UT Austin Boosts Campus Police Budget by $7 Million
Annual funding increase raises starting pay for officers by 24% and ties leadership raises to performance benchmarks.
- By Jesse Jacobs
- September 09, 2026
A major budget expansion at the University of Texas at Austin will deliver $7 million in annual recurring funding to the University of Texas Police Department to address law enforcement recruitment and retention challenges.
The financial allocation increases compensation for department officers, dispatchers and civilian staff while restructuring how pay raises are awarded throughout the rank structure.
Under the new pay model, starting salaries increase by 24% for sworn officers and 30% for dispatchers. The framework eliminates traditional pay increases based solely on years of service for leadership roles, tying future pay progression for sergeants, lieutenants and captains to performance evaluations and leadership benchmarks.
The wage changes are designed to keep the department competitive within the regional law enforcement market. UTPD currently maintains a sworn force of 104 officers responsible for securing a campus population of 55,000 students and 20,000 employees, alongside surrounding academic, medical and research facilities across the state.
The salary overhaul builds on physical security infrastructure added to the university in recent years. Previous enhancements led by the UT System Board of Regents introduced additional lighting, surveillance camera networks and dedicated patrols in the West Campus residential neighborhood, where more than 20,000 students reside.
Photo credit: University of Texas at Austin.