, and back it up with real numbersWhat national wage growth looks like right now, how to work out a figure for your own role, wording you can adapt for the conversation, and what to do if the answer is no.
- The average salary in Australia (2026)Full-time adults in Australia averaged $2,083.70 a week in May 2026. Several measures get called the average salary, and this explains which one fits your situation.
- Overtime pay, time in lieu and what your award saysOvertime rates come from your award or agreement, not one national rule. How rates work, what happens on a salary, and how time off in lieu works.