The average salary for a legislator in the United States is around $39,670 per year.
Avg Salary
Legislators earn an average yearly salary of $39,670.
Wages typically start from $17,625 and go up to $89,291.
26% below national average Updated in 2023
Legislator earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level legislator earnings begin at:
$42.93 per hour
$89,291 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level legislator earnings begin at:
$29.23 per hour
$60,800 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level legislator earnings begin at:
$19.07 per hour
$39,670 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level legislator earnings begin at:
$12.44 per hour
$25,884 per year
10th percentile
Starting level legislator earnings begin at:
$8.47 per hour
$17,625 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Legislator salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $96,790 |
| New York | $92,570 |
| North Dakota | $72,840 |
| Hawaii | $61,610 |
| Colorado | $59,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $59,000 |
| California | $58,610 |
| Delaware | $54,550 |
| Alaska | $50,400 |
| Maryland | $48,460 |
| Florida | $45,960 |
| Montana | $45,200 |
| Connecticut | $38,390 |
| Oregon | $38,190 |
| Texas | $38,190 |
| Arizona | $38,040 |
| Oklahoma | $38,040 |
| New Jersey | $37,660 |
| Ohio | $36,940 |
| Wisconsin | $36,850 |
| Nevada | $36,340 |
| Minnesota | $36,050 |
| Iowa | $35,970 |
| Wyoming | $35,600 |
| Virginia | $30,130 |
| Indiana | $28,310 |
| West Virginia | $23,750 |
| Nebraska | $23,070 |
| Utah | $23,070 |
| Arkansas | $22,880 |
| Missouri | $21,870 |
| New Mexico | $21,840 |
| Tennessee | $20,210 |
| Rhode Island | $20,100 |
| Michigan | $19,610 |
| Illinois | $19,600 |
| Mississippi | $18,880 |
| Idaho | $18,480 |
| Alabama | $17,840 |
| Louisiana | $17,840 |
| South Carolina | $17,610 |
| New Hampshire | $17,600 |
| Georgia | $17,560 |
| Kansas | $17,420 |
How do legislator salaries compare to similar careers?
Legislators earn 6% less than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than police officers but more than correctional officers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Police officer salary | $58K |
| Detective salary | $55K |
| Private detective salary | $58K |
| Bailiff salary | $53K |
| Arbitrator salary | $49K |
| Legislator salary | $40K |
| Paralegal salary | $44K |
| Sheriff salary | $43K |
| Probation officer salary | $39K |
| Correctional officer salary | $39K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)