Each member of Congress receives an annual budget for official expenses, including staff salaries. Information about the salaries of congressional staff members, along with other official expenses, is publicly available.
- Since 1964, the Chief Administrative Officer of the House has been required to release four quarterly statements of disbursements each year.[1]
- Since 1823, the Secretary of the Senate has released two semi-annual statements covering costs from October 1st to March 31st and April 1st to September 30th.
The following page analyzes the most recent available data to highlight salary trends by party and state, offering insight into how staff compensation varies across different chambers, states, and districts.
TheSenate info comes from the most recent Report of the Secretary of the Senate, which as of May 1, 2025, was done from April 1, 2024, to September 30, 2024.[2]
TheHouse info comes from the fourth quarterly statement of disbursements, which, as of April 2025, was most recently done from October 1st to December 31st, 2024.[1]
HIGHLIGHTS
On average, Democratic Senators pay their staff$2,167,101.97 and Democratic House members pay their staff$1,393,222.
On average, Republican Senators pay their staff$1,912,443.44 and Republican House member pays their staff$1,310,452.
California has the highest average Senate staff pay with$3,179,579.33 and New Jersey has the lowest average Senate staffer pay with$1,274,465.48.
Massachusetts has the highest average House staff pay with$1,563,984 and Wisconsin has the lowest average House staff pay with$1,123,036.
U.S. Senate
The following data comes from the second semi-annual report conducted by the Secretary of the Senate. The report compiles data fromApril 1 to September 30.
Total Senate staff data
Staff salaries of U.S. Senators| Party | Total Salaries | Total Senators | Average/Party |
|---|
| Democratic | $104,020,894.65 | 48 | $2,167,101.97 |
| Republican | $93,709,728.45 | 49 | $1,912,443.44 |
| Independent | $7,712,616.38 | 4 | $2,002,566.50 |
| TOTAL | $205,443,239 | 101 | $6,007,699.51 |
10 highest and lowest disbursements
Top 10 Senate staff disbursements as of Sep. 30, 2024| Senator | Senate staff salary |
|---|
| Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) | $3,325,786 |
| Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) | $3,033,372 |
| Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) | $2,953,785 |
| Ted Cruz (R-Texas) | $2,850,874 |
| John Fetterman (D-Pa.) | $2,733,083 |
| Bob Casey Jr. (D-Pa.) | $2,662,908 |
| Tammy Duckworth (D-Illi.) | $2,629,657 |
| Rick Scott (R-Fla.) | $2,619,997 |
| Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) | $2,594,474 |
| Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) | $2,564,313.63 |
10 Lowest Senate staff disbursements as of Sep. 30, 2024| Senator | Senate Staff Salary |
|---|
| George Helmy (D-N.J.)[3] | $66,509 |
| Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) | $1,167,759 |
| Bob Menendez (D-N.J.)[4] | $1,388,133 |
| Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) | $1,425,412 |
| Shelley Moore Capito (R-W. Va.) | $1,426,424 |
| Rand Paul (R-Ky.) | $1,461,837 |
| Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) | $1,491,176 |
| Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) | $1,495,688 |
| John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) | $1,532,793 |
| John Hoeven (R-N.D.) | $1,585,504 |
Staff of Democratic senators
Top 10 Senate Democratic staff disbursements as of Sep. 30, 2024| Senator | Democratic staff salary |
|---|
| Laphonza Butler (D-Cali) | $3,325,786 |
| Alex Padilla (D-Cali) | $3,033,372 |
| Chuck Schumer (D-NY) | $2,953,785 |
| John Fetterman (D-PA) | $2,733,083 |
| Bob Casey Jr. (D-PA) | $2,662,908 |
| Tammy Duckworth (D-Illi.) | $2,629,657 |
| Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) | $2,594,474 |
| Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) | $2,558,305 |
| Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) | $2,484,800 |
| Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) | $2,460,986 |
10 Lowest Senate Democratic staff disbursements as of Sep. 30, 2024| Senator | Democratic Staff Salary |
|---|
| George Helmy (D-N.J.)[5] | $66,509 |
| Bob Menendez (D-N.J.)[6] | $1,388,133 |
| Jack Reed (D-R.I.) | $1,700,395 |
| Jon Tester (D-Mont.) | $1,783,868 |
| Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) | $1,853,489 |
| Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) | $1,885,630 |
| John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) | $1,940,578 |
| Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) | $1,955,773 |
| Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) | $1,960,076 |
| Peter Welch (D-Vt.) | $1,979,707 |
Staff of Republican senators
Top 10 Senate Republican staff disbursements as of Sep. 30, 2024| Senator | Republican staff salary |
|---|
| Ted Cruz (R-Texas) | $2,850,874 |
| Rick Scott (R-Fla.) | $2,619,997 |
| Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) | $2,564,313 |
| John Cornyn (R-Texas) | $2,498,977 |
| Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) | $2,340,404 |
| Ted Budd (R-N.C.) | $2,257,887 |
| Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) | $2,252,964 |
| Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) | $2,252,125 |
| Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) | $2,241,968 |
| Todd Young (R-Ind.) | $2,226,312 |
10 Lowest Senate Republican staff disbursements as of Sep. 30, 2024| Senator | Republican Staff Salary |
|---|
| Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) | $1,167,759 |
| Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) | $1,425,412 |
| Shelley Moore Capito (R-W. Va.) | $1,426,424 |
| Rand Paul (R-Ky.) | $1,461,837 |
| Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) | $1,491,176 |
| Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) | $1,495,688 |
| John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) | $1,532,793 |
| John Hoeven (R-N.D.) | $1,585,504 |
| Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) | $1,649,628 |
| John Boozman (R-Ark.) | $1,649,767 |
Senate ranking by states
The five states with the highest average staff salaries are:
- California
- New York
- Pennsylvania
- Texas
- Florida
The five states with the lowest average staff salaries are:
- New Jersey
- West Virginia
- North Carolina
- Iowa
- Nevada
All Senators
The following table shows the total salary for each senator's staff. It is sorted by alphabetical order. To find a specific senator, use the search function.
U.S. House
The following data comes from the fourth and final statement of disbursements compiled by the Chief Administrative Officer of the House. The report compiles data fromOctober 1 to December 31, 2024.
Total Representatives staff data
Staff salaries of U.S. Representatives| Party | Total Salaries | Total Representatives | Average/Party |
|---|
| Democratic | $302,511,043 | 217 | $1,394,060 |
| Republican | $293,442,515 | 224 | $1,310,011 |
| TOTAL | $595,953,558 | 441 | $1,352,035 |
10 highest and lowest disbursements
Top 10 House staff disbursements as of Dec. 31, 2024| Representative | House staff salary |
|---|
| Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) | $1,729,988 |
| Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.) | $1,719,816 |
| Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) | $1,717,367 |
| Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) | $1,712,974 |
| Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) | $1,698,812 |
| Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) | $1,696,830 |
| Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) | $1,694,380 |
| Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) | $1,672,499 |
| Katie Porter (D-Calif.) | $1,671,622 |
| Jennifer Wexton (D-Va.) | $1,668,813 |
10 Lowest House staff disbursements as of Dec. 31, 2024| Representative | House Staff Salary |
|---|
| Tony Wied (R-Wis.)[7] | $104,595 |
| Erica Lee Carter (D-Texas)[8] | $163,239 |
| LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.)[9] | $329,008 |
| Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.)[10] | $365,700 |
| Bill Johnson (R-Ohio)[11] | $469,192 |
| Greg Lopez (R-Colo.)[12] | $567,680 |
| Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) | $611,444 |
| Michael Rulli (R-Ohio)[13] | $630,135 |
| Vince Fong (R-Calif.)[14] | $703,908 |
| Ken Buck (R-Colo.)[15] | $707,489 |
Staff of Democratic representatives
Top 10 House Democratic staff disbursements as of Dec. 31, 2024| Representative | Democratic staff salary |
|---|
| Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) | $1,729,988 |
| Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) | $1,712,974 |
| Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) | $1,698,812 |
| Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) | $1,696,830 |
| Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) | $1,694,380 |
| Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) | $1,672,499 |
| Katie Porter (D-Calif.) | $1,671,622 |
| David Trone (D-Md.) | $1,666,587 |
| Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) | $1,660,170 |
| Grace Napolitano (D-Calif.) | $1,655,499 |
10 Lowest House Democratic staff disbursements as of Dec 31. 2024| Representative | Democratic Staff Salary |
|---|
| Erica Lee Carter (D-Texas)[16] | $163,239 |
| LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.)[17] | $329,008 |
| Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.)[18] | $365,700 |
| Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) | $611,444 |
| Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) | $817,184 |
| Donald Payne Jr. (D-N.J.)[19] | $850,921 |
| Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) | $876,746 |
| Tim Kennedy (D-N.Y.)[20] | $887,994 |
| Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) | $907,003 |
| Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas)[21] | $887,994 |
Staff of Republican representatives
Top 10 House Republican staff disbursements as of Dec. 31, 2024| Representative | Republican staff salary |
|---|
| Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.) | $1,719,816 |
| Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) | $1,717,367 |
| Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.)[22] | $1,660,768 |
| Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) | $1,630,472 |
| Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.) | $1,623,445 |
| Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) | $1,615,301 |
| Brian Mast (R-Fla.) | $1,612,576 |
| Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) | $1,601,842 |
| Jim Banks (R-Ind.) | $1,598,951 |
| Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.) | $1,578,399 |
10 Lowest House Republican staff disbursements as of Dec 31. 2024| Representative | Republican Staff Salary |
|---|
| Tony Wied (R-Wis.)[23] | $104,595 |
| Bill Johnson (R-Ohio)[24] | $469,192 |
| Greg Lopez (R-Colo.)[25] | $567,680 |
| Vince Fong (R-Calif.)[26] | $329,008 |
| Bill Johnson (R-Ohio)[27] | $469,192 |
| |Michael Rulli (R-Ohio)[28] | $630,135 |
| Vince Fong (R-Calif.)[29] | $703,908 |
| Ken Buck (R-Colo.)[30] | $707,489 |
| Jim Baird (R-Ind.) | $813,478 |
| Alexander Mooney (R-W. Va.) | $954,075 |
House rankings by state
The five states with the highest average staff salaries are:
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Delaware
- Maine
- Vermont
The five states with the lowest staff salaries are:
- Wisconsin
- Hawaii
- Nevada
- Ohio
- Wyoming
The following table shows the average salary the staffers for the state's House members make, and the total sum among all representatives from the state.
All representatives
The following table shows the total salary for each representative's staff. The list order is based on the House's statement of disbursements and is sorted alphabetically by last name. To find a specific representative, use the search function.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑1.01.1U.S. House, "Statement of Disbursements," accessed April 23, 2025
- ↑Secretary of the Senate, "Report of the Secretary of the Senate," accessed April 23, 2025
- ↑Assumed office August 23, 2024.
- ↑Resigned August 20, 2024.
- ↑Assumed office August 23, 2024.
- ↑Resigned August 20, 2024.
- ↑Assumed office November 12, 2024.
- ↑Assumed office November 12, 2024.
- ↑Assumed office September 23, 2024.
- ↑Resigned February 2, 2024.
- ↑Resigned January 21, 2024.
- ↑Assumed office July 8, 2024.
- ↑Assumed office June 25, 2024.
- ↑Assumed office June 3, 2024.
- ↑Resigned March 22, 2024.
- ↑Assumed office November 12, 2024.
- ↑Assumed office September 23, 2024.
- ↑Resigned February 2, 2024.
- ↑Died April 24 2024.
- ↑Assumed office May 6, 2024.
- ↑Died July 19, 2024.
- ↑Resigned November 13, 2024.
- ↑Assumed office November 12, 2024.
- ↑Resigned January 21, 2024.
- ↑Assumed office July 8, 2024.
- ↑Assumed office June 3, 2024.
- ↑Resigned January 21, 2024.
- ↑Assumed office June 25, 2024.
- ↑Assumed office June 3, 2024.
- ↑Resigned March 22, 2024.
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