Comparison of state legislative salaries
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Last updated on August 21, 2023
There is a significant amount of variance in legislator salaries among the 50 states. In New York, legislators are paid $142,000 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:
- New York - $142,000/year
- California - $122,694/year
- Pennsylvania - $102,844.07/year
- Illinois - $85,000/year
- Massachusetts - $73,655.01/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]
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 (NCSL) classifies state legislatures as full-time, part-time, or hybrid. The information below is based on NCSL's last report published on July 28, 2021.[4]
- 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 in 2023.[5] Click here for methodology on how this data was collected.
| State | Salary | Per diem | Type[6] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $53,913/year | No per diem is paid to legislators whose permanent residence is less than six hours away. Legislators who are 6-12 hrs from their permanent residence receive $12.75/day. Legislators who are over 12 hours away with no overnight receive $34/day. | Hybrid |
| Alaska | $50,400/year | $307/day | 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: $238/day for the first 120 days of regular and special sessions and half that amount after the 120th day. The per diem for legislators residing outside of Maricopa County is tied to the federal rate. | Hybrid |
| Arkansas | $44,356/year | For legislators residing within 50 miles of the capitol: $59/day. For legislators residing more than 50 miles from the capitol: $155/day. | Hybrid |
| California | $122,694/year | $214/day | Full-time |
| Colorado | $43,977/year for legislators whose terms began in 2023. $41,449/year for legislators whose terms began in 2021. | For legislators residing within 50 miles of the capitol: $45/day. For legislators living more than 50 miles from the capitol: $237/day. Set by the legislature. Vouchered. | Hybrid |
| Connecticut | $40,000/year | No per diem is paid. | Hybrid |
| Delaware | $49,202/year | No per diem is paid. | Hybrid |
| Florida | $18,000/year | Per diem rates established by Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate. | Hybrid |
| Georgia | $23,341.72/year | $247/day. Set by the Legislative Services Committee. Vouchered. | Hybrid |
| Hawaii | $72,348/year | For legislators who do not reside on Oahu: $225/day. | Full-time |
| Idaho | $19,913/year | For legislators residing within 50 miles of the capitol: $74/day. For legislators residing more than 50 miles from the capitol: $221/day. | Part-time |
| Illinois | $85,000/year | $157/day | Full-time |
| Indiana | $29,749/year | $196/day. Vouchered. | Hybrid |
| Iowa | $25,000/year | $175/day for legislators who live outside of Polk County. $131.25/day for legislators who live within Polk County. | Hybrid |
| Kansas | $86.66/session day | $157/day | Part-time |
| Kentucky | $188.22/calendar day during session for legislators whose terms began before 2023. $203.28/calendar day for legislators whose terms began after 2023. | $188.22/day for legislators whose terms began before 2023. $203.28/day for members whose terms began after January 1, 2023. | Hybrid |
| Louisiana | $16,800/year | $175/day. | Hybrid |
| Maine | $16,245.12 for the first regular session. $11,668.32 for the second regular session. | $70/day for lodging (or round-trip mileage up to $0.55/mile in lieu of housing, plus tolls). $50/day for meals. | Part-time |
| Maryland | $52,343/year | $108/day for lodging. $63/day for meals. | Hybrid |
| Massachusetts | $73,655.01/year | No per diem is paid. | 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 | $51,750/year | For senators: $86/day. For representatives: $66/day. | Hybrid |
| Mississippi | $23,500/year | $157/day. Tied to federal rate. Unvouchered. | Part-time |
| Missouri | $37,711/year | $125.60/day | Hybrid |
| Montana | $104.86/legislative day | $171/day | 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 | $130/legislative day | The exact amount members receive for per diem is unknown. | 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 | $59/day | Part-time |
| New York | $142,000/year | The exact amount members receive for per diem is unknown. | Full-time |
| North Carolina | $13,951/year | $104/day | Hybrid |
| North Dakota | $537/month | $205/day | Part-time |
| Ohio | $69,876/year | No per diem is paid. | Full-time |
| Oklahoma | $47,500/year | $168/day | Hybrid |
| Oregon | $35,052/year | $157/day | Hybrid |
| Pennsylvania | $102,844.07/year | $181/day | Full-time |
| Rhode Island | $17,626.63/year | No per diem is paid. | Part-time |
| South Carolina | $10,400/year | $176/day | Hybrid |
| South Dakota | $14,778.60/year | $157/day for legislators who reside more than 50 miles away from the capitol | Part-time |
| Tennessee | $28,406/year | For legislators residing within 50 miles of the capitol: $79/day. For legislators residing more than 50 miles from the capitol: $313/day. | Hybrid |
| Texas | $7,200/year | $221/day | Hybrid |
| Utah | $293.55/legislative day | Per diem is reimbursed to state legislators when they submit receipts or turn in expense reports. | Part-time |
| Vermont | $811.68/week during session | $134/night for lodging and $69/day for meals | Part-time |
| Virginia | $18,000/year for senators. $17,640/year for delegates. | $209/day | Hybrid |
| Washington | $57,876/year | $190/day | Hybrid |
| West Virginia | $20,000/year | $75/day for members who commute daily. $175/day for members who do not commute daily. | Part-time |
| Wisconsin | $57,408/year | $140/day for senators. Dane County senators are allowed half that amount. $155.70/day (with overnight) or $77.85/day (no overnight) for representatives. Dane County representatives receive only $77.85/day. | Full-time |
| Wyoming | $150/day | $109/day | 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
External links
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 4.3 NCSL, "Full and Part-Time Legislatures," July 28, 2021 (See Table 2. Average Job Time, Compensation and Staff Size by Category of Legislature)
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2023 Legislator Compensation," August 11, 2023
- ↑ 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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