How wealthy are your representatives? Here are the richest in Congress

Since 2009, members of the U.S. Congress and Senate have received an annual salary of $174,000. This is significantly lower than the $400,000 earned by the President and the $235,000 salary of the Vice President.

Income inequalities in seeking public office in the US

These figures far exceed the average American worker’s income, which, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is approximately $62,200 annually. However, many members of Congress earned substantially more before entering public service. Experts in campaign finance reform often highlight concerns that personal wealth can offer a major advantage in running for office, creating barriers for those who may not be able to afford the financial demands of a campaign.

Mira Ortegon, writing for the Brennan Center for Justice, cites the experiences of Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Congressman Maxwell Frost, both elected to the House in their twenties. “As a former bartender, [Ocasio-Cortez] has been outspoken about the hurdles facing candidates for office who are young, working class, and people of color,” Ortegon writes.

While Ocasio-Cortez saw much of her savings depleted during her campaign, Frost ended up in credit card debt after maxing out several cards to fund his run. “After winning his race, [Frost] struggled to get an apartment in Washington because of his lack of savings and low credit score,” Ortegon explains, underscoring the financial disparities among those who make it to Congress.

Capitol Hill’s richest members

Unlike Frost and Ocasio-Cortez, there are many officials—on both sides of the aisle—who were independently wealthy before arriving in Washington. You can search for the net worth of your congressperson or senators on Quiver Quantitative, which maintains a live tracker of changes in wealth for officials on Capitol Hill.

West Virginia Senator James C. Justice

West Virginia Senator Jim Justice, a Republican, is, according to Quiver Quantitative, the wealthiest member of the United States Senate, with an estimated net worth of $664.2 million as of August 2025.

Justice was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2024, after serving two terms as Governor of West Virginia. According to Forbes, he was once considered a billionaire, having inherited a massive coal business from his father. However, in March 2021, it was revealed that Justice owed nearly $850 million to Greensill Capital, which significantly reduced his net worth. Further investigations by the financial outlet revealed additional liabilities, leading researchers to suggest that Justice may actually be among the poorest, with more than $1 billion in liabilities, including personally guaranteed loans, court judgments, and environmental obligations.

This is particularly striking given that less than a decade ago, he was widely considered the wealthiest man in West Virginia, thanks to his coal and real estate holdings—including the Greenbrier Resort. This historic property has hosted both LIV Golf and PGA Tour events.

Indiana Congressman Jefferson Shreve

Congressman Jefferson Shreve, a Republican, represents Indiana’s 6th congressional district and was elected in 2024. Before joining Congress, he had served on the Indianapolis City Council.

Shreve founded Storage Express, which he sold to Extra Space Storage in 2022 for $590 million. As a part of the deal, he was given a seat on Extra Space Storage’s board of directors. Quiver Quantitative estimates Shreve’s net worth to be $600.48 million.

Florida Senator Rick Scott

Much of this wealth was accumulated during their time in the private sector. According to Quiver Quantitative, Florida Senator Rick Scott is currently the wealthiest member of Congress, with an estimated net worth of $500.43 million.

In the 1990s, Scott oversaw the merger of two healthcare companies that became Columbia/HCA, the largest for-profit healthcare company in the U.S. He stepped down as CEO and chairman in 1997 after the FBI began investigating the company for fraud and misconduct.

A 2003 Department of Justice press release described the resulting settlement with Columbia/HCA as “the most comprehensive health care fraud investigation ever undertaken.” The company paid $1.7 billion in total penalties, including $631 million in civil damages. Of that, $356 million resolved whistleblower lawsuits alleging schemes to defraud Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE through manipulated hospital cost reports.

Despite this history, Scott successfully entered politics, winning the Florida governorship in 2010 and later a seat in the U.S. Senate. In the Senate, he has been a vocal advocate for cutting social spending. He supported measures in the “One Big Beautiful Bill” aimed at reducing Medicaid costs, framing them as efforts to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse.

Interestingly, none of the proposed reforms targeted healthcare companies. Instead, they focused on restricting eligibility for Medicaid—such as eliminating coverage for able-bodied adults under 65—and increasing administrative hurdles for beneficiaries.

California Congressman Darrel Issa

Republican Congressman Darrell Issa, who represents California’s 48th Congressional District, is, according to OpenSecrets, the wealthiest member of the House—though a net worth calculation for Congressman Jefferson Shreve has not yet been made publicly available by that organization.

OpenSecrets estimated Issa’s net worth at $326 million in 2017. However, more recent analysis from Quiver Quantitative places his current net worth closer to $282.7 million, as of August 2025.

Much of Issa’s fortune can be tied to his work in the private sector in the car security industry, where he worked for companies that supplied car alarms to some of the largest car companies in the US, including Ford.

California Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi

In fifth place on Quiver Quantitative’s list of wealthiest members of Congress is our first Democrat: Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi. Of those ranked, she has served in government the longest, having been elected to Congress in 1987.

Quiver estimates Pelosi’s net worth at $264.47 million. Since 2014, the S&P 500 has increased by approximately 243%, while Pelosi’s portfolio has reportedly grown by a staggering 741%. The sharp discrepancy between the market average and her portfolio’s performance is frequently cited by critics as evidence that she may be using privileged information to guide her investment strategy.

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