The White House Press Secretary is paid $195,200 a year, according to the Annual Report to Congress on White House Office Personnel dated July 1, 2025.1Executive Office of the President. Annual Report to Congress on White House Office Personnel That figure puts the Press Secretary at the top standard pay band inside the White House, tied with every other aide who carries the title “Assistant to the President.” The salary is set by the administration, paid from appropriated funds, and disclosed each year by law.
Where the Number Comes From
The salary is not a private figure. Under 3 U.S.C. § 113, the President has to send Congress an annual list of every White House Office employee, their title, and their exact pay.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 3 United States Code 113 – Personnel Report The July 2025 report lists Karoline Leavitt at $195,200 as “Assistant to the President and Press Secretary.”1Executive Office of the President. Annual Report to Congress on White House Office Personnel
The same role paid $180,000 under the Biden administration, per the July 2024 report.3The White House. 2024 July 1 Report to Congress on White House Office Personnel The increase reflects a periodic adjustment to top-tier White House pay rather than any change in the job’s duties.
How That Salary Fits Into White House Pay
White House staff are grouped into title-based tiers, and title drives salary. The Press Secretary sits in the highest standard band. The July 2025 report shows the structure:1Executive Office of the President. Annual Report to Congress on White House Office Personnel
- Assistant to the President — $195,200. Twenty-five staff members earn this amount, including the Chief of Staff and National Security Advisor.
- Deputy Assistant to the President — $155,000 to $175,000.
- Special Assistant to the President — $121,500 to $150,000.
A handful of employees appear in the report earning above $195,200. Those are detailees whose pay is governed by their home agency’s scale, not by the White House tiers.
Is There a Legal Ceiling?
Yes. Under 3 U.S.C. § 105, the President fixes White House Office pay subject to the Executive Schedule. The maximum rate is capped at Level II of the Executive Schedule, which stands at $228,000 for 2026. The current top-band salary of $195,200 sits below that ceiling, so the administration could raise it without new legislation. In practice, salaries move in modest increments across administrations.
There are no bonuses, no commissions, and no equity. A Press Secretary who handles a national crisis earns the same as one running a light news week. What the structure gives up in flexibility it gains in transparency: every figure is published and can be checked against the schedule.
Benefits On Top of the Salary
The base pay is only part of the package. The Press Secretary receives the standard federal benefits available to executive branch employees.
Health Insurance
The position is eligible for the Federal Employees Health Benefits program. The government pays roughly 72% of the weighted average premium, and for 2026 the maximum government contribution toward a self-and-family plan is about $1,686 a month.4U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Premiums The employee covers the rest through payroll deductions.
Retirement and TSP
Federal employees earn a FERS pension based on their highest three consecutive years of average salary and total years of creditable service. The standard formula pays 1% of that high-three per year of service, or 1.1% for those retiring at 62 or older with 20 or more years.5U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Computation Because most Press Secretaries serve only part of a term, the FERS benefit accrued in this specific role is usually small on its own.
The Thrift Savings Plan works like a government 401(k). The government automatically contributes 1% of pay and matches up to another 4%, which on a $195,200 salary works out to roughly $9,760 a year in employer contributions.6The Thrift Savings Plan. 2026 TSP Contribution Limits
Travel
Official travel is covered by the government: per diem, lodging, car rentals, and incidentals. Domestic official trips come out of the White House budget; foreign trips are paid by the State Department. Political travel is separate. On any trip that isn’t official business, the employee pays their own way.
Financial Disclosure That Comes With the Job
Anyone holding an “Assistant to the President” title has to file a public financial disclosure, OGE Form 278e, with the Office of Government Ethics. Filings are due within 30 days of taking the job, annually by May 15, and within 30 days of leaving.7U.S. Office of Government Ethics. OGE Form 278e – Overview The form covers outside positions, assets and income, employment agreements, liabilities, gifts, and travel reimbursements, and it generally sweeps in a spouse and dependent children. Filings more than 30 days late carry a $200 fee. The reports are public.
What Happens to Pay After Leaving
The salary ends on the last day, but restrictions do not. Under 18 U.S.C. § 207, senior White House staff face a two-year cooling-off period. During that window, a former official cannot knowingly communicate with or appear before executive branch officers or employees with the intent to influence official action on behalf of anyone other than the United States.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 United States Code 207 – Restrictions on Former Officers, Employees, and Elected Officials of the Executive and Legislative Branches The restriction covers appointees under 3 U.S.C. § 105(a)(2)(A), which includes the Press Secretary. A violation is a federal crime. That is why former Press Secretaries tend to move into media, books, or corporate communications rather than direct lobbying during those first two years.