How much money do U.S. senators make?

U.S. lawmakers person travel a agelong measurement since making $6 a time successful 1789, but their six-figure yearly net has remained stiff successful clip since 2009. 

The existent yearly net for a U.S. legislator — arsenic good arsenic members of nan U.S. House of Representatives — is $174,000. The government-paid salary, group successful 2009, reflects a $4,700 salary bump from 2008, but has not been raised since. 

Nevertheless, nan income is still much than double nan median family income which presently stands astatine $82,207, according to MotioResearch. 

By comparison, mostly and number leaders successful some chambers person $193,400. The speaker of nan House receives $223,500 annually.

Unlike individuals successful different professions, Congress fundamentally has nonstop power complete nan net of its members, successful nan consciousness that immoderate raise aliases alteration successful personnel compensation must beryllium "ascertained by Law" according to Article I, Section 6  of nan U.S. Constitution. Checks and balances successful nan legislative process surrounding compensation, however, support members from giving themselves million-dollar salary raises each year. 

"A alteration successful net must beryllium done via a measure aliases associated resolution, some of which are presented to nan President for a signature. Thus, nan President could veto a measure changing Members' salaries if he thought it inappropriate," explains a 2019 study from nan Congressional Institute. 

That said, possibly nan astir powerful protection against inflated salaries successful Congress is nan ballot box, and nan voting public's wide skepticism toward increases successful Senate pay.

"Members cognize constituents are skeptical of legislature salary increases, truthful they dislike voting for them," according to nan Congressional Institute. 

Do senators get a costs of surviving adjustment?

In spite of nationalist scrutiny, Congress has managed to support itself among nan highest paying professions. 

After nationalist outrage quashed a brash attempt by Congress to summation personnel salary by 51% successful early 1989, a much humble hike of 10% was passed done The Ethics Reform Act of 1989, signed into rule by President George Bush connected Nov. 30, 1989. 

Described by CQ Almanac astatine nan clip arsenic "the astir sweeping rewrite of nan legislature codification of behaviour successful 12 years," nan authorities allowed salaries for legislature members to scope $125,000 successful 1991, a astir 40% summation from nan $89,500 net that had been group successful 1987.

The morals betterment besides established an yearly automatic cost-of-living accommodation (COLA) for members of Congress based connected nan erstwhile year's Employment Cost Index, an summation they person refused since 2009 — apt to avoid blowback from voters. 

If Congress had accepted each of those increases complete nan years, their yearly net would person reached $208,000 successful 2023, arsenic previously reported by CBS News. Meanwhile, a study by Congressional Research Service  estimates senators are really making 29% little than they were successful 2009 because of inflation.

How able is nan emblematic senator?

But salary raises tin travel successful little evident forms, specified arsenic subsidies. As reported past January by nan New York Times, a proviso passed by Congress successful precocious 2022 allowed lawmakers to declare reimbursements for gas, nutrient and lodging while connected charismatic business successful Washington — nan balanced of a $34,000 tax-free salary raise, according to nan Times.  

Most U.S. senators built their fortunes earlier becoming members of Congress, according to Investopedia. A 2019 financial disclosure showed that half of nan members of Congress were millionaires, according to Open Secrets. Senators are required by Ethics successful Government Act of 1978 to disclose their financial assets each year.

Multi-millionaires successful nan U.S. Senate including Sen. Rick Scott, Republican of Florida, whose nett worthy is estimated to beryllium astir $548 million, according to Quiver Quantitative. Sen. Mark Warner, Democrat of Virginia, and Mitt Romney, Republican of Utah, follow, each pinch an estimated nett worthy of $245 cardinal an $234 cardinal respectively. 

Still, pinch each twelvemonth nan Senate rejects a COLA accommodation for its members, nan statement for salary raises heats up successful their favor.