Comparison of state legislative salaries
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| Staff Researcher Sarah Doyel explains the types of state legislatures and how state representatives are paid in each state. View other episodes here. |
Last updated on August 4, 2021
There is a significant amount of variance in legislator salaries among the 50 states. In California, legislators are paid $114,877 per year in salary. Comparatively, New Hampshire legislators earn just $100 per year without per diem. New Mexico is the only state that does not pay its legislators a salary, but lawmakers do still earn per diem.
The top five states with the highest-paid base legislative salaries are:
- California - $114,877/year
- New York - $110,000/year
- Pennsylvania - $90,335/year
- Michigan - $71,685/year
- Massachusetts - $70,536/year
All of the top five highest-paid legislatures are full-time. Depending on the state, some state legislators work part-time in the government and maintain jobs outside the legislature. According to Politico, 42 of the 117 men (36%) serving in state legislatures who had 2018 financial disclosure forms available had jobs in addition to their legislative duties. Six of the 49 women (14%) legislators had jobs outside the legislature.[1]
Contents
How state legislator salaries are set
Salaries of state legislators are determined in four ways.
- Nineteen states use a commission of some kind to determine the salary of legislators. The powers of these commissions vary from non-binding reports to reports that are implemented unless voted down by the legislature, not approved by the governor, or overturned by citizen referenda.
- In two of these states mentioned above—Arizona and Nebraska—any recommendation to change legislators' pay must be approved by voters before going into effect.
- Some states tie legislative salaries to those of other state employees
- Other states allow the legislators themselves to set their own salaries[2]
States with a policy of allowing legislators to set their own salaries encounter what the National Conference of State Legislatures calls the "pay problem," in which the political risk associated with possible negative perceptions of legislators who vote to increase their own pay prevents legislatures from raising salaries. When this happens, it is possible for inflation to outpace the rate of pay, meaning legislative salaries may decline over time.[3]
Full-time and part-time legislatures
- See also: States with a full-time legislature
The National Conference of State Legislatures classifies state legislatures as full-time, part-time, or hybrid.
- Full-time states have legislators who devote 84 percent of a full time job to their legislative duties which include committee hearings, listening sessions, constituent service, and time spent campaigning. On average, each full-time legislator is paid about $82,358.[4]
- Hybrid states have legislators who devote 74 percent of a full time job to their legislative duties. Legislators estimate they spend more than two-thirds of a full-time job on their legislative duties. On average, each hybrid legislator is paid about $41,110.[4]
- Part-time states have legislators who devote 57 percent of a full time job to their legislative duties. On average, each legislator is paid about $18,449. These are also called "traditional or citizen legislatures" and the legislators typically need additional sources of income outside the legislature to make a living.[4]
Salaries by state
The following table details the salaries and per diem compensation for state legislators across the country. Click here for methodology on how this data was collected.
| State | Salary | Per diem | Type[5] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $51,734/year | For overnight stays: $85/day. For two or more days with overnight stays: $100/day. | Hybrid |
| Alaska | $50,400/year | For legislators whose permanent residence is not Juneau: up to $293/day. No per diem is paid to Juneau legislators. | Full-time |
| Arizona | $24,000/year | For legislators residing within Maricopa County: $35/day for the first 120 days of regular and special sessions and $10/day for all following days. For legislators residing outside of Maricopa County: $151/day for the first 120 days of regular and special sessions for lodging and $56 for meals. That rate would be cut in half after the 120th day. The per diem for legislators residing outside of Maricopa County is tied to the federal rate. | Hybrid |
| Arkansas | $42,428/year | For legislators residing within 50 miles of the capitol: $55/day. For legislators residing more than 50 miles from the capitol: $151/day. | Hybrid |
| California | $114,877/year | $211/day | Full-time |
| Colorado | $40,242/year | For legislators residing within 50 miles of the capitol: $45/day. For legislators living more than 50 miles from the capitol: $219/day. Set by the legislature. Vouchered. | Hybrid |
| Connecticut | $28,000/year | No per diem is paid. | Hybrid |
| Delaware | $47,291/year | No per diem is paid. | Hybrid |
| Florida | $29,697/year | $152/day for up to 50 days for senators and up to 60 days for representatives. Vouchered. | Hybrid |
| Georgia | $15,608/year | $173/day. Set by the Legislative Services Committee. Unvouchered. | Hybrid |
| Hawaii | $62,604/year | For legislators who do not reside on Oahu: $225/day. For legislators living on Oahu during the mandatory five-day recess only: $10/day. Legislators who do not reside on Oahu are reimbursed for air travel costs. | Full-time |
| Idaho | $18,691/year | For legislators residing within 50 miles of the capitol: $71/day. For legislators residing more than 50 miles from the capitol: $139/day. | Part-time |
| Illinois | $69,464/year | $151/day | Full-time |
| Indiana | $28,102.50/year | $183/day. Unvouchered. | Hybrid |
| Iowa | $25,000/year | $172/day. Unvouchered. | Hybrid |
| Kansas | $88.66/session day | $151/day | Part-time |
| Kentucky | $188.22/calendar day | $166.10/day | Hybrid |
| Louisiana | $16,800/year | $160/day. Tied to federal rate. Unvouchered. | Hybrid |
| Maine | $15,417 for the first regular session. $10,923 for the second regular session. | $38/day for lodging (or mileage up to $38/day in lieu of housing, plus tolls). $32/day for meals. Set by statute. | Part-time |
| Maryland | $50,330/year | $106/day for lodging. $56/day for meals. | Hybrid |
| Massachusetts | $70,536/year | No per diem is paid. Legislators residing within 50 miles of the statehouse receive an office expense stipend of $17,043 that can be used for travel expenses. Legislators residing more than 50 miles from the statehouse receive $22,723. | Full-time |
| Michigan | $71,685/year | No per diem is paid. Legislators receive an expense allowance of $10,800/year for session and interim. Set by the compensation commission. Vouchered. | Full-time |
| Minnesota | $48,250/year | For senators: $86/day. For representatives: $66/day. | Hybrid |
| Mississippi | $23,500/year | $151/day. Tied to federal rate. Unvouchered. | Part-time |
| Missouri | $35,915/year | $121/day. Tied to federal rate. Unvouchered. | Hybrid |
| Montana | $100.48/legislative day | $126.12/day; For additional expenses, legislators will receive a primary $3,000 stipend and a secondary amount between $1,000 and $4,000 depending on the size of a legislator's district. | Part-time |
| Nebraska | $12,000/year | For legislators residing within 50 miles of the capitol: $55/day. For legislators residing more than 50 miles from the capitol: $151/day. | Hybrid |
| Nevada | $164.69/calendar day up to 60 days. Senators who are not up for re-election until 2022 receive $159.89/calendar day. | $151/day; Legislators have a travel allowance of $10,000/session and leadership has an additional $900/session allowance. | Hybrid |
| New Hampshire | $100/year | No per diem is paid. | Part-time |
| New Jersey | $49,000/year | No per diem is paid. | Hybrid |
| New Mexico | $0/year | $165/day (January and February); $194/day (March). Tied to federal rate. Vouchered. | Part-time |
| New York | $110,000/year | For non-overnight travel: $61/day. For overnight stays: $176/day. | Full-time |
| North Carolina | $13,951/year | $104/day. For additional expenses, legislators receive $559/month. Set by statute. Unvouchered. | Hybrid |
| North Dakota | $526/month | $189/day | Part-time |
| Ohio | $67,492/year | No per diem is paid. | Full-time |
| Oklahoma | $47,500/year | $165/day. Tied to federal rate. Unvouchered. | Hybrid |
| Oregon | $32,839/year | $151/day | Hybrid |
| Pennsylvania | $90,335/year | $178/day | Full-time |
| Rhode Island | $16,636/year | No per diem is paid. | Part-time |
| South Carolina | $10,400/year | $173/day. Tied to federal rate. | Hybrid |
| South Dakota | $12,851/year | $151/day. Legislative days only. Unvouchered. | Part-time |
| Tennessee | $24,316/year | For legislators residing within 50 miles of the capitol: $61/day. For legislators residing more than 50 miles from the capitol: $295/day. Tied to federal rate. Unvouchered. | Hybrid |
| Texas | $7,200/year | $221/day. Set by ethics commission. Unvouchered. | Hybrid |
| Utah | $285/legislative day | No per diem is paid. Legislators who reside more than 100 miles from the capital can receive expense reimbursement for meals and lodging. | Part-time |
| Vermont | $742.92/week during session | $75/day since the legislature met remotely for the 2021 legislative session. | Part-time |
| Virginia | $18,000/year for senators. $17,640/year for delegates. | $211/day | Hybrid |
| Washington | $56,881/year | $120/day | Hybrid |
| West Virginia | $20,000/year | $131/day. Set by compensation commission. Unvouchered. | Part-time |
| Wisconsin | $55,141/year | $115/day for senators who reside outside of Dane County; Senators who live in Dane County receive $57.50/day. $153 (with overnight) or $76.50/day (no overnight) for representatives. Per diem can be claimed up to 90 days per year. | Full-time |
| Wyoming | $150/day | $109/day. Set by legislature. Vouchered. Legislators also receive an additional $300/month; 1/2 salary for 1 day of preparation for each day the legislator is engaged in work for the Management Council or any committee; and 1/2 salary for each day the member travels to/from an interim activity for which they are entitled to receive a salary. | Part-time |
Methodology
- The National Conference of State Legislatures conducts an annual survey of every state legislature. Data from that survey is used on this page.
- This page is updated when any change to legislator salary becomes finalized and in effect.
- Many states tie per diem pay to the federal rate. That rate is set by the U.S. General Services Administration, with new rates set each fiscal year—effective October 1 of each year. Where applicable, per diem rates on this page are adjusted after new per diem rates go into effect.
If you are aware of any possible changes to legislator salaries, or if you have any questions or comments, please contact editor@ballotpedia.org.
See also
- States with a full-time legislature
- Length of terms of state representatives
- State legislatures with term limits
Footnotes
- ↑ Politico, "Male legislators earn much more from outside jobs than their female colleagues," August 14, 2019
- ↑ NCSL, "Pay Problem: January 2011," accessed March 5, 2020
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Legislative Compensation Overview," July 19, 2017
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 NCSL, "Full and Part-Time Legislatures," July 28, 2021 (See Table 2. Average Job Time, Compensation and Staff Size by Category of Legislature)
- ↑ Full-time legislatures devote at least 84 percent of a full-time job to legislative duties. Hybrid legislatures devote 74 percent of a full-time job. Part-time legislatures devote 57 percent of a full-time job.
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