Sources: Kansas Department of Administration, Office of Personnel Services, Kansas Civil Service Basic Pay Plan (FY 2027, effective June 7, 2026) and Class Specifications; 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 state trooper in Kansas
State troopers in Kansas meet the same statewide minimum standards as police officers, set by Kansas Commission on Peace Officers' Standards and Training (KS-CPOST); basic training through the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center (KLETC, University of Kansas): age 21+, 571-hour academy. Citizenship, disqualifiers, fitness and the rules for officers from other states are on the police officer page for Kansas.
Source: State POST commissions and legislatures, State peace officer standards: statutes, administrative rules and POST commission pages. Data captured October 2, 2026.
Kansas state pay plan Sourced
Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective June 7, 2026. These are the ranges Kansas sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.
| Class and grade | Published rate |
|---|---|
| Highway Patrol Trooper Trainee Class 1011L1 · class description Grade 29 | $20.79 – $39.25 an hour $43,243 – $81,640 a year 27 steps
|
| Highway Patrol Trooper Class 1012L1 · class description Grade 32 | $24.11 – $45.47 an hour $50,149 – $94,578 a year 27 steps
|
Schedule: Kansas Civil Service Basic Pay Plan — Basic Steps (Hourly Rates). Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions (hourly × 2,080). Classes are matched to this job by their titles.
Source: Kansas Department of Administration, Office of Personnel Services, Kansas Civil Service Basic Pay Plan (FY 2027, effective June 7, 2026) and Class Specifications. Data captured October 2, 2026.
Pay in Kansas, all employers Sourced
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (SOC 33-3051) in Kansas, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | KS |
|---|---|
| Workers | 6,130 |
| 10th percentile | $42,040 |
| Median | $59,230 |
| 90th percentile | $90,530 |
| 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 Kansas
State employees: State public safety
| Plan | Accrual | Normal retirement | Employee pays | Social Security |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas Police and Firemen's Retirement System (KP&F) - Tier II KP&F Tier II | 2.5% | age 50 with 25 years of service | 7.15% | 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 Kansas pension plans list.
Source: State retirement systems, Official state retirement system pages, member handbooks and statutes. Data captured October 2, 2026.
Free practice tests for Kansas
Kansas POST Peace Officer Certification ExamKansas 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 State Trooper / Highway Patrol Officer page.
State Trooper / Highway Patrol Officer in other states
More government jobs in Kansas
Kansas government jobs · Kansas public pension plans · police officer standards in Kansas · exam practice in Kansas