How to become a state trooper in New Hampshire
The New Hampshire State Police (Division of State Police, NH Department of Safety) hires state troopers under the title Trooper I. New state troopers start at $66,000 a year. You must be at least 21.
Pay
| Starting salary | $66,000 |
|---|---|
| Top of scale | — |
NHSP recruiting site: 'The salary range for first-year Troopers is approximately $66,000-$90,000, plus overtime and diverse duty pay'; the higher end reflects prior-service credit for certified law enforcement experience. A separate 2024 page states 'the minimum salary for first-year Troopers is now $64,000' after a labor-grade reclassification. Trooper II (Trooper First Class) requires 10 years of NHSP service. The official step schedule for the Trooper I labor grade was not found.
Source:[joinstatepolice.nh.gov]
Pay for this work across New Hampshire
Federal survey figures for police and sheriff's patrol officers in New Hampshire, counting every employer in the state, public and private, so they differ from the state's own pay scale above.
| People in this work | 2,460 |
|---|---|
| Lower pay (10th percentile) | $57,930 |
| Median pay | $71,640 |
| Higher pay (90th percentile) | $89,940 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state estimates (all employers)[bls.gov]
Requirements
- Minimum age: 21
- Education: Associate degree or 60 college credit hours; OR high school diploma/GED plus two years of full-time certified police and/or honorable military service
- Citizenship: U.S. citizen (NH Police Standards and Training Council rule Pol 301.03)
- At least 21 on the scheduled date of the physical agility test (minAge = age at testing); no maximum age
- Need not be a NH resident to apply; appointees must live within their assigned troop and patrol area by the end of field training and obtain a NH driver's license within 60 days of establishing residency
- Vision: at least 20/100 uncorrected each eye, corrected to 20/40 near and 20/30 distant each eye, normal uncorrected color and depth perception, at the time of the agility test
- Written exam scores are active for two years
Source:[gc.nh.gov]
Hiring process
- Submit an application with supporting documents
- Physical agility test (sit-ups, push-ups, 1.5-mile run)
- Written exam (same afternoon)
- Oral board
- Polygraph
- Background investigation
- Psychological exam
- Medical exam and drug screen
- Interview with the Colonel
Source:[joinstatepolice.nh.gov]
Entrance exam
National Police Officer Selection Test (POST, Stanard and Associates). 75 questions in 1 hour 45 minutes (arithmetic, reading comprehension, grammar, incident report writing); 70% required. Given at the Police Standards and Training Council Academy.[joinstatepolice.nh.gov]
Academy
16 weeks, paid. 16 weeks at the Police Standards and Training Council facility, currently run as a day (non-residential) academy, subject to change. Recruits are paid employees of their agency. Certified out-of-state officers may only need about 100 hours of 'New Hampshire Law Package' training.[joinstatepolice.nh.gov]
Pension and retirement
- Plan: New Hampshire Retirement System (NHRS), Group II (Police and Fire), Tier C (hired on or after July 1, 2011)
- Benefit formula: Average final compensation × 2% × creditable service = approximate annual pension
- When you can retire: Age 52.5 with 25 years of Group II creditable service, or age 60 regardless of service
Early retirement may apply under certain provisions.
Source:[nhrs.org]