The nonprofit pay scale is typically far from excessive, especially compared to salaries in the for-profit world. However, members of the current Congress are also older than those in the previous three sessions of Congress. How to Determine Pay? And you'll never see this message again. But it’s not as much as the median starting pay of $234,000 for a dermatologist, and doesn’t come close to the $9.6 million that the CEO of a typical public company earned in 2011. Sen. Tom Coburn, a fierce opponent of government spending, recently decried cuts to GAO’s funding in a report titled Shooting the Messenger. Join Slate Plus to continue reading, and you’ll get unlimited access to all our work—and support Slate’s independent journalism. As expected, most clinical staff members (nurses and medical and physician assistants) are more highly paid than nonclinical staff. Congressional chief of staff jobs may become available based on attrition, non-performance, or other circumstances, but the number of available jobs will not exceed the number of representatives. We should make sure they have enough competent, experienced assistants to do their own research and draw their own conclusions. These young staffers are also up against the older, wiser versions of themselves who now work for special interests. With the huge reduction in congressional staff, lobbyists and think tanks often set the congressional agenda and are a major source of expertise about how government works. The president of the United States sets annual congressional salaries by executive order. The Average Salary of a Newly Elected Congressman. Cockroaches, traffic jams, and colonoscopies, starting pay of $234,000 for a dermatologist, largest class of freshman representatives. Chief of Staff to a Congressman Duties & Responsibilities, Chief of Staff to a Congressman Skills & Competencies, Congressional Staffer Job Description: Salary, Skills, & More, Senate, House, You Name It... Land a Job on Capitol Hill, Database Administrator Job Description: Salary, Skills, & More, Public Works Director Job Description: Salary, Skills, & More, HR Assistant Job Description: Salary, Skills, & More, EMT/Paramedic Job Description: Salary, Skills, & More, Interested in Politics? A chief of staff should expect to be flexible about their work hours, and be prepared to put in long hours, nights, and weekends. They may also be called an administrative assistant, although their job duties carry much more responsibility than those of an administrative assistant that works as support staff in a standard office environment. Representatives have every reason to keep an eye on the exit—they all could earn more as lobbyists. Adjusting for inflation, pay for congressional staff has been flat for the last 25 years. There is no difference in the annual pay that new and senior members receive. Candidates should expect to work in a small station such as a cubicle, with moderate noise and no expectation of privacy. The chief of staff acts as the bridge between the congressional members and the rest of the members’ employees. For the 30 percent with a net worth between $1 and $5 million—the “wealthy”—a better paying job isn’t something they’re likely to sneer at. Michael Roberts wrote about government careers for The Balance Careers, has experience in state government, and was a newspaper reporter. All of these professionals, working to support members of Congress, do not work with the elected officials on a day-to-day basis. A congressional chief of staff has a variety of duties and responsibilities. Comparing the late 1970s with the mid-2000s, the total number of committee staff in the House has shrunk to 62 percent of its previous levels, while the staff in the Senate is at 67 percent of its former size. The fixed number of seats for Congress creates little job growth. Right now we aren’t paying for quality work, and it shows. The minimum age is 25, and they must be residents of the state they represent. Politicians need people they can trust to look out for their best interests and to complete work with excellence. Over time, if she is re-elected for several terms, your congressional representative might receive a higher salary if she advances to a leadership position. All rights reserved. They may also be called an administrative assistant, although their job duties carry much more responsibility than those of an administrative assistant that works as support staff in a standard office environment. Americans loathe Congress. U.S. Office of Personnel Management: Executive Order for 2018 Pay Schedules, The Average Salary of First Term Congressmen, A Job Description for a United Methodist Conference Bishop, The Average Salary of Supreme Court Justices. People with careers in business run a close second to those from politics. In short, Snopes reports that members of Congress and staff "pay approximately 28 percent of their annual healthcare premiums through pre-tax payroll deductions." You read that last line correctly. Few voters realize that for decades we’ve been downsizing the staffers that support senators and representatives. Being elected to Congress may present an increase or a decrease in the newly elected official's salary. Important decisions are endlessly delayed because of petty bickering and political posturing. Carol Luther has more than 10 years of print and digital freelance writing experience. The people who do realize it are the lobbyists and think tanks that have been cherry-picking seasoned staff in a successful bid to extend their reach into congressional offices. If you walked around Capitol Hill while Congress was in session, you would see countless congressional staffers dressed in business formal attire zipping through the halls and around the grounds. The Speaker of the House of Representatives receives a salary of $223,500, while all other leadership positions pay $193,400. When we look at the incentives for congressional staff, the situation is even worse. Her freelance writing portfolio includes digital content and business articles published by leading web properties that include the Houston Chronicle, Mahalo, the Nest, USA Today, Wahm, and Zacks. We explore the pros & cons of each of the different methods of paying your staff. That’s why Congress needs a big fat pay raise. It worked. They must be U.S. citizens for nine years before election and residents of the state they represent. As for the remaining 52 percent, landing a K Street gig as a lobbyist is pay dirt. The House of Representatives has 435 voting members and six non-voting members who represent five U.S. territories and the District of Columbia. Slate relies on advertising to support our journalism. If we want our representatives to work for us, we must pay them well enough to stay focused on the people’s business. A congressional chief of staff has a variety of duties and responsibilities. You won’t find these jobs posted publicly very often. All contents © 2020 The Slate Group LLC. These positions are often earned by building a good reputation and an extensive professional network. What Does a Chief of Staff to a Congressman Do? U.S. For the Senate, most come from the legal profession, with the next largest segment from business. Nancy Pelosi and John Boehner could really use a raise. You can cancel anytime. A congressional chief of staff's work is performed mainly in an office environment. The U.S. Constitution does not set any education requirements for Members of Congress, but it has age and citizenship requirements for each chamber. What Are the General Duties of an Ambassador? Singapore, long considered one of the world’s most efficient governments, adopted seven-figure salaries for top public service posts to attract talent and prevent corruption.