What is the average salary of a member of the House of Representatives?
The House Press Gallery has a published list of the salary of all representatives as well as those of a number of other offices in the legislative branch.
With the midterm election drawing to a conclusion eyes will turn to the 435 new representatives due to take up their seats in the Capitol in 2023.
It is certainly a well-paid job. Most congressmen and women earn the exact same salary, which is currently $174,000 per year. This is the same for representatives as well as senators, despite representatives in the House only guaranteed to serve a two-year term when they win election instead of senators’ six years.
Regular representatives are paid $174,000 per year, while House Minority and Majority Leaders receive a salary of $193,400 per year.
Where the two chambers differ is in the role of the Speaker of the House, which is currently Democrat Rep. Nancy Pelosi. The Speaker receives a salary of $223,500 per year, while senators do not have a role like this.
The salary website also includes information for the previous pay of elected officials going back to 1789. Congressional salaries then were $6 per diem, Latin for per day. This salary lasted in similar form until 1855 , steadily growing since then. The last change in pay for Congressional figures was in 2009.