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Trooper vs officer candidate

The differences between troopers and officers candidate can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an officer candidate has an average salary of $44,036, which is higher than the $39,510 average annual salary of a trooper.

The top three skills for a trooper include field training, patrol and traffic accidents. The most important skills for an officer candidate are platoon, combat, and leadership.

Trooper vs officer candidate overview

TrooperOfficer Candidate
Yearly salary$39,510$44,036
Hourly rate$19.00$21.17
Growth rate3%3%
Number of jobs1,56555,985
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 56%Bachelor's Degree, 78%
Average age4040
Years of experience--

Trooper vs officer candidate salary

Troopers and officers candidate have different pay scales, as shown below.

TrooperOfficer Candidate
Average salary$39,510$44,036
Salary rangeBetween $29,000 And $52,000Between $25,000 And $76,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between trooper and officer candidate education

There are a few differences between a trooper and an officer candidate in terms of educational background:

TrooperOfficer Candidate
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 56%Bachelor's Degree, 78%
Most common majorCriminal JusticeBusiness
Most common collegeCalifornia State University - Long BeachCalifornia State University - Bakersfield

Trooper vs officer candidate demographics

Here are the differences between troopers' and officers candidate' demographics:

TrooperOfficer Candidate
Average age4040
Gender ratioMale, 90.4% Female, 9.6%Male, 79.8% Female, 20.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 14.8% Asian, 4.1% White, 64.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%Black or African American, 12.6% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.9% Asian, 3.2% White, 60.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage7%7%

Differences between trooper and officer candidate duties and responsibilities

Trooper example responsibilities.

  • Qualify with and, when necessary, used department firearms and other self-defense devices.
  • Issue court summonses, perform radar (speed) operations, rigorously enforce DUI laws.
  • Make DUI arrest, investigate traffic crashes and crimes commit on state own or lease property.
  • Perform general patrol, criminal/accident investigations and motor vehicle enforcement duties.
  • Respond to report incidents and detect criminal activities during routine patrol operations.
  • Advance firearm training and accident investigations.
  • Show more

Officer candidate example responsibilities.

  • Lead a platoon of officer candidates through physical training warm-ups and cool downs, focusing on proper technique and execution.
  • Manage procurement operations and export-import logistics operations of recreational vehicles from U.S. to Venezuela.
  • Garrison leadership positions include serving as platoon leader and squad leader
  • Apply leadership, management and supervision techniques when receiving operational orders, disseminating information and assigning mission essential tasks.
  • Complete physical testing standards as well as many academic exams that analyze leadership potential as well as mental cognitive capabilities.
  • Join extracurricular ROTC activities, such as color guard.
  • Show more

Trooper vs officer candidate skills

Common trooper skills
  • Field Training, 27%
  • Patrol, 11%
  • Traffic Accidents, 10%
  • Domestic Violence, 8%
  • Criminal Investigations, 6%
  • Swat, 5%
Common officer candidate skills
  • Platoon, 15%
  • Combat, 11%
  • Leadership, 9%
  • Physical Fitness Test, 9%
  • Logistics, 6%
  • Physical Fitness Training, 6%

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