Senate Committee Staff Pay, Selected Positions, FY2001-FY2023
Senate Committee Staff Pay, Selected Positions, FY2001-FY2023
Updated August 27, 2024
Congressional Research Service
https://crsreports.congress.gov
R44325
Congressional Research Service
SUMMARY
Senate Committee Staff Pay, Selected Positions, FY2001-FY2023
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; 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.
This report provides pay data for the following 17 staff position titles that are used in Senate committees: Archivist; Chief Clerk; Chief Counsel; Communications Director; Counsel; Deputy Chief Clerk; Deputy Staff Director; General Counsel; Legislative Aide; Minority Staff Director; Professional Staff Member; Research Assistant; Senior Counsel; Senior Professional Staff Member; Staff Assistant; Staff Director; and Systems Administrator. The following table provides FY2023 pay levels and the change in median pay levels for these positions in constant 2024 dollars, between FY2022 and FY2023.
FY2023 Median Pay and Percentage Change for Selected Staff Positions in Senate Committees,
2024 Dollars, and Percentage Change, FY2022-FY2023
Position FY23 Pay,
2024$
Change,
FY22-FY23 Position FY23 Pay,
2024$
Change,
FY22-FY23
Archivist — — Minority Staff Director — —
Chief Clerk $180,176 4.40% Professional Staff Member $132,727 18.51%
Chief Counsel $177,896 3.70% Research Assistant $67,015 10.21%
Communications Director $160,949 -1.41% Senior Counsel $147,389 1.61%
Counsel $120,103 -8.19% Senior Professional Staff Member $131,403 -14.96%
Deputy Chief Clerk $118,049 -7.25% Staff Assistant $57,089 8.14%
Deputy Staff Director $190,795 2.22% Staff Director $212,978 6.17%
General Counsel $180,127 -2.82% Systems Administrator $101,610 18.86%
Legislative Aide $85,830 21.82%
Source: Report of the Secretary of the Senate, as collated by LegiStorm, various years, and CRS calculations based on based the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the first half of 2024. “—” indicates no data available. Report tables provide aggregate statistics on pay for each staff position for FY2001, FY2004, FY2009, FY2014, and FY2019-FY2023, 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, FY2001-FY2023, in nominal (current) and constant 2024 dollars; and
• distributions of FY2023 pay in 2024 dollars, in $10,000 increments.
Other data, which may not represent the entire FY2001-FY2023 period, are available to congressional staff upon request.
The Congressional Research Service provides a number of products on staffing issues. These can be found in CRS Report R44688, Congressional Staff: CRS Products.
R44325
August 27, 2024
R. Eric Petersen Specialist in American National Government
Senate Committee Staff Pay, Selected Positions, FY2001-FY2023
Congressional Research Service
Contents
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Data Concerns ................................................................................................................................. 2 Data Tables and Visualizations ........................................................................................................ 2
Senate Committee Staff Pay Tables ................................................................................................. 3
Tables
Table 1. Senate Committee Staff Pay, Annual Maximums, 2001-2024........................................... 4 Table 2. FY2023 Median Pay2024 dollars, and Changes in Pay for Selected Senate
Committee Staff, Members Of Congress, and Selected General Schedule Employees ............... 5
Table 3. Archivist............................................................................................................................. 6 Table 4. Chief Clerk ........................................................................................................................ 7 Table 5. Chief Counsel .................................................................................................................... 8 Table 6. Communications Director .................................................................................................. 9
Table 7. Counsel ............................................................................................................................ 10 Table 8. Deputy Chief Clerk ........................................................................................................... 11
Table 9. Deputy Staff Director ...................................................................................................... 12 Table 10. General Counsel ............................................................................................................ 13 Table 11. Legislative Aide ............................................................................................................. 14 Table 12. Minority Staff Director .................................................................................................. 15 Table 13. Professional Staff Member ............................................................................................ 16 Table 14. Research Assistant ......................................................................................................... 17 Table 15. Senior Counsel ............................................................................................................... 18
Table 16. Senior Professional Staff Member ................................................................................. 19
Table 17. Staff Assistant ................................................................................................................ 20 Table 18. Staff Director ................................................................................................................. 21 Table 19. Systems Administrator ................................................................................................... 22
Contacts
Author Information ........................................................................................................................ 23
Senate Committee Staff Pay, Selected Positions, FY2001-FY2023
Congressional Research Service 1
Introduction
Levels of pay for congressional staff are a source of recurring interest among Members of Congress, congressional staff, and the public. In Senate 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; rates of pay, subject to maximum levels;1 and resources available to carry out their official duties. 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.2 Pay information in this report is based on the Senate Report of the Secretary of the Senate, published semiannually by the Senate,3 as collated by LegiStorm. Data in this report are based on official Senate reports, which afford the opportunity to use consistently collected data from a single, authoritative source. Additionally, this report provides annual data by fiscal year, which allows for observations about the nature of Senate committee staff compensation over time.
This report provides pay data for 17 staff position titles that are used in Senate committees, and for which sufficient data could be identified. The positions include the following:
Archivist Deputy Staff Director Senior Counsel
Chief Clerk General Counsel Senior Professional Staff Member
Chief Counsel Legislative Aide Staff Assistant
Communications Director Minority Staff Director Staff Director
Counsel Professional Staff Member Systems Administrator
Deputy Chief Clerk Research Assistant
When committees had more than two staff members with the same job title, data for no more than two staff per committee were collected. Senate committee staff had to hold a position with the same job title in 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 fiscal 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.4
1 The maximum annual pay for staff in Senate committees is $221,900. See 2 U.S.C. 4571 and 2 U.S.C. 4575 note. Maximum payable rates for Senate committee staff since 2001 are available in Table 1.
2 In this report, pay refers to monies paid by the Senate 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 Report of the Secretary of the Senate since April 2011 are available at https://www.senate.gov/ legislative/common/generic/report_secsen.htm.
4 Other forms of payment do not appear to be recorded in a consistent manner. Sometimes overtime and other pay are listed as separate entries and in other instances, significant one-time changes in a semiannual total may suggest payments in addition to regular salary.
Senate Committee Staff Pay, Selected Positions, FY2001-FY2023
Congressional Research Service 2
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:
• A large number of position titles in Senate committees are held by only one Senate employee. Data provided here almost certainly do not represent all of the jobs carried out by Senate committee staff.
• The manner in which staff titles are assigned might have implications about 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 Senate 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. Acknowledging the imprecision inherent in congressional job titles, an older edition of the Senate Handbook states, “Throughout the Senate, individuals with the same job title perform vastly different duties.”7
Data Tables and Visualizations
Tables in this section provide background information on Senate pay practices, comparative data for each position, and detailed data and visualizations for each position. Table 1 provides the maximum payable rates for Senate committee staff since FY2001 in both nominal (current) and constant 2024 dollars. Constant dollar calculations throughout the report are based on the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U).
Table 2 provides FY2023 pay levels in median pay in 2024 dollars and percentage changes for each of the 17 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)
5 Positions that typically employ one staff member per committee include staff director and systems administrator.
6 Positions that typically employ two or more staff members per committee include counsel, staff assistant, and professional staff member.
7 U.S. Senate, Committee on Rules and Administration, Senate Handbook (Washington: 1996), pp. I-13, available to congressional clients from the author.
Senate Committee Staff Pay, Selected Positions, FY2001-FY2023
Congressional Research Service 3
area. Table 3 through Table 19 provide available tabular pay data for each staff position for FY2001, FY2004, FY2009, FY2014, and FY2019-FY2023, including data distributed by quartile, median pay, and average pay. Staff pay tables also provide a comparison, at various intervals to FY2023, based on data availability, of the cumulative percentage change in median pay for that position, in 2024 dollars.8
Graphic displays are also included for each position, providing representations of pay from the following two perspectives:
• distributions of FY2023 pay in 2024 dollars, in $10,000 increments; and
• a line graph showing change in median pay, FY2001-FY2023 (or available data), in nominal (current) and 2024 dollars.
Senate Committee Staff Pay Tables
Interpreting Pay T ables: Statistics Describing Pay Data
For each year that data are available, statistical values for staff positions are included in Table 3-Table 19, 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
25th Percentile 50th Percentile 75th 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
8 2024 CPI-U based on the first half of the year.
Senate Committee Staff Pay, Selected Positions, FY2001-FY2023
Congressional Research Service 4
Table 1. Senate Committee Staff Pay, Annual Maximums, 2001-2024
Year Nominal $ Constant 2024 $ Year Nominal $ Constant 2024 $
2001 $142,415 $251,011 2013 $171,315 $229,549
2002 $147,315 $255,607 2014 $171,315 $225,885
2003 $152,015 $257,884 2015 $171,315 $225,617
2004 $155,415 $256,813 2016 $171,315 $222,807
2005 $159,415 $254,791 2017 $171,315 $218,159
2006 $162,515 $251,628 2018 $171,315 $212,958
2007 $162,515 $244,660 2019 $173,900 $212,324
2008 $166,615 $241,557 2020 $173,900 $209,736
2009 $171,315 $249,258 2021 $173,900 $200,325
2010 $171,315 $245,236 2022 $203,700 $217,266
2011 $171,315 $237,732 2023 $212,100 $217,281
2012 $171,315 $232,912 2024 $221,900 $221,900
Source: 2 U.S.C. 4571, 2 U.S.C. 4575 note, CRS calculations based on the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the first half of 202..
Senate Committee Staff Pay, Selected Positions, FY2001-FY2023
Congressional Research Service 5
Table 2. FY2023 Median Pay2024 dollars, and Changes in Pay for Selected Senate
Committee Staff, Members Of Congress, and Selected General Schedule Employees
Position
FY23 Pay,
2024$
FY22-
FY23
FY19-
FY23
FY14-
FY23
FY09-
FY23
FY04-
FY23
FY01-
FY23
Chief Clerk $180,176 4.40% 9.52% 4.80% -3.37% 18.64% 33.45%
Chief Counsel $177,896 3.70% -11.20% -14.20% -19.10% -29.63% -0.27%
Communications Dir. $160,949 -1.41% -1.38% -13.35% -18.09% -2.86%
Counsel $120,103 -8.19% -8.88% -10.59% -30.49% -23.06% -19.01%
Deputy Chief Clerk $118,049 -7.25% — — — — —
Deputy Staff Director $190,795 2.22% -6.05% -5.99% -13.10% — —
General Counsel $180,127 -2.82% — — — — —
Legislative Aide $85,830 21.82% — — — — —
Professional Staff Member $132,727 18.51% 5.31% 8.43% -5.08% -5.92% 3.23%
Research Assistant $67,015 10.21% — — — — —
Senior Counsel $147,389 1.61% -5.56% -15.60% -24.67% -8.42% —
Sr. Professional Staff Mbr. $131,403 -14.96% -24.10% -11.02% -33.85%
—
Staff Assistant $57,089 8.14% 14.30% 7.77% -0.58% -5.10% -13.58%
Staff Director $212,978 6.17% 1.82% -4.83% -12.55% -15.21% -8.22%
Systems Administrator $101,610 18.86% -23.33% -25.34% -28.90% -5.35% 8.77%
Congressional Staff Positions Pay Change Summary
Increase
10 4 3 0 1 3
Decrease
5 7 8 11 8 4
Members of Congress, General Schedule Pay Change
MCs $178,250 -3.95% -16.10% -22.31% -29.59% -31.77% -30.30%
General Schedule, DC Varies 0.71% -5.23% -3.22% -9.35% -3.70% -3.00%
General Schedule, RUS Varies 0.24% -6.83% -7.40% -13.75% -12.47% -7.29%
Source: CRS calculations, based on data provided in Table 3-Table 19 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 2024 is $174,000. General Schedule pay for individuals varies by grade, step and locality, but percentage changes are consistent within each locality. Excludes Archivist and Minority Staff Director, for which there are no data. “—” indicates no data available. 2024 dollars are based on Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the first half of 2024.
CRS-6
Table 3. Archivist
Nominal$ 2024$
Year # Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average
FY19 4 $64,659 $70,191 $75,099 $79,810 $84,750 $74,902 $78,945 $85,699 $91,692 $97,444 $103,476 $91,451
FY20 5 $65,000 $73,500 $74,125 $84,744 $90,000 $77,474 $78,395 $88,646 $89,400 $102,207 $108,546 $93,439
FY21 4 $78,500 $80,422 $82,531 $86,792 $95,167 $84,682 $90,428 $92,642 $95,072 $99,980 $109,628 $97,550
FY22 4 $67,137 $80,315 $88,354 $92,522 $94,089 $84,484 $71,608 $85,664 $94,238 $98,684 $100,355 $90,110
FY23 3 — — — — — — — — — — — —
Source: Report of the Secretary of the Senate, as collated by LegiStorm, various years, and CRS calculations. In the visualizations, position pay information based on 2024 dollars in thousands of dollars, or change in those levels, is presented in solid purple. “—” indicates no data available. 2024 dollars are based on Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the first half of 2024.
CRS-7
Table 4. Chief Clerk
Nominal$ 2024$
Year # Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average
FY01 13 $61,583 $74,115 $76,604 $90,812 $103,271 $80,403 $108,543 $130,630 $135,018 $160,060 $182,019 $141,713
FY04 18 $34,704 $83,837 $95,339 $112,631 $149,295 $97,442 $57,345 $138,535 $157,542 $186,115 $246,701 $161,016
FY09 18 $81,166 $113,121 $128,157 $135,301 $168,757 $126,366 $118,094 $164,588 $186,465 $196,858 $245,537 $183,858
FY14 14 $75,540 $97,873 $130,396 $145,773 $171,000 $126,002 $99,602 $129,050 $171,931 $192,206 $225,470 $166,138
Most Recent Five Years
FY19 14 $102,900 $121,756 $134,743 $157,133 $171,315 $138,190 $125,636 $148,658 $164,514 $191,852 $209,167 $168,723
FY20 15 $102,917 $125,125 $136,213 $163,450 $169,633 $141,243 $124,125 $150,910 $164,283 $197,132 $204,589 $170,349
FY21 13 $101,235 $131,627 $150,907 $164,308 $168,709 $147,769 $116,618 $151,628 $173,838 $189,276 $194,345 $170,224
FY22 16 $127,368 $152,203 $161,807 $171,219 $186,750 $160,264 $135,850 $162,339 $172,583 $182,622 $199,187 $170,937
FY23 15 $122,175 $155,358 $175,880 $186,867 $196,409 $170,225 $125,159 $159,153 $180,176 $191,431 $201,207 $174,383
Change
FY22-FY23 4.40%
FY19-FY23 9.52%
FY14-FY23 4.80%
FY09-FY23 -3.37%
FY04-FY23 18.64%
FY01-FY23 33.45%
Dollars in figures are in thousands.
Source: Report of the Secretary of the Senate, as collated by LegiStorm, various years, and CRS calculations. Percentage change is based on change in median pay for the periods noted. In the visualizations, position pay information based on 2024 dollars in thousands of dollars, or change in those levels, is presented in solid purple. 2024 dollars are based on Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the first half of 2024.
CRS-8
Table 5. Chief Counsel
Nominal$ 2024$
Year # Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average
FY01 7 $84,486 $96,958 $101,201 $119,531 $136,993 $107,951 $148,910 $170,892 $178,370 $210,678 $241,454 $190,268
FY04 7 $120,165 $136,965 $152,992 $153,795 $154,382 $144,151 $198,565 $226,325 $252,810 $254,137 $255,105 $238,201
FY09 6 $115,811 $138,236 $151,134 $162,964 $168,091 $147,836 $168,501 $201,129 $219,896 $237,107 $244,568 $215,096
FY14 8 $56,250 $140,792 $157,255 $162,469 $171,315 $144,077 $74,168 $185,639 $207,347 $214,221 $225,885 $189,971
Most Recent Five Years
FY19 14 $126,117 $161,302 $164,078 $170,969 $171,315 $161,491 $153,982 $196,942 $200,331 $208,745 $209,167 $197,173
FY20 15 $125,000 $163,861 $168,450 $170,975 $173,254 $164,667 $150,759 $197,629 $203,163 $206,208 $208,957 $198,601
FY21 8 $123,908 $165,389 $171,791 $173,015 $173,900 $164,776 $142,737 $190,520 $197,896 $199,305 $200,325 $189,815
FY22 11 $110,930 $141,327 $160,833 $186,311 $189,521 $161,178 $118,318 $150,739 $171,544 $198,718 $202,142 $171,911
FY23 8 $139,430 $149,640 $173,654 $198,689 $201,831 $172,909 $142,836 $153,295 $177,896 $203,542 $206,761 $177,132
Change
FY22-FY23 3.70%
FY19-FY23 -11.20%
FY14-FY23 -14.20%
FY09-FY23 -19.10%
FY04-FY23 -29.63%
FY01-FY23 -0.27%
Dollars in figures are in thousands.
Source: Report of the Secretary of the Senate, as collated by LegiStorm, various years, and CRS calculations. Percentage change is based on change in median pay for the periods noted. In the visualizations, position pay information based on 2024 dollars in thousands of dollars, or change in those levels, is presented in solid purple. 2024 dollars are based on Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the first half of 2024.
CRS-9
Table 6. Communications Director
Nominal$ 2024$
Year # Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average
FY01 — — — — — — — — — — — — —
FY04 9 $65,525 $89,665 $100,268 $120,499 $128,083 $101,743 $108,276 $148,166 $165,686 $199,117 $211,649 $168,123
FY09 7 $96,248 $117,287 $135,050 $149,502 $158,855 $131,961 $140,038 $170,649 $196,494 $217,521 $231,129 $192,000
FY14 4 $94,550 $119,794 $140,880 $157,914 $171,000 $136,828 $124,668 $157,952 $185,756 $208,216 $225,470 $180,412
Most Recent Five Years
FY19 5 $118,125 $126,417 $133,667 $171,315 $171,315 $144,168 $144,225 $154,349 $163,201 $209,167 $209,167 $176,022
FY20 7 $98,042 $126,500 $142,000 $158,407 $173,254 $140,444 $118,245 $152,568 $171,262 $191,051 $208,957 $169,386
FY21 6 $98,917 $107,243 $131,862 $141,181 $142,330 $124,716 $113,947 $123,539 $151,899 $162,634 $163,958 $143,667
FY22 11 $99,167 $134,441 $153,065 $172,489 $185,121 $150,486 $105,771 $143,394 $163,259 $183,977 $197,449 $160,508
FY23 8 $125,732 $134,954 $157,111 $182,803 $202,765 $161,000 $128,803 $138,250 $160,949 $187,269 $207,718 $164,933
Change
FY22-FY23 -1.41%
FY19-FY23 -1.38%
FY14-FY23 -13.35%
FY09-FY23 -18.09%
FY04-FY23 -2.86%
Dollars in figures are in thousands.
Source: Report of the Secretary of the Senate, as collated by LegiStorm, various years, and CRS calculations. Percentage change is based on change in median pay for the periods noted. In the visualizations, position pay information based on 2024 dollars in thousands of dollars, or change in those levels, is presented in solid purple. “—” indicates no data available. 2024 dollars are based on Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the first half of 2024.
CRS-10
Table 7. Counsel
Nominal$ 2024$
Year # Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average
FY01 15 $45,667 $71,588 $84,134 $92,014 $113,854 $82,655 $80,489 $126,176 $148,289 $162,179 $200,672 $145,682
FY04 22 $52,750 $75,798 $94,462 $113,957 $149,251 $96,079 $87,166 $125,252 $156,092 $188,307 $246,627 $158,764
FY09 19 $68,347 $95,717 $118,751 $138,168 $168,189 $118,728 $99,443 $139,265 $172,779 $201,030 $244,710 $172,746
FY14 22 $53,000 $86,667 $101,875 $125,569 $148,087 $103,676 $69,882 $114,274 $134,326 $165,567 $195,259 $136,700
Most Recent Five Years
FY19 19 $59,833 $91,158 $107,954 $134,379 $171,147 $113,992 $73,054 $111,300 $131,806 $164,070 $208,962 $139,179
FY20 22 $72,624 $84,450 $106,000 $132,833 $172,912 $112,912 $87,590 $101,853 $127,844 $160,207 $208,544 $136,180
FY21 14 $70,037 $100,861 $113,427 $129,418 $173,500 $118,085 $80,679 $116,188 $130,663 $149,084 $199,864 $136,029
FY22 18 $81,087 $109,991 $122,647 $135,487 $183,572 $124,478 $86,488 $117,316 $130,815 $144,510 $195,798 $132,768
FY23 19 $85,370 $102,771 $117,239 $151,000 $184,721 $127,879 $87,455 $105,281 $120,103 $154,688 $189,234 $131,003
Change
FY22-FY23 -8.19%
FY19-FY23 -8.88%
FY14-FY23 -10.59%
FY09-FY23 -30.49%
FY04-FY23 -23.06%
FY01-FY23 -19.01%
Dollars in figures are in thousands.
Source: Report of the Secretary of the Senate, 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 2024 dollars in thousands of dollars, or change in those levels, is presented in solid purple. “—” indicates no data available. 2024 dollars are based on Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the first half of 2024.
CRS-11
Table 8. Deputy Chief Clerk
Current $, Nominal Constant $, 2024
Year # Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average
FY22 6 $79,991 $96,664 $119,324 $127,733 $146,417 $114,117 $85,318 $103,101 $127,270 $136,240 $156,167 $121,717
FY23 6 $100,333 $100,990 $115,234 $138,790 $145,333 $119,836 $102,784 $103,456 $118,049 $142,180 $148,883 $122,764
Change
FY22-FY23 -7.25%
Dollars in figure
are in thousands.
Source: Report of the Secretary of the Senate, as collated by LegiStorm, various years, and CRS calculations. Percentage change is based on change in median pay for the periods noted. In the visualizations, position pay information based on 2024 dollars in thousands of dollars, or change in those levels, is presented in solid purple. 2024 dollars are based on Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the first half of 2024.
CRS-12
Table 9. Deputy Staff Director
Nominal$ 2024$
Year # Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average
FY09 4 $129,586 $143,753 $150,901 $155,852 $163,426 $148,704 $188,543 $209,156 $219,557 $226,759 $237,780 $216,359
FY14 7 $133,000 $147,054 $153,929 $167,087 $171,315 $155,218 $175,365 $193,895 $202,960 $220,310 $225,885 $204,660
Most Recent Five Years
FY19 11 $93,333 $140,956 $166,337 $170,139 $171,315 $149,410 $113,955 $172,101 $203,090 $207,731 $209,167 $182,423
FY20 15 $120,000 $153,894 $170,860 $172,534 $173,254 $161,467 $144,729 $185,607 $206,070 $208,089 $208,957 $194,741
FY21 8 $124,667 $162,080 $167,667 $172,332 $173,900 $162,770 $143,610 $186,709 $193,144 $198,519 $200,325 $187,503
FY22 13 $129,917 $168,450 $175,000 $188,800 $190,042 $172,574 $138,569 $179,668 $186,655 $201,374 $202,698 $184,067
FY23 6 $141,010 $173,331 $186,246 $196,445 $210,000 $182,062 $144,454 $177,565 $190,795 $201,243 $215,130 $186,509
Change
FY22-FY23 2.22%
FY19-FY23 -6.05%
FY14-FY23 -5.99%
FY09-FY23 -13.10%
Dollars in figures are in thousands.
Source: Report of the Secretary of the Senate, 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 2024 dollars in thousands of dollars, or change in those levels, is presented in solid purple. 2024 dollars are based on Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the first half of 2024.
CRS-13
Table 10. General Counsel
Current $, Nominal Constant $, 2024
Year # Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average
FY19 2 — — — — — — — — — — — —
FY20 7 $150,558 $165,336 $170,547 $171,072 $171,514 $166,491 $181,584 $199,407 $205,692 $206,325 $206,858 $200,800
FY21 4 $167,225 $170,166 $171,938 $172,837 $173,158 $171,065 $192,635 $196,024 $198,065 $199,100 $199,470 $197,059
FY22 6 $140,833 $170,508 $173,785 $181,187 $187,204 $171,446 $150,212 $181,863 $185,358 $193,254 $199,671 $182,864
FY23 6 $157,783 $168,377 $175,832 $185,517 $196,866 $176,825 $161,638 $172,490 $180,127 $190,049 $201,675 $181,144
Change
FY22-FY23 -2.82%
Dollars in figure
are in thousands.
Source: Report of the Secretary of the Senate, 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 2024 dollars in thousands of dollars, or change in those levels, is presented in solid purple. “—” indicates no data available. 2024 dollars are based on Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the first half of 2024.
CRS-14
Table 11. Legislative Aide
Current $, Nominal Constant $, 2024
Year # Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average
FY22 10 $49,167 $55,781 $66,058 $75,135 $85,554 $66,072 $52,441 $59,496 $70,458 $80,139 $91,252 $70,472
FY23 5 $64,083 $81,625 $83,783 $83,992 $90,283 $80,753 $65,649 $83,619 $85,830 $86,043 $92,488 $82,726
Change
FY22-FY23 21.82%
Dollars in figure
are in thousands.
Source: Report of the Secretary of the Senate, 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 2024 dollars in thousands of dollars, or change in those levels, is presented in solid purple. 2024 dollars are based on Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the first half of 2024.
CRS-15
Table 12. Minority Staff Director
Current $, Nominal Constant $, 2024
Year # Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average
FY14 10 $90,500 $168,214 $169,785 $171,315 $171,315 $160,094 $119,327 $221,797 $223,868 $225,885 $225,885 $211,089
Most Recent Five Years
FY19 7 $109,675 $164,817 $171,315 $171,315 $171,315 $160,653 $133,908 $201,233 $209,167 $209,167 $209,167 $196,149
FY20 6 $153,573 $170,408 $173,254 $173,254 $173,254 $169,341 $185,220 $205,524 $208,957 $208,957 $208,957 $204,238
FY21 5 $111,675 $155,154 $172,982 $173,900 $173,900 $157,522 $128,644 $178,730 $199,268 $200,325 $200,325 $181,458
FY22 5 $111,675 $173,900 $182,017 $188,800 $190,042 $169,287 $119,112 $185,481 $194,138 $201,374 $202,698 $180,561
FY23 2 — — — — — — — — — — — —
Dollars in figures are in thousands.
Source: Report of the Secretary of the Senate, as collated by LegiStorm, various years, and CRS calculations. In the visualizations, position pay information based on 2024 dollars in thousands of dollars, or change in those levels, is presented in solid purple. “—” indicates no data available. 2024 dollars are based on Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the first half of 2024.
CRS-16
Table 13. Professional Staff Member
Nominal$ 2024$
Year # Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average
FY01 20 $39,833 $60,937 $72,950 $89,726 $132,792 $77,309 $70,207 $107,404 $128,578 $158,146 $234,050 $136,259
FY04 32 $34,065 $68,049 $85,378 $101,933 $134,736 $85,743 $56,290 $112,446 $141,081 $168,438 $222,643 $141,685
FY09 29 $18,224 $86,135 $96,104 $122,582 $169,161 $101,308 $26,516 $125,324 $139,829 $178,353 $246,124 $147,399
FY14 25 $19,208 $62,167 $92,833 $124,224 $165,659 $95,105 $25,327 $81,969 $122,404 $163,794 $218,427 $125,399
Most Recent Five Years
FY19 27 $19,895 $77,758 $103,224 $116,278 $152,000 $96,765 $24,291 $94,939 $126,031 $141,969 $185,585 $118,146
FY20 29 $43,625 $80,336 $111,945 $132,458 $162,400 $102,113 $52,615 $96,891 $135,014 $159,754 $195,867 $123,156
FY21 28 $61,000 $95,167 $110,417 $132,396 $163,362 $111,521 $70,269 $109,628 $127,195 $152,514 $188,186 $128,467
FY22 33 $49,412 $88,668 $105,000 $129,192 $186,750 $108,471 $52,703 $94,573 $111,993 $137,795 $199,187 $115,695
FY23 24 $47,390 $97,842 $129,562 $145,985 $186,528 $122,880 $48,548 $100,232 $132,727 $149,551 $191,084 $125,882
Change
FY22-FY23 18.51%
FY19-FY23 5.31%
FY14-FY23 8.43%
FY09-FY23 -5.08%
FY04-FY23 -5.92%
FY01-FY23 3.23%
Dollars in figures are in thousands.
Source: Report of the Secretary of the Senate, 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 2024 dollars in thousands of dollars, or change in those levels, is presented in solid purple. 2024 dollars are based on Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the first half of 2024.
CRS-17
Table 14. Research Assistant
Current $, Nominal Constant $, 2024
Year # Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average
FY22 6 $49,167 $54,674 $57,007 $59,672 $69,823 $57,910 $52,441 $58,315 $60,804 $63,646 $74,473 $61,767
FY23 7 $56,875 $60,788 $65,417 $70,960 $80,833 $66,660 $58,264 $62,273 $67,015 $72,693 $82,808 $68,289
Change
FY22-FY23 10.21%
Dollars in figure
are in thousands.
Source: Report of the Secretary of the Senate, as collated by LegiStorm, various years, and CRS calculations. Percentage change is based on change in median pay for the periods noted. In the visualizations, position pay information based on 2024 dollars in thousands of dollars, or change in those levels, is presented in solid purple. 2024 dollars are based on Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the first half of 2024.
CRS-18
Table 15. Senior Counsel
Nominal$ 2024$
Year # Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average
FY01 — — — — — — — — — — — — —
FY04 10 $59,750 $86,507 $97,399 $111,472 $140,487 $101,063 $98,733 $142,948 $160,946 $184,200 $232,146 $166,999
FY09 13 $97,585 $117,052 $134,472 $149,333 $158,651 $131,288 $141,983 $170,308 $195,653 $217,275 $230,833 $191,020
FY14 12 $86,690 $120,016 $132,443 $153,692 $170,650 $133,079 $114,304 $158,245 $174,631 $202,648 $225,008 $175,469
Most Recent Five Years
FY19 9 $112,333 $120,250 $127,828 $151,638 $157,500 $133,767 $137,154 $146,819 $156,071 $185,143 $192,300 $163,323
FY20 14 $98,958 $119,687 $140,542 $154,537 $173,254 $136,408 $119,351 $144,352 $169,503 $186,383 $208,957 $164,517
FY21 11 $98,302 $112,280 $126,750 $147,724 $163,475 $129,051 $113,239 $129,341 $146,010 $170,172 $188,316 $148,661
FY22 11 $103,125 $129,191 $136,000 $157,614 $184,999 $144,083 $109,992 $137,795 $145,057 $168,111 $197,319 $153,679
FY23 7 $100,625 $103,859 $143,875 $177,713 $189,667 $142,473 $103,083 $106,396 $147,389 $182,054 $194,300 $145,953
Change
FY22-FY23 1.61%
FY19-FY23 -5.56%
FY14-FY23 -15.60%
FY09-FY23 -24.67%
FY04-FY23 -8.42%
Dollars in figures are in thousands.
Source: Report of the Secretary of the Senate, as collated by LegiStorm, various years, and CRS calculations. Percentage change is based on change in median pay for the periods noted. In the visualizations, position pay information based on 2024 dollars in thousands of dollars, or change in those levels, is presented in solid purple. “—” indicates no data available. 2024 dollars are based on Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the first half of 2024.
CRS-19
Table 16. Senior Professional Staff Member
Nominal$ 2024$
Year # Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average
FY09 6 $130,128 $133,656 $136,534 $144,679 $169,161 $142,075 $189,332 $194,466 $198,653 $210,504 $246,124 $206,714
FY14 11 $59,152 $103,106 $112,000 $142,521 $154,363 $114,887 $77,994 $135,949 $147,676 $187,919 $203,534 $151,483
Most Recent Five Years
FY19 10 $77,257 $119,002 $141,795 $150,714 $161,807 $132,421 $94,327 $145,296 $173,125 $184,014 $197,558 $161,680
FY20 11 $103,391 $120,984 $131,400 $142,877 $166,283 $132,517 $124,697 $145,916 $158,478 $172,320 $200,549 $159,825
FY21 10 $83,250 $121,410 $134,050 $144,175 $164,321 $131,539 $95,900 $139,859 $154,419 $166,083 $189,290 $151,527
FY22 11 $105,000 $134,220 $144,873 $159,256 $169,562 $145,318 $111,993 $143,159 $154,521 $169,862 $180,855 $154,996
FY23 8 $110,835 $112,632 $128,269 $152,742 $176,333 $135,158 $113,543 $115,383 $131,403 $156,473 $180,641 $138,460
Change
FY22-FY23 -14.96%
FY19-FY23 -24.10%
FY14-FY23 -11.02%
FY09-FY23 -33.85%
Dollars in figures are in thousands.
Source: Report of the Secretary of the Senate, as collated by LegiStorm, various years, and CRS calculations. Percentage change is based on change in median pay for the periods noted. In the visualizations, position pay information based on 2024 dollars in thousands of dollars, or change in those levels, is presented in solid purple. 2024 dollars are based on Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the first half of 2024.
CRS-20
Table 17. Staff Assistant
Nominal$ 2024$
Year # Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average
FY01 19 $25,750 $32,297 $37,480 $48,082 $62,500 $40,255 $45,385 $56,925 $66,059 $84,746 $110,158 $70,951
FY04 24 $24,374 $33,991 $36,404 $41,907 $74,208 $39,881 $40,277 $56,168 $60,155 $69,248 $122,623 $65,900
FY09 29 $29,405 $36,382 $39,465 $48,696 $85,670 $45,776 $42,783 $52,935 $57,421 $70,852 $124,647 $66,602
FY14 16 $30,081 $34,134 $40,174 $51,644 $99,667 $48,008 $39,663 $45,007 $52,970 $68,094 $131,414 $63,301
Most Recent Five Years
FY19 14 $34,187 $37,451 $40,908 $52,656 $107,175 $51,547 $41,741 $45,726 $49,946 $64,291 $130,855 $62,936
FY20 20 $33,000 $40,613 $45,460 $50,786 $62,438 $45,689 $39,800 $48,983 $54,828 $61,252 $75,305 $55,104
FY21 14 $33,500 $41,946 $47,000 $58,203 $112,164 $54,962 $38,590 $48,319 $54,142 $67,047 $129,208 $63,314
FY22 19 $34,479 $45,370 $49,494 $55,677 $119,409 $54,944 $36,775 $48,392 $52,791 $59,385 $127,361 $58,603
FY23 13 $40,000 $44,629 $55,727 $65,057 $123,402 $58,940 $40,977 $45,719 $57,089 $66,646 $126,416 $60,380
Change
FY22-FY23 8.14%
FY19-FY23 14.30%
FY14-FY23 7.77%
FY09-FY23 -0.58%
FY04-FY23 -5.10%
FY01-FY23 -13.58%
Dollars in figures are in thousands.
Source: Report of the Secretary of the Senate, as collated by LegiStorm, various years, and CRS calculations. Percentage change is based on change in median pay for the periods noted. In the visualizations, position pay information based on 2024 dollars in thousands of dollars, or change in those levels, is presented in solid purple. 2024 dollars are based on Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the first half of 2024.
CRS-21
Table 18. Staff Director
Nominal$ 2024$
Year # Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average
FY01 7 $122,300 $127,396 $131,658 $139,564 $141,465 $132,763 $215,559 $224,539 $232,051 $245,986 $249,337 $234,000
FY04 13 $95,875 $140,482 $152,015 $154,336 $154,565 $145,224 $158,427 $232,138 $251,195 $255,030 $255,408 $239,974
FY09 6 $108,585 $150,701 $167,386 $168,285 $169,161 $154,373 $157,988 $219,266 $243,541 $244,849 $246,124 $224,609
FY14 14 $96,250 $150,862 $169,729 $171,281 $171,315 $153,548 $126,909 $198,916 $223,794 $225,840 $225,885 $202,459
Most Recent Five Years
FY19 16 $135,148 $168,000 $171,315 $171,315 $171,315 $166,718 $165,010 $205,120 $209,167 $209,167 $209,167 $203,554
FY20 19 $159,221 $170,157 $173,254 $173,254 $173,254 $170,279 $192,032 $205,222 $208,957 $208,957 $208,957 $205,368
FY21 16 $123,750 $168,045 $173,269 $173,900 $186,942 $167,963 $142,554 $193,580 $199,598 $200,325 $215,349 $193,485
FY22 21 $141,667 $182,037 $188,077 $189,463 $190,042 $181,458 $151,101 $194,160 $200,603 $202,081 $202,698 $193,542
FY23 13 $142,320 $203,546 $207,900 $210,000 $227,758 $203,066 $145,796 $208,518 $212,978 $215,130 $233,321 $208,026
Change
FY22-FY23 6.17%
FY19-FY23 1.82%
FY14-FY23 -4.83%
FY09-FY23 -12.55%
FY04-FY23 -15.21%
FY01-FY23 -8.22%
Dollars in figures are in thousands.
Source: Report of the Secretary of the Senate, as collated by LegiStorm, various years, and CRS calculations. Percentage change is based on change in median pay for the periods noted. In the visualizations, position pay information based on 2024 dollars in thousands of dollars, or change in those levels, is presented in solid purple. 2024 dollars are based on Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the first half of 2024.
CRS-22
Table 19. Systems Administrator
Nominal$ 2024$
Year # Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average Minimum Q1 Q2, Median Q3 Maximum Average
FY01 7 $37,766 $47,907 $53,000 $60,723 $79,902 $55,418 $66,564 $84,438 $93,414 $107,027 $140,830 $97,677
FY04 8 $57,215 $61,823 $64,965 $67,590 $75,258 $65,508 $94,544 $102,158 $107,351 $111,689 $124,359 $108,248
FY09 5 $87,962 $90,133 $98,230 $100,200 $112,571 $97,819 $127,982 $131,140 $142,921 $145,788 $163,788 $142,324
FY14 5 $77,563 $77,871 $103,212 $109,720 $124,791 $98,631 $102,269 $102,676 $136,089 $144,670 $164,542 $130,049
Most Recent Five Years
FY19 4 $77,103 $97,838 $108,546 $115,175 $123,676 $104,468 $94,139 $119,456 $132,529 $140,624 $151,003 $127,550
FY20 7 $82,603 $90,277 $99,000 $117,984 $139,650 $105,397 $99,625 $108,881 $119,401 $142,298 $168,428 $127,116
FY21 5 $79,603 $86,333 $89,000 $133,333 $133,724 $104,399 $91,699 $99,452 $102,524 $153,594 $154,044 $120,263
FY22 7 $80,153 $86,432 $88,500 $125,297 $145,711 $105,403 $85,491 $92,189 $94,394 $133,642 $155,415 $112,423
FY23 6 $94,167 $97,744 $99,188 $113,305 $155,935 $94,167 $96,467 $100,131 $101,610 $116,073 $159,744 $96,467
Change
FY22-FY23 18.86%
FY19-FY23 -23.33%
FY14-FY23 -25.34%
FY09-FY23 -28.90%
FY04-FY23 -5.35%
FY01-FY23 8.77%
Dollars in figures are in thousands.
Source: Report of the Secretary of the Senate, 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 2024 dollars in thousands of dollars, or change in those levels, is presented in solid purple. 2024 dollars are based on Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the first half of 2024.
Senate Committee Staff Pay, Selected Positions, FY2001-FY2023
Congressional Research Service R44325 · VERSION 12 · UPDATED 23
Author Information
R. Eric Petersen Specialist in American National Government
Acknowledgments
A number of CRS staff made substantial contributions to this report. Tyler L. Wolanin, former Research Assistant, collected data and coauthored this report. William T. Egar, former Analyst in American National Government, provided technical assistance, and authored a section of the report. Jonathan P. Kardashian, User Support Specialist, User Support Specialist, and Andrew M. Schaefer, Editor, provided formatting, editorial, and production support.
Previous versions of the report were supported by the following: Barbara L. Schwemle, Analyst in American National Government, provided technical assistance. Casey Burgat, former Research Assistant, provided update support. Sandra L. Edwards, User Support Specialist, Claudia Guidi, formerly a User Support Specialist, and Alex Marine, former Editor, provided formatting, editorial, and production support; and Jacobo Licona, Brian Hamel, Joe Wisniewski, and Claire Laurence, former CRS interns, collected data for this report.
Disclaimer
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