State Trooper Jobs Overview
State trooper jobs are an essential part of law enforcement. People in these roles are responsible for ensuring public safety and enforcing traffic rules. Their authority is specific to roadways, highways, and freeways. This means that, unlike state police, you’ll have limited jurisdiction.
Although a state trooper’s responsibilities can vary from state to state, you’ll typically perform the following:
- Cite those that break the law.
- Respond to accidents and assist drivers during emergencies.
- Investigate vehicle collisions.
- Pursue drivers fleeing law enforcement.
- Manage road traffic during severe weather conditions, around crashes, or throughout evacuations.
- Write reports.
- Testify in court.
State trooper jobs can be demanding and stressful. So, you need to be comfortable working on rotating shifts of approximately 12 hours, which often include weekends, nights, or holidays.
Salaries for State Trooper Jobs
The salary for a state trooper ranges from $31,435 to $66,420 per year on average, with $43,550 as the median. However, factors such as your location, seniority on the job and bonuses can also push it higher than that.
For instance, here are the states that pay state troopers jobs the most:
Check out how much you could make as a state trooper makes in your city on Monster’s Salary Tool. You’ll also see what similar roles earn, as well as potential next steps you could take to progress in your field.
How to Find the Best State Trooper Jobs for You
Ultimately, only you can determine the best state trooper position for yourself. For our part, we can help you identify what to consider when screening job postings:
- Job requirements. Make sure you fulfill the minimum criteria for education, age, physical fitness, and certifications. Once you have those, consider how you could get extra training or certifications to better position yourself for the role.
- Your personal preferences and needs. When browsing the openings establish if the responsibilities align with your own skills and interests. Based on what you find appealing you could focus on patrol duties, traffic enforcement, investigations and more.
- Law enforcement agency. You’ll likely work for a government agency, but this can vary by state. Either way, research the organization’s values, missions, and career development opportunities. Search information by reading both official and unofficial sources. You can even reach out to current or previous state troopers there to get an insider opinion.
How to Apply to State Trooper Jobs
Now that you have identified the best state trooper jobs for you, it’s time to prepare your applications with a well-crafted resume and cover letters.
Update Your Resume for a State Trooper Job
Not sure where to begin to craft your state trooper resume? Save some time with our police officer resume sample to start off with a strong and clear base for your document.
The perfect resume that catches recruiters’ attention provides exactly what the job ad asks for. Make sure to mention all the relevant training, professional certifications, and licenses you have. The Peace Officer Standards and Training, the CPR, and the defensive driving certifications could even help you qualify for better pay in the role.
Also add to your resume all the crucial keywords included in the state trooper job posting you’re applying to. Some of the most common ones you’ll encounter are:
- physical stamina
- integrity
- communication
- ability to work under pressure
- problem-solving
- teamwork skills
- emotional strength to deal with disturbing scenarios
- courage
Already have some experience under your belt? Showcase how you exceeded expectations in previous state trooper jobs with industry KPIs such as:
- number of traffic stops conducted
- successful investigations you closed
- number of traffic accident reductions or prevention initiatives you worked on
- number of officers you trained
Sign up to Monster’s Resume Writing Services if you need extra support tailoring your resume and cover letter. One of our expert writers will help you present your skills so that you’ll pass automatic tracking systems (ATS) and human screenings alike.
Increase Your Chances with a State Trooper Cover Letter
A cover letter is not mandatory when applying for a state trooper job. Yet, writing one can certainly help. You’ll have the opportunity to highlight details you couldn’t touch upon in your resume, such as why you want the job and what it would mean to your career.
Structure your cover letter as follows to get hiring managers’ attention:
- Greeting. Whenever possible, address the letter to the specific person who’s in charge of the selection. If you can’t track them down, since with government jobs this could be tricky, use a more general salutation like “Dear Hiring Manager”.
- Opening. Your first few sentences must clarify what role you’re applying for and why you should be considered. Be engaging but brief.
- Qualifications, skills, and motivations. In the body of the letter, highlight your qualifications and relevant experiences in more detail and talk about why you want this state trooper role. Always provide examples of how you’ve built your relevant skills.
- Closing. Close the letter by expressing your enthusiasm for the opportunity and summing up why you’re the ideal candidate. Finally, invite the recruiter to get to know you better in an interview.
Need some inspiration? Check out our police officer cover letter.
Upload your resume and cover letter to your free Monster candidate account. You’ll be able to apply easily to any role you want in no time. Plus, we’ll keep you posted with all the latest job openings matching your search criteria.
How to Follow Up with an Employer
Following up is equally beneficial after you send your application and following an interview. It shows that you’re proactive and eager to land the job, which are qualities every employer wants.
You should send your follow-up email strategically, however. A week or so after the job application submission, a thank-you message within 24 hours of the interview, and again a week after the interview if you haven’t heard back. Keep your messages concise and professional and always:
- reiterate your interest in the role
- highlight your relevant background and key achievements
- mention something meaningful from your interview
- thank the recruiter for their time
Interviewing Tips for State Trooper Jobs
Landing a state trooper jobs requires you to pass the job interview first. The interview is the last step before getting the invitation to the training academy.
Even if you have prior experience as a state trooper in other states or agencies, you will still need to attend the academy. However, if you are already certified, the training may be less rigorous.
Once that's completed, you'll get the official employment offer with a placement. So, here is how to play all your cards well.
Prepare for the Interview
Unsure how to approach the state trooper job interview? Follow our step-by-step guide:
- Research the state police agency. Familiarize yourself as much as possible with the specific state trooper organization you applied for. Learn all you can about their department jurisdiction, mission, values, and structure. Check the news as well for relevant information or developments.
- Review the job responsibilities. Know by heart all the skills and characteristics a state trooper should have and be ready to incorporate examples into your answers.
- Understand how the interview works. The state trooper interview is a panel interview. Be prepared for multiple members asking you questions and try to build a relationship with each one of them through your answers. Depending on the agency, you might also have the addition of a polygraph, so relax and always be truthful when answering.
- Dress professionally. Go for business attire. We recommend a conservative gray or dark blue pieces for law enforcement interviews. Overall, make sure your appearance is neat and tidy.
Learn How to Answer State Trooper Questions
To arrive on the day of the meeting with a relaxed mindset, take some time to prepare for the job interview questions for a state trooper.
To break the ice and start assessing your motivations, you’ll be asked something along the lines of:
Then be ready to face plenty of scenario-based questions such as:
- “Describe a situation in which you had to make a quick decision.”
- “Tell me how you would resolve a conflict or a tense situation.”
Most of these questions are designed to understand how you would react in high-stress situations and if you have the conflict resolution and decision-making skills necessary to succeed in the role. Think about real-life examples and use the STAR method to craft replies.
What to Do When You Get an Offer
You’ve got the job, well done! To decide if you’re going to accept the offer or decline it, take time to evaluate all the aspects of the offer including:
- Job responsibilities. Make sure the responsibilities outlined in the state trooper offer correspond to what you discussed and agreed to during the interview phase. Ask yourself one last time if that corresponds to your overall career aspirations and interests.
- Salary and benefits. Assess the wage, overtime bonuses, retirement plan, health insurance, vacation time, and any additional incentives. Also, compare the compensation package with other state trooper jobs.
- Location. They might have assigned you to a different geographical division than the one you applied for. In this case, it’s wise to review the cost of living, quality of life and relocation cost to the new area.
- Career advancement opportunities. Understand what potential career advancements within the state trooper agency you could access. If none are available, assess important that is to you.
Finally, keep in mind that collective bargaining agreements or standardized pay scales govern compensation structures for law enforcement positions. This means that the space to negotiate your starting salary may be limited. Still, if you have specialized training or education, it’s worth inquiring if those could help push your compensation higher.
State Trooper Job Career Paths
After serving in state trooper jobs for a while, you’ll have a broad range of career options available to you, within and beyond law enforcement. Here are a few:
- State trooper supervisor. Do you have experience, leadership skills and are willing to train further? You could advance to higher responsibility roles such as a state trooper supervisor, a sergeant, captain, and even chief of police.
- Federal law enforcement agencies. Depending on your interests and skills, you could pursue investigative opportunities in various specialized units like the:
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
- Local law enforcement. Looking to work in different jurisdictions, gain new skills and experience and serve a more local community? Consider roles in local police departments, sheriff’s offices, or municipal law enforcement agencies.
- Law enforcement or security instructor. Leveraging your expertise, you can consider a career as a law enforcement or private security trainer. You could instruct law enforcement personnel or private sector clients alike.
- Private sector security. You could use your experience in the private sector as well. Companies in all sectors often hire individuals with law enforcement backgrounds to handle security management, executive protection, risk assessment or investigations.
Similar Occupations
Check out all the other protective services jobs available if you’d like some good alternatives to the state trooper position. Here are some of the most popular among candidates: