How to become a state trooper in Iowa
The Iowa Department of Public Safety (Iowa State Patrol) hires state troopers under the title Trooper 2. New state troopers start at $71,406 a year, rising to $107,390. You must be at least 22.
Pay
| Starting salary | $71,406 |
|---|---|
| Top of scale | $107,390 |
| Scale effective | 2026-06-19 |
FY2027 (beginning June 19, 2026) DPS salary schedule: Trooper 2 annual minimum $71,406.40, maximum $107,390.40 (SPOC pay plan 007, grade 29; $34.33-$51.63/hr). DPS recruiting page shows Trooper 2 at $71,406.40 start, $74,609.60 at 2 years, $77,833.60 at 3 years, $81,036.80 at 5+ years. Graduates assigned to Post 16 (Capitol Complex) are Trooper 1 ($60,632.00-$87,734.40). Recruits receive a salary during the academy (rate not published).
Source:[dpscareers.com]
Pay for this work across Iowa
Federal survey figures for police and sheriff's patrol officers in Iowa, counting every employer in the state, public and private, so they differ from the state's own pay scale above.
| People in this work | 5,130 |
|---|---|
| Lower pay (10th percentile) | $59,360 |
| Median pay | $74,470 |
| Higher pay (90th percentile) | $101,520 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state estimates (all employers)[bls.gov]
Requirements
- Minimum age: 22
- Education: High school diploma, GED, or equivalency; must be eligible for Iowa Law Enforcement Academy enrollment
- Citizenship: U.S. citizen
- Trooper 2 class spec: at least 22 years old, plus graduation/certification from the DPS Academy and the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy (DPS academy applicants generally must be at least 18 per Iowa Code ch. 501 standards)
- Uncorrected vision not less than 20/100, correctable to 20/20, normal color vision
- Hearing loss not exceeding a 25-decibel average in either ear at 1,000, 2,000 and 3,000 cycles
- Driver license and criminal history records searched before testing
- Physical exam, agility test, drug screen, psychological exams
Source:[das.iowa.gov]
Hiring process
- Minimum qualifications screening (driver license and criminal history checked)
- Physical fitness assessment (1-minute sit-ups, 1-minute push-ups, 1.5-mile run)
- Written exam: National Police Officer Selection Test (POST)
- Oral board interview
- Polygraph evaluation
- Psychological evaluation
- Medical examination
- Background investigation
- Final offers
- Basic Training Academy
Source:[dpscareers.com]
Entrance exam
National Police Officer Selection Test (POST). Four sections (arithmetic, reading comprehension, grammar/spelling/punctuation, incident report writing); at least 70% on each section and 75% overall; one re-test may be allowed.[dpscareers.com]
Academy
20 weeks, paid. DPS Basic Training Academy at Camp Dodge, Johnston; recruits stay on site Monday-Friday and may go home weekends; materials, meals and lodging furnished at no cost; recruits receive a salary. 8-week academy offered for certified officers in some hiring cycles. Then at least 70 working days of field training for Trooper 2s.[dpscareers.com]
Pension and retirement
- Plan: Peace Officers' Retirement, Accident and Disability System (POR), Iowa Code ch. 97A
- Benefit formula: 2.75% of final average compensation (high three years of POR-covered wages) per year of POR service, up to a maximum of 88% at 32 years
- When you can retire: Normal retirement age 55 (4 full years of POR service to vest); early retirement with reduced benefit at age 50 with 22 years of POR service
Membership begins when sworn in; service credit accrues from DPS academy graduation. Employee contribution 11.525% of POR-covered wages (Oct 2025).
Source:[dps.iowa.gov]