A rank-and-file member of Congress makes $174,000 a year, a figure that has not changed since 2009.1Congress.gov. Congressional Salaries and Allowances: In Brief The Speaker of the House earns $223,500, and other top leaders earn $193,400.2House Radio-Television Gallery. Salaries On top of salary, every member gets a federal pension, access to the Thrift Savings Plan, health coverage subsidized by the government, and a separate office budget that can run past $1.9 million a year.
Base Pay for Senators and Representatives
Senators, representatives, delegates, and the resident commissioner from Puerto Rico all earn the same $174,000 base salary. That covers almost everyone in Congress, since only a handful of members hold the leadership posts that pay more.
Members pay the same federal income tax, Social Security tax, and Medicare tax as any other salaried worker. There is no special exemption for congressional service.
Leadership Salaries
- Speaker of the House: $223,500 per year, the highest salary in the legislative branch.
- Majority and minority leaders in the House and Senate: $193,400 per year.
- President pro tempore of the Senate: $193,400 per year.
Leadership pay is caught by the same annual freeze that applies to everyone else, so these figures have also been locked in place since 2009.
Why the Salary Has Not Changed Since 2009
Under 2 U.S.C. § 4501, congressional pay is supposed to adjust automatically each year based on the Employment Cost Index, a measure of private-sector wage growth.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 2 USC 4501 – Compensation of Members of Congress That adjustment has been blocked every year since 2009 through language inserted into annual appropriations bills. The most recent freeze was extended through Public Law 119-4, signed in March 2025.4U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Continued Pay Freeze for Certain Senior Political Officials The FY2026 legislative branch appropriations bills in both chambers also include language that would block the January 2026 adjustment, which would have been a 3.2% increase worth about $5,600.
The Twenty-Seventh Amendment adds another constraint. Even if Congress voted itself a raise, the change could not take effect until after the next election of representatives.5Congress.gov. Overview of the Twenty-Seventh Amendment Between that rule and the political optics of voting for a raise, the freeze has held for more than 16 years.
Pension and Retirement Savings
Members participate in the Federal Employees Retirement System, but with a more generous pension formula than most federal workers. For each of the first 20 years of service, a member accrues 1.7% of their highest three consecutive years of salary. After 20 years, the rate drops to 1% per year.6GovInfo. Benefits for Members of Congress, Congressional Staff, and Other Federal Employees In exchange, members contribute a larger share of their paycheck toward the pension than a typical federal employee does.
A former member can begin collecting an annuity at age 62 with at least five years of service, at age 50 with at least 20 years, or at any age after 25 years of service.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 5 USC 8412 – Immediate Retirement Someone who leaves earlier with at least 10 years of service can collect a reduced annuity once they hit the minimum retirement age.
In real numbers, a member who serves 20 years at the current $174,000 salary would receive roughly $59,200 a year in pension benefits. A 30-year veteran would receive about $76,600.8Congress.gov. Retirement Benefits for Members of Congress
Thrift Savings Plan
On top of the pension, members can save through the Thrift Savings Plan, the federal government’s version of a 401(k). The government automatically puts 1% of a member’s basic pay into a traditional TSP account whether the member contributes or not. If the member does contribute, the government matches dollar-for-dollar on the first 3% of pay and 50 cents on the dollar on the next 2%, so a member who contributes at least 5% captures a full 5% government match.9Government Publishing Office. Thrift Savings Plan
In 2026, the elective deferral limit for the TSP is $24,500, with additional catch-up contributions available at age 50 and older.10Thrift Savings Plan. Contribution Types
Health and Life Insurance
Members buy health insurance through the Small Business Health Options Program in the DC Health Link exchange rather than through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program that covers most other government workers.11U.S. Office of Personnel Management. How Will Members of Congress and Designated Staff Obtain Health Coverage The arrangement was set up under the Affordable Care Act so legislators use the same marketplace they created. The government still contributes toward premiums as an employer.
Members also have access to the Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance program. Basic coverage equals annual salary rounded up to the next $1,000, plus an additional $2,000, and members can buy optional supplemental coverage at their own expense.
Office Allowance Is Not Personal Income
Each House member receives a separate budget to run their office, called the Members’ Representational Allowance. In 2024, individual MRA levels ranged from about $1.85 million to $2.09 million, averaging roughly $1.93 million.12Congress.gov. Members’ Representational Allowance: History and Usage Members from districts farther from Washington get more to cover travel. The Senate equivalent, the Senators’ Official Personnel and Office Expense Account, varies more widely based on state population.
These funds pay for staff salaries, district office rent, travel between the district and Washington, official mail, equipment, and supplies. None of it counts as personal income for the member, and it cannot legally be spent on personal expenses, campaign work, or anything outside official duties. Misuse can trigger an ethics investigation and potentially a criminal referral.
Outside Income They Can Add On Top
Federal rules cap a member’s outside earned income at 15% of the annual rate for Level II of the Executive Schedule.13eCFR. 5 CFR 2636.304 – The 15 Percent Limitation on Outside Earned Income In 2026, the Level II rate is $228,000, which puts the outside earned income ceiling at $34,200.14U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Salary Table No. 2026-EX
Some kinds of income are banned entirely. Members cannot accept honoraria for speeches, appearances, or articles.15U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics. Conflicts of Interest They cannot serve on a corporate board for pay, and they cannot practice a profession like law or medicine for compensation. Investment income from stocks, rental property, and similar assets does not count against the earned income cap, but it does need to be reported.
Under the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012, members must report any stock, bond, or commodities transaction over $1,000 within 45 days.16Congress.gov. S.2038 – STOCK Act Those periodic transaction reports are posted on the official House and Senate websites. Members also file annual disclosures listing assets, liabilities, income sources, and outside positions.
The Cost of Two Homes
One expense that surprises new members is keeping two residences. Congress provides no housing in Washington, and members cover their own rent, mortgage, and living expenses out of the $174,000 salary. Between DC-area rents and a home back in the district, the headline number goes less far than it sounds.
Federal tax rules soften the hit a little. Members who are away from their home state while Congress is in session can deduct living expenses for meals, lodging, and incidentals using a per-diem-based formula tied to the federal subsistence rate for Washington, DC, multiplied by the number of congressional working days in the tax year.17eCFR. 26 CFR 5e.274-8 – Travel Expenses of Members of Congress Members who own their DC residence use a reduced per diem, since mortgage interest and property taxes come off separately. The deduction does not cover the real cost of a second home, but it takes some of the sting out.