Compensation and Benefits

Current Hiring Incentives

  • One for One salary credit may be given for prior law enforcement experience
  • $5,000 training reimbursement given to those who recently self-sponsored through a Utah POST satellite academy
  • $2,500 hiring bonus for those with prior law enforcement experience
  • $2,500 signing bonus to a new hired trooper, not captured in the two above, upon POST graduation/certification

Annual Salary

Trooper pay range is from $34.58-$49.00 per hour, depending upon experience.

UHP will match previous sworn law enforcement experience, one year for each year of service, excluding corrections and SFO experience.

Currently, many overtime opportunities also allow for supplemental income, paid at 1.5 times the trooper’s hourly rate.

Vacation

Is earned as follows:

  • 0 through 5 years – 4 hours per pay period (104 hours per calendar year)
  • 6 through 10 years – 5 hours per pay period (130 hours per calendar year)
  • 11 through 20 years – 6 hours per pay period (156 hours per calendar year)
  • 21 years and over – 7 hours per pay period (182 hours per calendar year)
  • The maximum vacation time that can be accumulated is 320 hours.

Sick Leave

Sick leave is earned at the rate of four hours a pay period, with no maximum on the number of hours that can be accumulated. Incentive programs to reduce sick leave use are provided.

Holiday Pay

The Utah Highway Patrol has 11 paid holidays.

Retirement

Troopers are covered by a fully funded, non-contributory retirement plan. The state of Utah pays the entire contribution. Retirement may be taken after twenty-five years of service.

Read about Pension Basics here.

View Utah Benefits At a Glance Information Here
Screen cap of a benefits graphic that is on the Utah Retirement system website showing information about benefits for state employees.

Diversity of Assignments

Every Trooper must work the road for at least two years. After the first two years, Troopers may apply for specialty units and different assignments including the following:
  • Dive Team
  • SERT (Special Emergency Response Team)
  • SBI (State Bureau of Investigation)
  • K-9 Program
  • Commercial Vehicle Enforcement (Motor Carrier Safety Section)
  • Safety Inspection
  • Executive Protection (Governor’s Detail)
  • Honor Guard
  • POST Staff
  • State Capitol
  • Training
  • Motors
  • DUI Squad
  • Community College Police Services (Section 21)
  • Aero Bureau
  • Internal Affairs
  • Highway Safety Office/ Public Information and Education
  • Criminal Interdiction Team
  • Public Information Officer

Education Assistance

The department will reimburse $5,250 annually to pay for education expenses when approved.

Flexible Work Locations

Work assignments throughout Utah based on availability.

Off-Duty Patrol Car Use

Your assigned patrol car may be used off duty within 50 miles of your residence.

Equipment

Duty equipment, service weapon, laptop computer, and vehicle are issued to each Trooper.

Uniform Allowance

Troopers are provided with a complete set of uniforms upon hire, which creates a negative balance in their uniform allowance account. Troopers will receive approximately $800.00 per year uniform allowance for uniform replacement and to purchase uniform items not initially provided by the department. Uniform cleaning is also provided by the department.

Military Leave

An employee on official military orders, without loss of pay or loss of vacation leave, is entitled to military leave that should not exceed 15 regular scheduled working days per year. Employees who are on paid military leave shall continue to accrue annual and sick leave at their regular rate.