Best-Paid Congress Jobs Pay 4 Times the US Median, Report Shows
In the midterm elections, all 435 seats in the House of Representatives will be contested, with 218 seats being the magic number to gain control. One-third of all Senate seats are also up for grabs.
A recent GOBankingRates study found the best-paying positions in U.S. Congress. Salary data was gathered from the report, Congressional Salaries and Allowances, by the Congressional Research Service.
Read on to find out which member of Congress gets paid the most.
Top-Paying Jobs in U.S. Congress
One of the best ways to convey how much congressmen and congresswomen make is by comparing their salaries to what the average American earns. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income is $55,322.
That means the best-paying job in Congress earns quadruple the American median income, with the Speaker of the House taking home a cool $223,500. Meanwhile, all other representatives and senators earn $174,000 a year, easily three-times the U.S. median income.
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Even if you’re not an elected representative or senator, you can make quite a nice living in Congress. For example, clerk of the house — the official record-keeper of the House of Representatives — makes an impressive $172,500, as does the congressional chaplain.
One of the lowest-paying of the best-paid congressional jobs is that of Parliamentarian of the House. What does this British-sounding role do? According to House of Representatives website, the Office of the Parliamentarian gives nonpartisan guidance on rules and procedures. They have been appointed by the Speaker of the House in every Congress since 1927, with their political party affiliation being largely irrelevant.
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Check out the full list of all the highest paying jobs in Congress.
Rank | Congress Position | Annual Salary |
1 | Speaker of the House | $223,500 |
2 | Majority and Minority Leaders | $193,400 |
2 | President pro tempore | $193,400 |
2 | Majority and Minority Leaders | $193,400 |
3 | All other Representatives | $174,000 |
3 | All other Senators | $174,000 |
4 | Chief Administrative Officer | $172,500 |
4 | Clerk of the House | $172,500 |
4 | Sergeant at Arms | $172,500 |
4 | House Chaplain | $172,500 |
4 | Legislative Counsel | $172,500 |
4 | Law Revision Counsel | $172,500 |
4 | Parliamentarian | $172,500 |
4 | Inspector General | $172,500 |
4 | Director, Interparliamentary Affairs | $172,500 |
4 | General Counsel to the House | $172,500 |
4 | Secretary of the Senate | $172,500 |
4 | Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper | $172,500 |
4 | Legislative Counsel | $172,500 |
4 | Legal Counsel | $172,500 |
5 | Parliamentarian | $171,315 |
6 | Senate Chaplain | $160,787 |
Keep reading to see how political conditions affect the stock market.
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Methodology: All salary information sourced from the Congressional Research Service’s 2018 Congressional Salaries and Allowances: In Brief report.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Best-Paid Congress Jobs Pay 4 Times the US Median, Report Shows
