HARRISBURG (AP) – The PA State Police have seen a surge of applicants from people hoping to become state troopers since Gov. Josh Shapiro removed college credit requirements. In the past month, 1,217 applicants applied, 524 of whom hold a high school diploma or equivalent. In the last hiring cycle, 1,745 applications were submitted over the course of six months. The change removed the educational requirement that applicants had to have 60 college credits, which had been in place since the 1990s. Applicants now must possess a high school diploma or GED and a valid driver’s license. They must be at least 21 and can’t have reached age 40 to enter the training academy. Cadets undergo 28 weeks of training. Applicants must also pass a written exam, go through a polygraph exam, background investigation, physical readiness testing, and medical and psychological screening before they are eligible to train at the academy. Upon completion of the training academy, cadets are promoted to trooper and receive an increase in salary, currently set at $66,911 annually.
