How to become a state trooper in Rhode Island
The Rhode Island State Police hires state troopers under the title Trooper. New state troopers start at $81,579 a year, rising to $99,464 after about 4 years. You must be at least 18.
Pay
| Starting salary | $81,579 |
|---|---|
| Top of scale | $99,464 |
| Years to top | 4 |
| Scale effective | 2025-10-19 |
Steps top out after 4 years; longevity pay adds more ($105,985 at 6 years, $110,224 at 10). Recruits are paid $1,800 every two weeks in the academy.
Source:[risp.ri.gov]
Pay for this work across Rhode Island
Federal survey figures for police and sheriff's patrol officers in Rhode Island, counting every employer in the state, public and private, so they differ from the state's own pay scale above.
| People in this work | 1,940 |
|---|---|
| Lower pay (10th percentile) | $59,020 |
| Median pay | $77,230 |
| Higher pay (90th percentile) | $91,760 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state estimates (all employers)[bls.gov]
Requirements
- Minimum age: 18
- Education: High school graduate or GED
- Citizenship: U.S. citizen
- Must be between the ages of 18 and 35 (stage of measurement not specified)
- Valid operator's license before starting the Academy, or willing and eligible to obtain one
- No felony conviction; background review of traffic citations, at-fault collisions, drug use, arrests
- Vision 20/40 binocular uncorrected and 20/20 corrected; normal color and depth perception; normal hearing
- No residency needed to apply; Rhode Island residency required upon Academy graduation
- No tattoos visible in uniform (flesh-colored sleeve allowed for arms)
Source:[risp.ri.gov]
Hiring process
- Online application
- Physical fitness assessment
- Written examination
- Oral interview
- Background investigation
- Conditional offer of employment
- Psychological testing
- Physical (medical) examination
- Class selection and pre-academy preparatory training
Source:[risp.ri.gov]
Entrance exam
RISP written examination. Listed in the Class of 2027 timeline (August-October 2026); no vendor test named.[risp.ri.gov]
Academy
22 weeks, paid. 22-week residential academy in Foster, RI: recruits report Sunday 9 p.m. and are dismissed Friday about 6 p.m., with bed and meals provided. Next class begins March 2027. Recruit pay not stated.[risp.ri.gov]
Pension and retirement
- Plan: Rhode Island State Police retirement plan (R.I. Gen. Laws 42-28-22), administered by the Employees' Retirement System of Rhode Island
- Benefit formula: For members hired on or after July 1, 2007 (as amended effective July 1, 2012): 2% of average compensation x years of total contributory service; original allowance capped at 65% of average compensation
- When you can retire: May retire once the allowance reaches 50% of average compensation (25 years at 2%); must retire at the earlier of reaching a 65% allowance or the later of age 62 or 5 years of service; members with 5+ years of post-2012 service may also retire at Social Security retirement age
Statute text read on the RI General Assembly site; the ERSRI website was behind a bot-verification page and was not used. Member contribution is 8.75% for those hired after July 1, 1987 (R.I. Gen. Laws 42-28-22.1).