Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; State POST commissions and legislatures, State peace officer standards: statutes, administrative rules and POST commission pages. Data captured September 30, 2026.
How to become a police officer in Pennsylvania
- Certification
- MPOETC Municipal Police Officer Certification (Act 120)
- Minimum age
- 37 Pa. Code § 203.11(a)(1) requires age 18 or older for municipal police; individual departments may set higher ages.
- Education
- High school diploma or GED (37 Pa. Code § 203.11(a)(2)). Must also read at 9th-grade level or higher on the Nelson-Denny test (§ 203.11(a)(5)); MPOETC also accepts 70% or higher on the National Police Officer Selection Test.
- Citizenship
- U.S. citizen (37 Pa. Code § 203.11(a)(3)).
- Driver's license
- Valid driver's license, verified through a driving-record check in the background investigation (37 Pa. Code § 203.11(a)(10)(v)).
- Disqualifiers
- Conviction of a 'disqualifying criminal offense', meaning one punishable by more than 1 year in prison (37 Pa. Code §§ 203.1, 203.11(a)(4)); MPOETC describes this as misdemeanor of the second degree or higher. Also required: a physician exam with drug and alcohol screening, an MMPI-based psychological exam, and a background check (fingerprints, credit, references, 5-year work history).
- Basic academy
- Act 120 basic police training: a 919-hour MPOETC curriculum taught at Commission-certified municipal police academies statewide. Cadets must earn at least 80% in each module, qualify on firearms at 75%, and hold First Aid/CPR.
- State exam
- MPOETC state certification examination: 200 questions, 70% passing; results stay valid for 24 months for certification once employed (37 Pa. Code § 203.11(a)(11)(ii)(D)).
- Fitness standard
- Entry: a four-event Cooper Institute test at the 30th percentile for age and sex (sit-ups, 300-meter run, push-ups, 1.5-mile run), which must be maintained throughout the academy. Exit: an obstacle course before graduation, with 3 attempts allowed (37 Pa. Code § 203.11(a)(8); MPOETC Physical Fitness page).
- Time to certify
- No grace period. Municipalities must train officers before they enforce the Crimes Code or moving traffic violations or carry a firearm, and an uncertified hire cannot be paid as a police officer (53 Pa.C.S. § 2167(a)-(b)).
- Officers from other states
- Out-of-state officers previously certified on a comparable basic course can seek a waiver of training (37 Pa. Code § 203.12(2)(iv)), applying through TACS for MPOETC's 200-question Partial Waiver Assessment Test. Waiver applicants must also prove firearms qualification, First Aid/CPR and patrol-vehicle operation, and pass the certification exam (maximum 3 attempts). Anyone who fails the assessment must complete academy training.
- Continuing training
- Annual Mandatory In-Service Training of at least 12 academic hours, plus annual firearms qualification and current First Aid/CPR (37 Pa. Code § 203.52). Certification is renewed every 2 years on completion (§ 203.13(c)).
This record covers municipal police only (Act 120 / MPOETC, 53 Pa.C.S. Ch. 21 Subch. D). Pennsylvania State Police troopers follow PSP's own requirements and train at the PSP Academy (Hershey): applicants must be 20 to apply, and 21 to under 40 at academy entry; they need a HS diploma/GED, PA residency and a PA driver's license by graduation; cadet training is about 28 weeks. Deputy sheriffs are certified by PCCD's Sheriff and Deputy Sheriff Education and Training Board under 44 Pa.C.S. Ch. 74, Subch. C (Act 134 of 2020, successor to Act 2 of 1984). 44 Pa.C.S. Ch. 73 (Act 57 of 2020) covers law enforcement background investigations and separation records. Deputy sheriff training: 760-hour Basic Training Academy (statutory floor 160 hours) to be completed within 1 year of hire; HS/GED required; 20 hours of continuing education every 2 years. The PA Code text of § 203.11(a)(8) still lists a bench press; MPOETC's current test uses push-ups.
Source: State POST commissions and legislatures, State peace officer standards: statutes, administrative rules and POST commission pages. Data captured October 2, 2026.
Pay in Pennsylvania, all employers Sourced
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (SOC 33-3051) in Pennsylvania, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | PA |
|---|---|
| Workers | 26,510 |
| 10th percentile | $48,680 |
| Median | $85,470 |
| 90th percentile | $109,780 |
| National median, government employers | $76,300 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Pension in Pennsylvania
Local employees: Local police and firefighters
| Plan | Accrual | Normal retirement | Employee pays | Social Security |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Municipal Retirement System (employer-designed plans) Per-employer plan | — | Set by each employer's plan | Set by the employer | Varies |
The statewide plan a new hire usually joins. Some cities and counties run their own plans; check with the employer. Each plan's formula, vesting, cost-of-living adjustment and retiree health are on the Pennsylvania pension plans list.
Source: State retirement systems, Official state retirement system pages, member handbooks and statutes. Data captured October 2, 2026.
Employers in Pennsylvania
912 police departments in Pennsylvania.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime Data Explorer — law-enforcement agencies by state (API). Data captured September 30, 2026.
Free practice tests for Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania MPOETC Act 120 Peace Officer Certification ExamPennsylvania exam · free on Open Exam Prep- IPMA-HR / PSHRA Entry-Level Police Officer Test (PO-EL)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- Law Enforcement Aptitude Battery (LEAB)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- National Criminal Justice Officer Selection Inventory (NCJOSI-3)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- National Police Officer Selection Test (POST)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- NTN FrontLine National - Law Enforcement ExamPractice for a named exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- Police Aptitude and Character Test (PACT)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
Source: Open Exam Prep, Open Exam Prep free practice tests. Data captured October 1, 2026. Each link was opened and its exam title checked on the date shown.
More about this job
Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Police Officer page.
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