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Staff salaries of United States Senators and Representatives
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At Ballotpedia, we looked in the summer of 2012 to examine how much Senators and Representatives pay their staff in Fiscal Year 2011. The organization Legistorm compiles and aggregates the salary information, using official House and Senate records. Legistorm posts the sum salaries that each Senator and Congressperson paid their Congressional staff for Fiscal Year 2011. Different politicians have different sized staffs based on their needs and therefore some numbers are larger than others. It is also important to keep in mind that each state has a different number of Representatives based on their population.[2]
We set out to take that data and perform basic analyses of the totals, including:
- Average staff salary by party
- Top 10 congressional staff salaries by party
- Top 5 states with the highest average staff salaries
Totals
US Senate
| Party | Total Salaries | Total Senators | Average/Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | $139,746,618 | 51 | $2,794,932.36 |
| Republican | $107,991,008 | 47 | $2,297,681.02 |
| Independent | $5,176,544.00 | 2 | $2,588,272 |
| TOTAL | $252,914,170.00 | 100 | $2,529,141.70 |
US House
| Party | Total Salaries | Total Representatives | Average/Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | 195,679,554 | 191 | $1,024,500.28 |
| Republican | 217,797,428 | 242 | $899,989.37 |
| TOTAL | $413,476,982 | 433 | $954,912.20 |
Senate
Highest/Lowest Paid Senatorial Staff Members
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Top 10 Paid Congressional Staff of Senators in 2011
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10 Least Paid Congressional Staff Salaries of Senators in 2011
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Highest/Lowest Paid Staff of Democratic Senators
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Top 10 Paid Congressional Staff of Democratic Senators in 2011
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10 Least Paid Congressional Staff Salaries of Democratic Senators in 2011
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Highest/Lowest Paid Staff of Republican Senators
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Top 10 Paid Congressional Staff of Republican Senators in 2011
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10 Least Paid Congressional Staff Salaries of Republican Senators in 2011
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Rank by state
The 5 states with the highest staff salaries are:
The 5 states with the lowest staff salaries are:
| Fiscal Year 2011 United States Senators Salaries by State | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Total Staff Salaries | State Salary Average | Rank | |||||
| Alabama | $3,950,722.00 | $1,975,361 | 50 | |||||
| Alaska | $5,199,859.00 | $2,599,929.50 | 47 | |||||
| Arizona | $5,413,162.00 | $2,706,581.00 | 31 | |||||
| Arkansas | $4,168,346.00 | $2,084,173 | 36 | |||||
| California | $8,538,079.00 | $4,269,039.50 | 1 | |||||
| Colorado | $5,339,117 | $2,669,558.50 | 18 | |||||
| Connecticut | $4,484,543.00 | $2,242,271.50 | 14 | |||||
| Delaware | $2,486,675.00 | $1,243,337.50 | 39 | |||||
| Florida | $5,700,200.00 | $2,850,100.00 | 2 | |||||
| Georgia | $5,110,943.00 | $2,555,471.50 | 44 | |||||
| Hawaii | $4,865,795.00 | $2,432,897.50 | 10 | |||||
| Idaho | $4,953,279.00 | $2,476,639.50 | 15 | |||||
| Illinois | $5,334,861.00 | $2,667,430.50 | 9 | |||||
| Indiana | $4,623,105.00 | $2,311,552.50 | 11 | |||||
| Iowa | $5,436,065.00 | $2,718,032.50 | 26 | |||||
| Kansas | $4,566,540.00 | $2,283,270.00 | 20 | |||||
| Kentucky | $3,937,750.00 | $1,968,875.00 | 40 | |||||
| Louisiana | $5,017,388.00 | $2,508,694.00 | 27 | |||||
| Maine | $5,020,278.00 | $2,510,139.00 | 41 | |||||
| Maryland | $5,385,280 | $2,692,640.00 | 33 | |||||
| Massachusetts | $5,382,979 | $2,691,489.50 | 12 | |||||
| Michigan | $6,228,575.00 | $3,114,287.50 | 6 | |||||
| Minnesota | $5,184,472.00 | $2,592,236.00 | 46 | |||||
| Mississippi | $5,444,001.00 | $2,722,000.50 | 19 | |||||
| Missouri | $4,598,093.00 | $2,299,046.00 | 37 | |||||
| Montana | $5,108,358.00 | $2,554,179.00 | 28 | |||||
| Nebraska | $4,777,227.00 | $2,388,613.50 | 38 | |||||
| Nevada | $3,090,656.00 | $1,545,328.00 | 42 | |||||
| New Hampshire | $3,523,625.00 | $1,761,812.50 | 48 | |||||
| New Jersey | $6,170,393.00 | $3,085,196.50 | 7 | |||||
| New Mexico | $5,243,148.00 | $2,621,574.00 | 32 | |||||
| New York | $6,728,286.00 | $3,364,143.00 | 4 | |||||
| North Carolina | $5,490,237.00 | $2,745,118.50 | 34 | |||||
| North Dakota | $4,063,914.00 | $2,031,957.00 | 17 | |||||
| Ohio | $4,931,532.00 | $2,465,766.00 | 8 | |||||
| Oklahoma | $5,161,456.00 | $2,580,728.00 | 35 | |||||
| Oregon | $5,457,565.00 | $2,728,782.50 | 21 | |||||
| Pennsylvania | $5,183,219.00 | $2,591,609.50 | 5 | |||||
| Rhode Island | $4,771,778.00 | $2,385,889.00 | 30 | |||||
| South Carolina | $5,265,549.00 | $2,632,774.50 | 29 | |||||
| South Dakota | $5,207,398.00 | $2,603,699.50 | 16 | |||||
| Tennessee | $5,061,921.00 | $2,530,960.50 | 23 | |||||
| Texas | $6,763,479.00 | $3,381,739.50 | 3 | |||||
| Utah | $4,133,191.00 | $2,066,595.50 | 43 | |||||
| Vermont | $4,812,800.00 | $2,406,400.00 | 45 | |||||
| Virginia | $5,532,788.00 | $2,766,394.00 | 13 | |||||
| Washington | $5,141,840.00 | $2,570,920.00 | 25 | |||||
| West Virginia | $4,455,055.00 | $2,227,527.50 | 22 | |||||
| Wisconsin | $4,086,886.00 | $2,043,443.00 | 24 | |||||
| Wyoming | $4,315,998.00 | $2,157,999.00 | 49 | |||||
All Senators
Representatives
Highest/Lowest Paid Staff of Representatives
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Top 10 Paid Congressional Staff Salaries of Representatives in 2011
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10 Least Paid Congressional Staff Salaries of Representatives in 2011
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Highest/Lowest Paid Staff of Democratic Representatives
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Top 10 Paid Congressional Staff Salaries of Democratic Reps in 2011
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10 Least Paid Congressional Staff of Democratic Representatives in 2011
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Highest/Lowest Paid Congressional Staff of Republican Representatives
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Top 10 Paid Congressional Staff Salaries of Republican Representatives in 2011
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10 Least Congressional Paid Staff of Republican Representatives in 2011
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Rank by state
The 5 states with the highest staff salaries are:
The 5 states with the lowest staff salaries are:
| Fiscal Year 2011 United States Representatives Salaries by State | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Total Staff Salaries | State Salary Average | Rank | |||||
| Alabama | $6,681,873 | $954,553.29 | 22 | |||||
| Alaska | $1,104,360 | $1,104,360 | 1 | |||||
| Arizona | $6,366,379 | $795,797.38 | 47 | |||||
| Arkansas | $3,595,345 | $898,836.25 | 38 | |||||
| California | $54,240,717 | $1,023,409.75 | 5 | |||||
| Colorado | $6,897,377 | $985,339.57 | 14 | |||||
| Connecticut | $5,121,217 | $1,024,243.40 | 4 | |||||
| Delaware | $849,981 | $849,981 | 43 | |||||
| Florida | $22,665,151 | $906,606.04 | 36 | |||||
| Georgia | $12,376,037.00 | $952,002.85 | 24 | |||||
| Hawaii | $1,775,592 | $887,796 | 40 | |||||
| Idaho | $1,901,271 | $950,635.50 | 25 | |||||
| Illinois | $15,166,367 | $798,229.84 | 46 | |||||
| Indiana | $8,215,188 | $912,798.67 | 35 | |||||
| Iowa | $4,913,383 | $982,676.60 | 16 | |||||
| Kansas | $3,238,205 | $809,551.25 | 45 | |||||
| Kentucky | $6,001,405 | $1,000,234.17 | 10 | |||||
| Louisiana | $6,327,530 | $903,932.86 | 37 | |||||
| Maine | $2,081,705 | $1,040,852.50 | 3 | |||||
| Maryland | $7,964,317 | $995,539.63 | 11 | |||||
| Massachusetts | $10,870,492 | $1,087,049.20 | 2 | |||||
| Michigan | $14,829,574 | $988,638.27 | 13 | |||||
| Minnesota | $7,603,240 | $950,405 | 26 | |||||
| Mississippi | $3,528,248 | $882,062 | 41 | |||||
| Missouri | $8,607,547 | $956,394.11 | 21 | |||||
| Montana | $983,633 | $983,633 | 15 | |||||
| Nebraska | $2,871,039 | $957,013 | 20 | |||||
| Nevada | $2,127,218 | $709,072.67 | 50 | |||||
| New Hampshire | $1,628,683 | $814,341.50 | 44 | |||||
| New Jersey | $11,153,413 | $857,954.85 | 42 | |||||
| New Mexico | $2,860,024 | $953,341.33 | 23 | |||||
| New York | $27,275,993 | $940,551.48 | 28 | |||||
| North Carolina | $13,189,329 | $1,014,563.77 | 7 | |||||
| North Dakota | $744,983 | $744,983 | 49 | |||||
| Ohio | $16,741,651 | $930,091.72 | 30 | |||||
| Oklahoma | $4,840,131 | $968,026.20 | 19 | |||||
| Oregon | $5,065,419 | $1,013,083.80 | 8 | |||||
| Pennsylvania | $17,354,835 | $913,412.37 | 34 | |||||
| Rhode Island | $2,013,121 | $1,006,560.50 | 9 | |||||
| South Carolina | $5,576,299 | $929,383.17 | 31 | |||||
| South Dakota | $772,075 | $772,075 | 48 | |||||
| Tennessee | $8,070,684 | $896,742.67 | 39 | |||||
| Texas | $30,146,376 | $942,074.25 | 27 | |||||
| Utah | $2,945,301 | $981,767 | 17 | |||||
| Vermont | $989,570 | $989,570 | 12 | |||||
| Virginia | $10,320,301 | $938,209.18 | 29 | |||||
| Washington | $8,745,912 | $971,768 | 18 | |||||
| West Virginia | $2,755,366 | $918,455.33 | 33 | |||||
| Wisconsin | $7,382,320 | $922,790 | 32 | |||||
| Wyoming | $1,015,627 | $1,015,627 | 6 | |||||