How to become a state trooper in Texas
The Texas Department of Public Safety (Texas Highway Patrol) hires state troopers under the title Probationary Trooper. New state troopers start at $55,441 a year, rising to $98,085 after about 20 years. You must be at least 20.
Pay
| Starting salary | $55,441 |
|---|---|
| Top of scale | $98,085 |
| Years to top | 20 |
| Scale effective | 2025-09-01 |
DPS FY2026 schedule (Schedule C), paid monthly: Recruit (in recruit school) $4,271.25/mo ($51,255) plus one-time $5,000 graduation bonus; Probationary Trooper upon commissioning $4,620.08/mo ($55,441); Trooper I after 12-month probation $65,851; Trooper II (4 yrs) $80,274; III (8) $85,989; IV (12) $89,789; V (16) $93,937; VI (20 yrs) $98,085 base. Troopers work a legislatively authorized 50-hour week; DPS lists 'yearly w/overtime' of $76,231.32 for Probationary Trooper and $134,866.92 for Trooper VI. Stipends: education $100-$300/mo, TCOLE certificate $100-$300/mo, bilingual $100/mo. Prior peace-officer experience (4+ yrs) starts at Trooper II pay after field training.
Source:[dps.texas.gov]
Pay for this work across Texas
Federal survey figures for police and sheriff's patrol officers in Texas, counting every employer in the state, public and private, so they differ from the state's own pay scale above.
| People in this work | 63,100 |
|---|---|
| Lower pay (10th percentile) | $51,240 |
| Median pay | $75,900 |
| Higher pay (90th percentile) | $98,350 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state estimates (all employers)[bls.gov]
Requirements
- Minimum age: 20
- Education: 60 college credit hours (or associate degree) from an accredited college/university; waivable with 24 months active-duty military, 730 Reserve/Guard retirement points or 6 years, or equivalent full-time peace officer / federal law enforcement experience
- Citizenship: U.S. citizen; honorably discharged veterans with at least two years of service who are legal permanent residents are eligible for appointments on or after Dec. 1, 2024
- Minimum age 20 to apply; must be 21 upon graduating from Recruit School
- No maximum age limit
- Good moral character
- Testing requires at least two trips to Texas; travel is not reimbursed
Source:[dps.texas.gov]
Hiring process
- Apply online / submit forms
- Physical readiness test (1.5-mile run, 500-m row) and written test (reading & math) on the same test date
- Pre-polygraph file review
- Polygraph examination
- Applicant file review and pre-background review
- Background investigation
- Conditional job offer
- Medical and psychological evaluations
- Pre-selection final review
- Selection for Trooper Trainee recruit school (30-week in-resident academy)
Source:[dps.texas.gov]
Entrance exam
DPS Trooper Trainee written test. DPS posts a 'Trooper Trainee Practice Test'; the official written test is not otherwise named.[dps.texas.gov]
Academy
30 weeks, paid. 30-week in-resident Training Academy in Austin (Class C-2025 began Aug. 24, 2025 and graduated March 2026; 1,204+ hours). Recruits are paid $4,271.25/month during recruit school. Accelerated ~8-week classes have been offered to current Texas peace officers.[dps.texas.gov]
Pension and retirement
- Plan: Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS), Group 4 cash balance benefit with Law Enforcement and Custodial Officer (LECO) supplemental account
- Benefit formula: Cash balance: member contributes 6% to a regular account plus 2% to a LECO supplemental account; accounts earn guaranteed 4% interest plus gain share up to 3%/yr; at retirement the state matches 150% of the regular account and 300% of the LECO account (LECO match only with 20 years LECO service), converted to a lifetime annuity
- When you can retire: Regular + LECO annuity with 20 years of LECO service credit (any age); regular annuity only at age 55 with 10 years LECO service, or age 65 with 5 years (LECO balance then paid as a lump sum)
Group 4 applies to LECOs starting on or after Sept. 1, 2022 who have no prior ERS account. Handout dated 01/18/2023.
Source:[ers.texas.gov]