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Best states for a state trooper
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
State trooper opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for state troopers, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for state troopers.In order to help you decide which state is the best for state troopers, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for state trooper jobs.
The median salary for state troopers in Alaska is $59,919. Compare that to the median salary in Arkansas of $30,606, which ranked worst for state troopers, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that the South is best for state troopers, and the Midwest is the worst. Olympia, WA is the best city in the country for state trooper jobs, where as Alaska is the best state in the country.
10 best states for state troopers in 2025
1. Alaska
Total state trooper jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $59,919 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location Quotient: 2.52
2. North Dakota
Total state trooper jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $54,294 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $66,000 Location Quotient: 1.51
3. Washington
Total state trooper jobs: 12 Average annual salary: $54,315 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location Quotient: 1.15
4. Illinois
Total state trooper jobs: 17 Average annual salary: $52,670 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location Quotient: 1
5. Wisconsin
Total state trooper jobs: 10 Average annual salary: $44,869 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Location Quotient: 1.27
6. Oregon
Total state trooper jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $46,942 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
7. District of Columbia
Total state trooper jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $47,445 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Location Quotient: 1.67
8. Ohio
Total state trooper jobs: 8 Average annual salary: $44,917 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $58,000 Location Quotient: 0.55
9. Minnesota
Total state trooper jobs: 9 Average annual salary: $43,422 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Location Quotient: 0.95
10. Iowa
Total state trooper jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $43,008 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Location Quotient: 0.77
State trooper jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a state trooper
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a state trooper
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $59,919 | $52,000 | 739,795 | 3 |
| 2 | North Dakota | $54,294 | $44,000 | 755,393 | 2 |
| 3 | Washington | $54,315 | $43,000 | 7,405,743 | 12 |
| 4 | Illinois | $52,670 | $40,000 | 12,802,023 | 17 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $44,869 | $35,000 | 5,795,483 | 10 |
| 6 | Oregon | $46,942 | $36,000 | 4,142,776 | 6 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $47,445 | $35,000 | 693,972 | 4 |
| 8 | Ohio | $44,917 | $34,000 | 11,658,609 | 8 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $43,422 | $34,000 | 5,576,606 | 9 |
| 10 | Iowa | $43,008 | $33,000 | 3,145,711 | 4 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $50,338 | $39,000 | 3,588,184 | 1 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $43,725 | $33,000 | 12,805,537 | 10 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $43,521 | $35,000 | 1,342,795 | 2 |
| 14 | Mississippi | $45,966 | $34,000 | 2,984,100 | 0 |
| 15 | Hawaii | $44,884 | $39,000 | 1,427,538 | 4 |
| 16 | Colorado | $46,158 | $35,000 | 5,607,154 | 2 |
| 17 | Arizona | $42,051 | $31,000 | 7,016,270 | 5 |
| 18 | Maryland | $41,118 | $31,000 | 6,052,177 | 25 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $42,043 | $33,000 | 1,059,639 | 1 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $41,321 | $31,000 | 1,815,857 | 1 |
| 21 | Indiana | $40,589 | $31,000 | 6,666,818 | 5 |
| 22 | Wyoming | $35,977 | $28,000 | 579,315 | 5 |
| 23 | New York | $42,834 | $33,000 | 19,849,399 | 7 |
| 24 | Nevada | $39,703 | $29,000 | 2,998,039 | 2 |
| 25 | Massachusetts | $41,340 | $33,000 | 6,859,819 | 7 |
| 26 | Texas | $38,690 | $28,000 | 28,304,596 | 20 |
| 27 | New Jersey | $42,632 | $32,000 | 9,005,644 | 1 |
| 28 | California | $42,669 | $32,000 | 39,536,653 | 15 |
| 29 | Michigan | $39,004 | $30,000 | 9,962,311 | 5 |
| 30 | Florida | $35,992 | $27,000 | 20,984,400 | 37 |
| 31 | Utah | $40,066 | $30,000 | 3,101,833 | 0 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $37,307 | $28,000 | 1,920,076 | 2 |
| 33 | Vermont | $40,156 | $32,000 | 623,657 | 0 |
| 34 | Montana | $39,701 | $31,000 | 1,050,493 | 0 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $34,056 | $26,000 | 869,666 | 2 |
| 36 | Delaware | $38,033 | $28,000 | 961,939 | 1 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $31,598 | $24,000 | 4,454,189 | 76 |
| 38 | Maine | $36,878 | $30,000 | 1,335,907 | 1 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $34,063 | $25,000 | 2,088,070 | 2 |
| 40 | Missouri | $35,558 | $27,000 | 6,113,532 | 4 |
| 41 | Georgia | $32,456 | $24,000 | 10,429,379 | 20 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $32,718 | $24,000 | 3,930,864 | 4 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $30,353 | $23,000 | 5,024,369 | 27 |
| 44 | Virginia | $34,354 | $25,000 | 8,470,020 | 10 |
| 45 | Idaho | $35,105 | $27,000 | 1,716,943 | 0 |
| 46 | Alabama | $34,288 | $25,000 | 4,874,747 | 0 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $29,020 | $22,000 | 6,715,984 | 12 |
| 48 | Kansas | $30,609 | $23,000 | 2,913,123 | 3 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $30,174 | $22,000 | 4,684,333 | 4 |
| 50 | North Carolina | $31,055 | $23,000 | 10,273,419 | 9 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $30,606 | $23,000 | 3,004,279 | 0 |
Highest paying states for state troopers
| Rank | State | Avg. State Trooper Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $59,919 |
| 2 | North Dakota | $54,294 |
| 3 | Washington | $54,315 |
| 4 | Illinois | $52,670 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $44,869 |
| 6 | Oregon | $46,942 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $47,445 |
| 8 | Ohio | $44,917 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $43,422 |
| 10 | Iowa | $43,008 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $50,338 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $43,725 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $43,521 |
| 14 | Mississippi | $45,966 |
| 15 | Hawaii | $44,884 |
| 16 | Colorado | $46,158 |
| 17 | Arizona | $42,051 |
| 18 | Maryland | $41,118 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $42,043 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $41,321 |
| 21 | Indiana | $40,589 |
| 22 | Wyoming | $35,977 |
| 23 | New York | $42,834 |
| 24 | Nevada | $39,703 |
| 25 | Massachusetts | $41,340 |
| 26 | Texas | $38,690 |
| 27 | New Jersey | $42,632 |
| 28 | California | $42,669 |
| 29 | Michigan | $39,004 |
| 30 | Florida | $35,992 |
| 31 | Utah | $40,066 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $37,307 |
| 33 | Vermont | $40,156 |
| 34 | Montana | $39,701 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $34,056 |
| 36 | Delaware | $38,033 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $31,598 |
| 38 | Maine | $36,878 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $34,063 |
| 40 | Missouri | $35,558 |
| 41 | Georgia | $32,456 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $32,718 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $30,353 |
| 44 | Virginia | $34,354 |
| 45 | Idaho | $35,105 |
| 46 | Alabama | $34,288 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $29,020 |
| 48 | Kansas | $30,609 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $30,174 |
| 50 | North Carolina | $31,055 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $30,606 |
State trooper best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025