Average Legislators Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Legislators is $44,810 per year. The middle 50% earn between $29,120 and $80,350, with 26,510 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2024 estimates . Data covers 40 states and 128 metro areas.
Wage range
Pay distribution
Here is how Legislators pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $20,380
- 25th
- $29,120
- Median
- $44,810
- 75th
- $80,350
- 90th
- $137,820
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Legislators earn close to the national median for all US workers. Solidly middle-income.
The pay band is unusually wide for this occupation. Experience, employer, and specialization can double or even triple an early-career salary, so what legislators earn depends heavily on where they are in their career and who they work for.
BLS projections
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for legislators from 2024 to 2034. Growth is roughly in line with the US average of about 4% across all occupations.
- Projected growth
- +3.4%
- 900 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 2,200
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings reflect typical replacement demand alongside any growth.
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years
A bachelor's degree is the typical entry requirement for legislators.
Where Legislators earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where legislators work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is Washington at $109,390, about 144.1% above the national median. At the metro level, Utica-Rome, NY leads with a median of $173,280.
By state
Top-paying states
By metro
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Utica-Rome, NY | $173,280 | 30 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $157,080 | 90 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $141,990 | 370 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $138,380 | 50 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | $137,740 | 50 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $125,960 | 340 |
| Yakima, WA | $120,480 | 40 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $116,460 | 70 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see legislators pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2024, the national median salary for Legislators rose from $29,270 to $44,810, a gain of +53.1% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +22.7%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $29,270 would need to be worth $35,914 in 2024 dollars.
The actual 2024 median of $44,810 is $8,896 above that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of +24.8% in purchasing power.
Real wages have grown strongly, 24.8% above inflation. Workers in this field have meaningfully gained purchasing power.
- Nominal change
- +53.1%
- 2019–2024
- Cumulative inflation
- +22.7%
- US CPI, 2019–2024
- Real change
- +24.8%
- After adjusting for inflation
Annual history
Median salary over time
Legislators median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2019
- $29,270
- 2020
- $33,200
- 2021
- $37,270
- 2022
- $48,090
- 2023
- $47,290
- 2024
- $44,810
Similar jobs
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- General And Operations Managers
- $102,950
- Chief Executives
- $206,420
- Food Service Managers
- $65,310
- Lodging Managers
- $68,130
- Funeral Home Managers
- $76,830
Common salary questions for Legislators
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Legislators workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.