Pennsylvania Governor, Josh Shapiro has announced on Monday that applicants for state trooper with the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) will no longer need a college degree to apply.

Since the 1990s, PSP has required candidates to have at least 60 college credit hours.

In a press release, Governor Shapiro says dropping these requirements would expand opportunities for those looking to become state troopers and hopefully curb a statewide law enforcement shortage.

"Our Administration has worked to emphasize skills and experience in Commonwealth hiring practices, and now the PSP have dropped the college credit requirement for state troopers to empower those who want to serve their community and open even more doors for Pennsylvanians to chart their own course and succeed," Shaprio said.

Under the new requirements, candidates must have a high school diploma or GED certificate, have a valid driver's license from any state, must be at least 20 years old at the time of application and must be at least 21 years old and no older than age 40 upon entry to the training academy.

Cadet applicants must be a legal Pennsylvania resident and must possess a Pennsylvania driver's license by the time of graduation.

Applicants who meet all these requirements will move on to a written exam. Those who pass must have a polygraph examination, background investigation, physical readiness test, medical screening and psychological screening before training at the academy.

Cadet training lasts approximately 28 weeks and includes coursework in Pennsylvania’s crimes and vehicle codes, law enforcement principles and practices, firearms and special equipment training, and physical fitness.

Upon completion of the training academy, cadets will be promoted to troopers and will receive an annual salary of roughly $66.9K.