House Committee Staff Pay, Selected Positions, 2001-2025

Updated September 11, 2026 (R44322)
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Introduction
Data Concerns
Data Tables and Visualizations
House Committee Staff Pay Tables

Tables

Table 1. House Committee Staff Pay, Annual Maximums, 2001-2026
Table 2. 2025 Median Pay in 2026 Dollars, and Changes in Pay for Selected House Committee Staff, Members of Congress, and Selected General Schedule Employees
Table 3. Chief Clerk
Table 4. Chief Counsel
Table 5. Clerk
Table 6. Communications Director
Table 7. Counsel
Table 8. Deputy Staff Director
Table 9. General Counsel
Table 10. Minority Professional Staff Member
Table 11. Professional Staff Member
Table 12. Senior Counsel
Table 13. Senior Professional Staff Member
Table 14. Staff Assistant
Table 15. Staff Director
Table 16. Subcommittee Staff Director

Summary

The level of pay for congressional staff is a source of recurring interest among Members of Congress, congressional staff, and the public. There may be interest in congressional pay data from multiple perspectives, including assessment of the costs of congressional operations; guidance in setting pay levels for staff in committee offices; or comparison of congressional staff pay levels with those of other federal government pay systems.

This report provides pay data for the following 14 staff position titles that are used in House committees: Chief Clerk; Chief Counsel; Clerk; Communications Director; Counsel; Deputy Staff Director; General Counsel; Minority Professional Staff Member; Professional Staff Member; Senior Counsel; Senior Professional Staff Member; Staff Assistant; Staff Director; and Subcommittee Staff Director. The following table provides 2025 pay levels and the change in median pay levels for these positions in 2026 dollars, between 2024 and 2025.

2025 Median Pay and Percentage Change for Selected Staff Positions in House Committees, 2026 Dollars, and Percentage Change, 2024-2025

Position	2025 Pay, 2026$	Change, 2024-2025	Position	2025 Pay, 2026$	Change, 2024-2025
Chief Clerk	$169,625	13.25%	Minority Professional Staff Member	$103,657	-22.43%
Chief Counsel	$197,611	-1.87%	Professional Staff Member	$129,509	3.74%
Clerk	$96,955	-22.83%	Senior Counsel	$162,317	-1.99%
Communications Director	$178,736	2.75%	Senior Professional Staff Member	$174,664	10.44%
Counsel	$149,718	-1.67%	Staff Assistant	$69,910	-1.32%
Deputy Staff Director	$221,092	-0.24%	Staff Director	$228,032	1.97%
General Counsel	$212,746	-3.64%	Subcommittee Staff Director	$196,982	0.54%

Source: Statement of Disbursements of the House, as collated by LegiStorm, various years, and CRS calculations based on the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the first half of 2026. "—" indicates no data available.

Report tables provide aggregate statistics on pay for each staff position for 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, and 2021-2025, including quartiles, median pay, and average pay, based on available data. Graphic displays are also included, providing representations of pay from the following two perspectives:

a line graph showing change in median pay, 2001-2025, in nominal (current) and 2026 dollars; and
distributions of 2025 pay in 2026 dollars, in $10,000 increments.

Other data, which may not represent the entire 2001-2025 period, are available to congressional staff upon request.

The Congressional Research Service provides a number of products on congressional staffing matters. These include CRS Report R44323, Staff Pay, Selected Positions in House Member Offices, 2001-2025; CRS Report R44324, Staff Pay, Selected Positions in Senators' Offices, FY2001-FY2025; CRS Report R44325, Senate Committee Staff Pay, Selected Positions, FY2001-FY2025; and CRS Report R46262, Congressional Staff: Duties and Qualifications Identified by Members of Congress for Selected Positions.

Introduction

Levels of pay for congressional staff are a source of recurring interest among Members of Congress, congressional staff, and the public. In House committees, the chair and ranking member set the terms and conditions of employment for majority and minority staff, respectively. This includes job titles and descriptions, as well as rates of pay, subject to maximum levels.¹ There may be interest in congressional pay data from multiple perspectives, including assessment of the costs of congressional operations; guidance in setting pay levels for staff in committee offices; consideration by staff when negotiating compensation for a new position or promotion; or comparison of congressional staff pay levels with those of other federal government pay systems.

Publicly available information sources do not provide aggregated congressional staff pay data in a readily retrievable form. Pay² information in this report is based on the House Statement of Disbursements (SOD), published quarterly by the Chief Administrative Officer,³ as collated by LegiStorm, a private entity that provides some congressional data by subscription.⁴ Data in this report are based on official House reports, which afford the opportunity to use consistently collected data from a single, authoritative source. Additionally, this report provides annual data, which allows for observations about the nature of House committee staff compensation over time.

This report provides pay data for 14 staff position titles that are used in House committees, and for which sufficient data could be identified. The positions include the following:

Chief Clerk	Deputy Staff Director	Senior Professional Staff Member
Chief Counsel	General Counsel	Staff Assistant
Clerk	Minority Professional Staff Member	Staff Director
Communications Director	Professional Staff Member	Subcommittee Staff Director
Counsel	Senior Counsel

When committees had more than two staff members with the same job title, data for no more than two staff per committee were collected. House committee staff had to hold a position with the same job title on the same committee for the entire year examined and not receive pay from any other congressional employing authority for their data to be included. Every recorded payment ascribed in the LegiStorm data to those staff for the year is tabulated. Data collected for this report may differ from an employee's stated annual salary due to the inclusion of overtime, bonuses, or other payments in addition to base salary paid in the course of a year.

The Congressional Research Service provides a number of products on congressional staffing matters. These include CRS Report R44323, Staff Pay, Selected Positions in House Member Offices, 2001-2025; CRS Report R44324, Staff Pay, Selected Positions in Senators' Offices, FY2001-FY2023; CRS Report R44325, Senate Committee Staff Pay, Selected Positions, FY2001-FY2025; and CRS Report R46262, Congressional Staff: Duties and Qualifications Identified by Members of Congress for Selected Positions.

Data Concerns

Data presented here are subject to some challenges that could affect findings presented or their interpretation. Some of the concerns include the following:

Given the large number of positions in committees with titles held by one House employee, data provided here almost certainly do not represent all the jobs carried out by House committee staff.
The way staff titles are assigned might have implications regarding the representativeness of the data provided. Of positions for which data were collected, two broad categories emerge. The first category identifies position titles that usually appear to apply to one staff member per committee.⁵ Since almost all available data were collected for those positions, pay information provided is likely to be highly representative of what House committees pay staff in those positions. The second category includes positions for which committees might hire two or more staff members.⁶ Since pay data were collected for no more than two staff per committee for each position, it is more likely that data for those positions are a sample of staff in those positions rather than nearly complete data. Those data may be less closely representative of what all staff in those positions are paid.
Pay data provide no insight into the education, work experience, position tenure, and full- or part-time status of staff, or other potential explanations for levels of compensation.
Differences might exist in the job duties of staff in positions with the same title. Aggregation of pay by job title rests on the assumption that staff with the same title carry out the same or similar tasks. Given the wide discretion congressional employing authorities have in setting the terms and conditions of employment, there may be differences in the duties of similarly titled staff that could affect their levels of pay.

Data Tables and Visualizations

Tables in this section provide background information on House pay practices, comparative data for each position, and detailed data and visualizations for each position. Constant dollar calculations throughout the report are based on the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), various years, expressed in 2026 dollars.⁷

Table 1 provides the maximum payable rates for House committee staff since 2001 in both nominal (current) and 2026 dollars.

Table 2 provides 2025 pay levels in median pay in 2026 dollars and percentage changes for each of the 14 positions; for Members of Congress; and for salaries paid under the General Schedule in Washington, DC, and surrounding areas and in the Rest of the United States (RUS) area.

Table 3 through Table 16 provide available tabular pay data for each staff position for 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, and 2021-2025, including data distributed by quartile, median pay, and average pay. Staff pay tables also provide a comparison, at various intervals to 2025, based on data availability, of the cumulative percentage change in median pay for that position, in 2026 dollars.

Graphic displays are also included for each position, providing representations of pay from the following two perspectives:

distributions of 2025 pay in 2026 dollars, in $10,000 increments; and
a line graph showing changes in median pay, 2001-2025 (or available data), in nominal (current) and 2026 dollars.

House Committee Staff Pay Tables

Table 1. House Committee Staff Pay, Annual Maximums, 2001-2026

Year	Nominal $	2026 $	Year	Nominal $	2026 $
2001	$143,600	$268,165	2014	$172,500	$240,985
2002	$148,500	$272,999	2015	$172,500	$240,700
2003	$153,200	$275,364	2016	$172,500	$237,701
2004	$156,600	$274,174	2017	$172,500	$232,743
2005	$160,600	$271,962	2018	$172,500	$227,194
2006	$163,700	$268,549	2019	$172,500	$223,150
2007	$163,700	$261,112	2020	$173,900	$222,220
2008	$167,800	$257,755	2021	$199,300	$243,249
2009	$172,500	$265,921	2022	$203,700	$230,198
2010	$172,500	$261,630	2023	$212,100	$230,214
2011	$172,500	$253,624	2024	$212,100	$233,618
2012	$172,500	$248,482	2025	$225,700	$230,346
2013	$172,500	$244,895	2026	$228,000	$228,000

Source: 2 U.S.C. 4532 note, CRS calculations based on the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the first half of 2026.

Interpreting Pay Tables: Statistics Describing Pay Data

For each year that data are available, statistical values for staff positions are included in Table 3 through Table 16, including the following:

Minimum & Maximum	The smallest and largest pay level, respectively, for each position
Average (Mean)	The mean is the average of a list of numbers, in which the sum of all the values is divided by the total number of values. For example, if three salaries, $30,000, $45,000, and $90,000, were identified for a given staff position, the average (mean) would be ($30,000 + $45,000 + $90,000) ÷ 3 = $55,000.
Median	The midpoint at which half of the numbers in a list are higher and the other half lower. For example, if three salaries, $30,000, $45,000, and $90,000, were identified for a given staff position, the midpoint (median) would be $45,000.
Statistical Quartiles	Statistical values that divide data into quarters for more detailed analysis. In a list of numbers, Quartile 1 (Q1) is a number that falls in the middle between the lowest number, or minimum, and the median. For example, if Q1 for a given staff position was $50,000, this would indicate that 25% of employees in that position make $50,000 or less. Quartile 2 (Q2) is also the median. Quartile 3 (Q3) is a number that falls in the middle between the median and the highest number in the list, or maximum. Numbers between Q1 and Q3 compose the interquartile range, the difference between the largest and smallest values in the middle 50% of a list of numbers. Quartiles might also be described as percentiles, as shown below.

Statistical Measures Used in Pay Tables

Minimum	Quartile 1 (Q1)	Quartile 2 (Q2) Median	Quartile 3 (Q3)	Maximum	Average
Lowest number in a list	25^th Percentile	50^th Percentile	75^th percentile	Highest number in a list	The mean, or number expressing the central value in a set of data
	25% of staff make less than Q1	50% of staff make less than Q2	75% of staff make less than Q3
	Middle number between Minimum and Median	Median—midpoint at which half of the numbers in a list are higher and the other half lower	Middle number between Median and Maximum
	Lower Quartile	Interquartile Range = Q3-Q1	Upper Quartile

Table 2. 2025 Median Pay in 2026 Dollars, and Changes in Pay for Selected House Committee Staff, Members of Congress, and Selected General Schedule Employees

	2025 Pay, 2026$	2024- 2025	2021- 2025	2016- 2025	2011- 2025	2006- 2025	2001- 2025
Chief Clerk	$169,625	13.25%	—	—	—	—	—
Chief Counsel	$197,611	-1.87%	-7.35%	-10.42%	-16.10%	-20.88%	-11.15%
Clerk	$96,955	-22.83%	-3.61%	12.58%	—	—	—
Communications Director	$178,736	2.75%	3.22%	2.94%	17.80%	-5.79%	—
Counsel	$149,718	-1.67%	-1.87%	11.39%	-10.16%	-21.08%	0.41%
Deputy Staff Director	$221,092	-0.24%	2.15%	-5.62%	-11.29%	—	—
General Counsel	$212,746	-3.64%	-0.40%	—	—	—	—
Minority Prof. Staff Member	$103,657	-22.43%	-26.79%	-28.77%	—	-26.98%	-37.51%
Professional Staff Member	$129,509	3.74%	-1.17%	14.31%	-2.50%	-23.47%	-13.77%
Senior Counsel	$162,317	-1.99%	-6.09%	-11.10%	-27.72%	—	—
Senior Professional Staff Mbr.	$174,664	10.44%	-5.23%	13.26%	—	-14.54%	-20.34%
Staff Assistant	$69,910	-1.32%	-7.86%	42.44%	2.28%	0.27%	-11.10%
Staff Director	$228,032	1.97%	5.02%	-4.07%	-6.96%	-14.68%	-14.69%
Subcommittee Staff Director	$196,982	0.54%	15.18%	6.75%	-14.57%	-11.32%	-8.54%
Congressional Staff Positions Pay Change Summary
Increase		6	4	7	2	1	2
Decrease		8	9	5	7	8	6
Members of Congress, General Schedule Pay Change
MCs	$178,746	-2.56%	-15.83%	-25.45%	-30.13%	-34.04%	-34.03%
General Schedule, DC	Varies	-0.40%	-2.12%	-2.45%	-5.38%	-2.39%	4.93%
General Schedule, RUS	Varies	-0.70%	-3.74%	-6.96%	-10.01%	-10.91%	-6.12%

Source: CRS calculations, based on data provided in Table 3-Table 16 for congressional positions; CRS Report 97-1011, Salaries of Members of Congress: Recent Actions and Historical Tables, for Members of Congress; and the Office of Personnel Management for federal civilian workers in the District of Columbia and surrounding areas and rest of the U.S. localities, various years. Nominal Member pay in 2026 is $174,000. General Schedule pay for individuals varies by grade, step, and locality, but percentage changes are consistent within each locality. "—" indicates no data available. 2026 dollars are based on Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the first half of 2026.

Table 3. Chief Clerk

Nominal, Current $

Constant, 2026 $

Year

Minimum

Q2, Median

Maximum

Average

Minimum

Q2, Median

Maximum

Average

2024

$70,000

$84,910

$142,065

$162,373

$212,100

$133,538

$73,801

$89,521

$149,780

$171,191

$223,618

$140,790

2025

$127,500

$149,931

$166,204

$183,808

$210,233

$167,535

$130,124

$153,017

$169,625

$187,592

$214,561

$170,984

Change

2024-2025

13.25%

Dollars in figures are in thousands.

Source: Statement of Disbursements of the House, as collated by LegiStorm, various years, and CRS calculations, In the visualizations, position pay information based on 2026 dollars in thousands of dollars, or change in those levels, is presented in solid teal. "—" indicates no data available. 2026 dollars are based on Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the first half of 2026.

Table 4. Chief Counsel

Nominal, Current $

Constant 2026 $

Year

Minimum

Q2, Median

Maximum

Average

Minimum

Q2, Median

Maximum

Average

2001

$114,529

$116,473

$119,093

$122,329

$126,123

$119,709

$213,876

$217,506

$222,399

$228,443

$235,527

$223,550

2006

$131,188

$140,679

$152,250

$158,147

$161,997

$149,070

$215,213

$230,784

$249,765

$259,440

$265,755

$244,549

2011

$156,400

$159,130

$160,188

$167,344

$170,696

$162,890

$229,952

$233,966

$235,522

$246,044

$250,971

$239,495

2016

$138,500

$148,350

$160,089

$164,061

$172,500

$157,102

$190,850

$204,422

$220,599

$226,072

$237,701

$216,483

Most Recent Five Years

2021

$169,911

$171,915

$174,748

$176,179

$179,600

$174,439

$207,379

$209,826

$213,283

$215,029

$219,205

$212,906

2022

$155,000

$174,500

$181,425

$187,557

$195,042

$179,469

$175,163

$197,199

$205,025

$211,955

$220,413

$202,815

2023

$170,000

$182,803

$183,437

$193,558

$199,889

$185,732

$184,518

$198,415

$199,103

$210,089

$216,960

$201,593

2024

$181,989

$186,166

$191,000

$200,681

$208,058

$193,426

$191,872

$196,276

$201,372

$211,579

$219,357

$203,930

2025

$183,169

$193,000

$193,626

$202,558

$221,242

$198,719

$186,939

$196,972

$197,611

$206,727

$225,795

$202,809

Change

2024-2025

-1.87%

2021-2025

-7.35%

2016-2025

-10.42%

2011-2025

-16.10%

2006-2025

-20.88%

2001-2025

-11.15%

Dollars in figures
are in thousands.

Source: Statement of Disbursements of the House, as collated by LegiStorm, various years, and CRS calculations. Percentage change is based on change in median pay for the periods noted. In the visualizations, position pay information based on 2026 dollars in thousands of dollars, or change in those levels, is presented in solid teal. 2026 dollars are based on Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the first half of 2026.

Table 5. Clerk

Nominal, Current $

Constant 2026 $

Year

Minimum

Q2, Median

Maximum

Average

Minimum

Q2, Median

Maximum

Average

2016

$35,250

$46,750

$62,500

$148,049

$170,696

$91,643

$48,574

$64,420

$86,123

$204,008

$235,215

$126,282

Most Recent Five Years

2021

$48,750

$67,313

$82,417

$107,904

$176,617

$96,883

$59,500

$82,156

$100,591

$131,699

$215,564

$118,248

2022

$54,400

$80,650

$92,971

$112,897

$207,963

$109,133

$61,476

$91,141

$105,065

$127,582

$235,015

$123,330

2023

—

2024

$68,072

$81,938

$119,167

$153,940

$205,333

$125,025

$71,769

$86,387

$125,638

$162,300

$216,484

$131,815

2025

$58,603

$82,500

$95,000

$136,958

$201,652

$113,255

$59,809

$84,198

$96,955

$139,777

$205,803

$115,587

Change

2024-2025

-22.83%

2021-2025

-3.61%

2016-2025

12.58%

Dollars in figures
are in thousands.

Table 6. Communications Director

Nominal, Current $

Constant 2026 $

Year

Minimum

Q2, Median

Maximum

Average

Minimum

Q2, Median

Maximum

Average

2006

$56,250

$93,074

$115,647

$131,109

$154,083

$111,987

$92,278

$152,688

$189,718

$215,084

$252,772

$183,714

2011

$79,356

$95,375

$103,197

$116,706

$133,889

$106,634

$116,675

$140,228

$151,729

$171,590

$196,855

$156,782

2016

$91,000

$104,050

$126,000

$147,813

$168,411

$129,035

$125,396

$143,378

$173,625

$203,682

$232,066

$177,808

Most Recent Five Years

2021

$107,000

$127,980

$141,875

$151,439

$170,000

$139,047

$130,595

$156,202

$173,161

$184,835

$207,488

$169,710

2022

$105,683

$140,792

$157,100

$164,313

$182,667

$152,821

$119,431

$159,106

$177,536

$185,687

$206,428

$172,701

2023

$109,695

$155,428

$167,492

$185,900

$199,889

$167,162

$119,063

$168,702

$181,796

$201,776

$216,960

$181,438

2024

$116,000

$144,200

$165,000

$174,627

$206,033

$163,220

$122,299

$152,031

$173,960

$184,110

$217,222

$172,084

2025

$137,587

$156,342

$175,132

$186,210

$217,950

$174,595

$140,419

$159,559

$178,736

$190,043

$222,436

$178,189

Change

2024-2025

2.75%

2021-2025

3.22%

2016-2025

2.94%

2011-2025

17.80%

2006-2025

-5.79%

Dollars in figures
are in thousands.

Table 7. Counsel

Nominal, Current $

Constant 2026 $

Year

Minimum

Q2, Median

Maximum

Average

Minimum

Q2, Median

Maximum

Average

2001

$45,930

$62,958

$79,848

$94,407

$139,559

$82,257

$85,772

$117,571

$149,112

$176,300

$260,618

$153,611

2006

$56,250

$93,074

$115,647

$131,109

$154,083

$111,987

$92,278

$152,688

$189,718

$215,084

$252,772

$183,714

2011

$89,333

$99,290

$113,347

$121,114

$142,015

$112,227

$131,345

$145,984

$166,652

$178,071

$208,803

$165,006

2016

$47,500

$75,533

$97,542

$118,788

$145,833

$98,638

$65,454

$104,083

$134,410

$163,686

$200,955

$135,921

Most Recent Five Years

2021

$76,305

$91,201

$125,000

$130,000

$145,000

$114,291

$93,132

$111,312

$152,565

$158,668

$176,975

$139,494

2022

$67,500

$113,672

$134,854

$145,198

$187,139

$132,735

$76,281

$128,458

$152,396

$164,086

$211,482

$150,002

2023

$101,663

$106,444

$131,083

$142,403

$186,773

$129,881

$110,345

$115,534

$142,278

$154,564

$202,724

$140,973

2024

$77,000

$133,131

$144,417

$154,973

$190,000

$141,269

$81,182

$140,360

$152,259

$163,389

$200,318

$148,940

2025

$94,398

$141,687

$146,699

$159,532

$200,806

$148,203

$96,341

$144,604

$149,718

$162,815

$204,939

$151,254

Change

2024-2025

-1.67%

2021-2025

-1.87%

2016-2025

11.39%

2011-2025

-10.16%

2006-2025

-21.08%

2001-2025

0.41%

Dollars in figures
are in thousands.

Table 8. Deputy Staff Director

Nominal, Current $

Constant 2026 $

Year

Minimum

Q2, Median

Maximum

Average

Minimum

Q2, Median

Maximum

Average

2011

$80,000

$154,584

$169,516

$170,696

$172,500

$152,038

$117,623

$227,282

$249,236

$250,971

$253,624

$223,539

2016

$116,000

$153,281

$170,000

$170,696

$172,500

$160,276

$159,845

$211,218

$234,256

$235,215

$237,701

$220,856

Most Recent Five Years

2021

$161,158

$173,411

$177,325

$183,900

$184,483

$176,056

$196,697

$211,651

$216,429

$224,453

$225,165

$214,879

2022

$165,000

$183,435

$189,428

$199,367

$208,583

$188,697

$186,463

$207,296

$214,069

$225,301

$235,716

$213,243

2023

$151,804

$204,165

$207,779

$211,365

$212,100

$201,366

$164,768

$221,601

$225,524

$229,416

$230,214

$218,563

2024

$76,333

$201,947

$210,208

$212,100

$198,548

$80,479

$212,914

$221,624

$223,618

$209,330

2025

$153,150

$206,900

$216,633

$224,000

$225,700

$207,415

$156,302

$211,159

$221,092

$228,611

$230,346

$211,684

Change

2024-2025

-0.24%

2021-2025

2.15%

2016-2025

-5.62%

2011-2025

-11.29%

Dollars in figures
are in thousands.

Table 9. General Counsel

Nominal, Current $

Constant 2026 $

Year

Minimum

Q2, Median

Maximum

Average

Minimum

Q2, Median

Maximum

Average

2021

$169,000

$173,764

$175,000

$178,948

$184,483

$176,272

$206,268

$212,082

$213,591

$218,410

$225,165

$215,144

2022

$117,578

$184,167

$185,889

$195,951

$202,233

$182,467

$132,873

$208,123

$210,070

$221,441

$228,540

$206,203

2023

$180,250

$188,480

$190,871

$194,904

$202,793

$191,453

$195,644

$204,577

$207,171

$211,549

$220,112

$207,803

2024

$194,033

$201,050

$209,402

$212,100

$205,197

$204,570

$211,968

$220,774

$223,618

$216,341

2025

$135,132

$200,317

$208,456

$218,037

$219,350

$199,949

$137,913

$204,440

$212,746

$222,525

$223,865

$204,065

Change

2024-2025

-3.64%

2021-2025

-0.40%

Dollars in figures
are in thousands.

Table 10. Minority Professional Staff Member

Nominal, Current $

Constant, 2026 $

Year

Minimum

Q2, Median

Maximum

Average

Minimum

Q2, Median

Maximum

Average

2001

$73,667

$83,724

$88,827

$107,333

$139,559

$95,925

$137,568

$156,351

$165,880

$200,439

$260,618

$179,134

2006

$77,333

$79,140

$86,530

$91,687

$95,000

$85,913

$126,865

$129,829

$141,952

$150,413

$155,847

$140,940

2011

—

2016

$56,069

$93,250

$105,601

$111,800

$114,000

$97,378

$77,262

$128,496

$145,515

$154,058

$157,089

$134,185

Most Recent Five Years

2021

$106,250

$115,844

$116,010

$116,250

$157,906

$122,452

$129,680

$141,389

$141,592

$141,885

$192,727

$149,455

2022

$67,556

$102,083

$123,500

$162,948

$171,250

$124,740

$76,343

$115,362

$139,565

$184,144

$193,526

$140,967

2023

—

2024

$105,000

$125,187

$126,750

$139,000

$145,000

$128,542

$110,702

$131,986

$133,633

$146,548

$152,874

$135,522

2025

$91,652

$99,900

$101,567

$122,437

$133,808

$109,873

$93,538

$101,956

$103,657

$124,957

$136,562

$112,134

Change

2024-2025

-22.43%

2021-2025

-26.79%

2016-2025

-28.77%

2011-2025

—

2006-2025

-26.98%

2001-2025

-37.51%

Dollars in figures are in thousands.

Source: Statement of Disbursements of the House, as collated by LegiStorm, various years, and CRS calculations. In the visualizations, position pay information based on 2026 dollars in thousands of dollars, or change in those levels, is presented in solid teal. "—" indicates no data available. 2026 dollars are based on Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the first half of 2026.

Table 11. Professional Staff Member

Nominal, Current $

Constant 2026 $

Year

Minimum

Q2, Median

Maximum

Average

Minimum

Q2, Median

Maximum

Average

2001

$45,930

$74,404

$80,423

$90,000

$140,865

$79,533

$85,772

$138,945

$150,186

$168,070

$263,057

$148,523

2006

$40,833

$77,500

$103,161

$120,000

$157,013

$100,719

$66,987

$127,138

$169,235

$196,860

$257,579

$165,229

2011

$49,000

$73,167

$90,344

$118,419

$142,000

$94,787

$72,044

$107,576

$132,832

$174,109

$208,780

$139,363

2016

$47,500

$69,267

$82,222

$116,380

$172,500

$93,321

$65,454

$95,448

$113,300

$160,368

$237,701

$128,594

Most Recent Five Years

2021

$67,167

$94,461

$107,363

$142,919

$172,778

$116,123

$81,978

$115,292

$131,038

$174,435

$210,879

$141,730

2022

$86,525

$107,467

$126,250

$137,856

$197,074

$129,449

$97,780

$121,446

$142,673

$155,788

$222,710

$146,288

2023

$72,826

$108,074

$124,083

$154,549

$186,680

$129,224

$79,046

$117,303

$134,680

$167,747

$202,622

$140,260

2024

$75,000

$107,661

$118,404

$136,125

$186,333

$123,803

$79,073

$113,508

$124,834

$143,517

$196,452

$130,526

2025

$76,692

$105,245

$126,897

$148,667

$185,000

$128,787

$78,270

$107,411

$129,509

$151,727

$188,808

$131,438

Change

2024-2025

3.74%

2021-2025

-1.17%

2016-2025

14.31%

2011-2025

-2.50%

2006-2025

-23.47%

2001-2025

-13.77%

Dollars in figures
are in thousands.

Table 12. Senior Counsel

Nominal, Current $

Constant 2026 $

Year

Minimum

Q2, Median

Maximum

Average

Minimum

Q2, Median

Maximum

Average

2011

$128,242

$141,303

$152,735

$156,878

$158,069

$147,445

$188,552

$207,755

$224,564

$230,655

$232,405

$216,786

2016

$105,200

$120,000

$132,500

$150,804

$170,696

$135,692

$144,963

$165,357

$182,582

$207,804

$235,215

$186,980

Most Recent Five Years

2021

$109,000

$125,789

$141,621

$157,096

$163,465

$139,809

$133,037

$153,527

$172,851

$191,738

$199,512

$170,640

2022

$111,234

$133,950

$148,300

$148,325

$160,673

$141,001

$125,704

$151,374

$167,591

$167,619

$181,573

$159,343

2023

$127,500

$135,220

$139,208

$162,746

$198,742

$149,475

$138,389

$146,768

$151,097

$176,645

$215,715

$162,240

2024

$140,000

$146,252

$157,089

$184,808

$202,850

$164,511

$147,603

$154,194

$165,620

$194,844

$213,866

$173,445

2025

$114,804

$139,250

$159,043

$181,787

$194,833

$158,532

$117,167

$142,116

$162,317

$185,529

$198,844

$161,795

Change

2024-2025

-1.99%

2021-2025

-6.09%

2016-2025

-11.10%

2011-2025

-27.72%

Dollars in figures
are in thousands.

Table 13. Senior Professional Staff Member

Nominal, Current $

Constant 2026 $

Year

Minimum

Q2, Median

Maximum

Average

Minimum

Q2, Median

Maximum

Average

2001

$73,169

$99,137

$117,411

$123,874

$125,123

$108,698

$136,639

$185,133

$219,258

$231,327

$233,659

$202,987

2006

$76,000

$103,000

$124,581

$140,768

$151,225

$119,115

$124,678

$168,971

$204,374

$230,930

$248,084

$195,407

2011

—

2016

$55,000

$99,920

$111,918

$128,277

$166,917

$113,685

$75,789

$137,687

$154,220

$176,762

$230,007

$156,655

Most Recent Five Years

2021

$84,500

$148,500

$151,000

$168,067

$179,935

$149,849

$103,134

$181,247

$184,298

$205,129

$219,614

$182,893

2022

$104,167

$132,114

$158,800

$187,469

$194,761

$158,831

$117,717

$149,300

$179,457

$211,856

$220,096

$179,493

2023

$111,189

$149,561

$163,829

$180,802

$211,501

$164,583

$120,685

$162,334

$177,820

$196,243

$229,564

$178,639

2024

$110,000

$136,500

$150,000

$175,726

$186,333

$155,510

$115,974

$143,913

$158,146

$185,269

$196,452

$163,955

2025

$129,817

$145,042

$171,141

$179,673

$225,700

$167,278

$132,489

$148,027

$174,664

$183,371

$230,346

$170,721

Change

2024-2025

10.44%

2021-2025

-5.23%

2016-2025

13.26%

2011-2025

—

2006-2025

-14.54%

2001-2025

-20.34%

Dollars in figures
are in thousands.

Table 14. Staff Assistant

Nominal, Current $

Constant 2026 $

Year

Minimum

Q2, Median

Maximum

Average

Minimum

Q2, Median

Maximum

Average

2001

$25,750

$33,314

$42,111

$65,763

$124,500

$54,489

$48,087

$62,213

$78,640

$122,808

$232,497

$101,755

2006

$29,417

$37,159

$42,500

$64,213

$161,997

$59,980

$48,258

$60,959

$69,721

$105,340

$265,755

$98,397

2011

$30,000

$39,734

$46,491

$66,699

$153,000

$63,876

$44,108

$58,420

$68,354

$98,066

$224,953

$93,916

2016

$27,600

$34,633

$35,618

$57,038

$168,411

$62,532

$38,032

$47,724

$49,080

$78,596

$232,066

$86,167

Most Recent Five Years

2021

$57,561

$57,600

$62,167

$65,000

$75,404

$63,546

$70,254

$70,302

$75,876

$79,334

$92,032

$77,559

2022

$49,167

$58,167

$62,333

$71,633

$77,755

$47,644

$55,562

$65,733

$70,442

$80,951

$87,869

$53,841

2023

$56,208

$58,365

$65,207

$71,582

$72,333

$64,739

$61,009

$63,349

$70,776

$77,695

$78,511

$70,268

2024

$62,088

$63,792

$67,196

$80,112

$87,047

$72,020

$65,459

$67,256

$70,845

$84,463

$91,774

$75,931

2025

$47,500

$56,250

$68,500

$71,000

$81,697

$64,600

$48,478

$57,408

$69,910

$72,461

$83,378

$65,929

Change

2024-2025

-1.32%

2021-2025

-7.86%

2016-2025

42.44%

2011-2025

2.28%

2006-2025

0.27%

2001-2025

-11.10%

Dollars in figures
are in thousands.

Source: Statement of Disbursements of the House, as collated by LegiStorm, various years, and CRS calculations. Percentage change is based on change in median pay for the periods noted. In the visualizations, position pay information based on 2026 dollars in thousands of dollars, or change in those levels, is presented in solid teal. "—" indicates no data available. 2026 dollars are based on Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the first half of 2026.

Table 15. Staff Director

Nominal, Current $

Constant 2026 $

Year

Minimum

Q2, Median

Maximum

Average

Minimum

Q2, Median

Maximum

Average

2001

$109,270

$142,467

$143,133

$143,579

$143,600

$136,410

$204,055

$266,048

$267,293

$268,125

$268,165

$254,737

2006

$134,000

$145,637

$162,916

$163,700

$154,948

$219,826

$238,917

$267,264

$268,549

$254,192

2011

$165,006

$145,481

$166,696

$172,500

$155,248

$242,605

$213,898

$245,090

$253,624

$228,258

2016

$136,000

$167,614

$172,500

$167,253

$187,405

$230,968

$237,701

$230,470

Most Recent Five Years

2021

$142,933

$173,411

$177,900

$184,483

$175,914

$174,453

$211,651

$217,130

$225,165

$214,707

2022

$173,925

$188,883

$198,241

$201,867

$202,233

$194,150

$196,549

$213,454

$224,029

$228,126

$228,540

$219,406

2023

$179,387

$204,675

$208,844

$212,053

$212,100

$205,833

$194,707

$222,155

$226,680

$230,163

$230,214

$223,412

2024

$148,833

$199,431

$212,100

$203,813

$156,916

$210,261

$223,618

$214,882

2025

$174,167

$203,619

$223,433

$225,700

$215,543

$177,752

$207,810

$228,032

$230,346

$219,980

Change

2024-2025

1.97%

2021-2025

5.02%

2016-2025

-4.07%

2011-2025

-6.96%

2006-2025

-14.68%

2001-2025

-14.69%

Dollars in figures
are in thousands.

Table 16. Subcommittee Staff Director

Nominal, Current $

Constant 2026 $

Year

Minimum

Q2, Median

Maximum

Average

Minimum

Q2, Median

Maximum

Average

2001

$64,694

$100,494

$115,331

$122,515

$134,891

$108,922

$120,813

$187,667

$215,373

$228,790

$251,902

$203,405

2006

$91,761

$131,415

$135,406

$151,311

$161,745

$138,231

$150,534

$215,586

$222,133

$248,225

$265,342

$226,768

2011

$106,500

$139,111

$156,823

$167,553

$168,411

$148,816

$156,585

$204,532

$230,574

$246,351

$247,612

$218,801

2016

$110,000

$128,000

$133,917

$160,175

$168,411

$140,225

$151,577

$176,381

$184,534

$220,717

$232,066

$193,226

Most Recent Five Years

2021

$123,000

$131,204

$140,125

$148,458

$173,411

$141,712

$150,124

$160,137

$171,025

$181,196

$211,651

$172,963

2022

$99,750

$137,200

$154,667

$172,367

$193,752

$152,140

$112,726

$155,047

$174,786

$194,788

$218,956

$171,931

2023

$156,304

$172,480

$187,934

$195,425

$200,000

$183,287

$169,653

$187,210

$203,984

$212,114

$217,080

$198,940

2024

$131,025

$171,704

$185,824

$197,338

$204,000

$180,775

$138,140

$181,029

$195,916

$208,055

$215,078

$190,592

2025

$133,169

$162,787

$193,009

$198,438

$208,567

$180,736

$135,910

$166,138

$196,982

$202,522

$212,860

$184,456

Change

2024-2025

0.54%

2021-2025

15.18%

2016-2025

6.75%

2011-2025

-14.57%

2006-2025

-11.32%

2001-2025

-8.54%

Dollars in figures
are in thousands.

A number of CRS staff made substantial contributions to this report. William T. Egar, former Analyst in American National Government, provided technical assistance and authored a section of the report. Sandra L. Edwards, User Support Specialist, and Andrew M. Schaefer, Editor, provided formatting, editorial, and production support.

Previous versions of the report were supported by the following. Tyler L. Wolanin, former Research Assistant, collected data and was a coauthor. Barbara L. Schwemle, Analyst in American National Government, provided technical assistance. Casey Burgat, former Research Assistant, provided update support. Jonathan P. Kardashian, User Support Specialist, Michael M. McCarthy, Editor, Claudia Guidi, formerly a User Support Specialist, and Alex Marine, former Editor, provided formatting, editorial, and production support. Jacobo Licona, Brian Hamel, Joe Wisniewski, and Claire Laurence, former CRS interns, collected data for this report.

Footnotes

1.	Effective January 17, 2025, the maximum annual pay for House staff, a figure that has increased over time, is the equivalent of Level II of the Executive Schedule, $228,000 for 2026. A minimum salary of $45,000 per year was also established. See Order of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, January 17, 2025, set out as a note following 2 U.S.C. 4532. Maximum payable rates for House committee staff since 2001 are available in Table 1.
2.	In this report, pay refers to monies paid by the House to staff, and excludes other components of total compensation, which might include paid leave or employer contributions to various insurance and retirement benefits.
3.	Volumes of the Statement of Disbursements since July 2009 are available at http://disbursements.house.gov/.
4.	http://www.legistorm.com/.
5.	Positions that typically employ one staff member per committee include communications director, deputy staff director, and staff director.
6.	Positions that typically employ two or more staff members per committee include counsel, staff assistant, and professional staff member.
7.	2026 CPI-U based on the first half of the year.

House Committee Staff Pay, Selected Positions, 2001-2025

Contents

Tables

Summary

Introduction

Data Concerns

Data Tables and Visualizations

House Committee Staff Pay Tables

Footnotes