Legislators: Career Profile
Develop, introduce, or enact laws and statutes at the local, tribal, state, or federal level. Includes only workers in elected positions.
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What Do Legislators Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of legislators include:
- Analyze and understand the local and national implications of proposed legislation.
- Appoint nominees to leadership posts, or approve such appointments.
- Confer with colleagues to formulate positions and strategies pertaining to pending issues.
- Debate the merits of proposals and bill amendments during floor sessions, following the appropriate rules of procedure.
- Develop expertise in subject matters related to committee assignments.
- Hear testimony from constituents, representatives of interest groups, board and commission members, and others with an interest in bills or issues under consideration.
- Keep abreast of the issues affecting constituents by making personal visits and phone calls, reading local newspapers, and viewing or listening to local broadcasts.
- Maintain knowledge of relevant national and international current events.
Related Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Alderman
- Assembly Member
- Assembly Person
- Assemblyman
- Assemblywoman
- City Alderman
- City Council Member
- City Councilman
Job Outlook
There are about 103,736 legislators working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +8.5% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Legislators
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $167,600 |
| Hourly median | $80.58 |
| 10th percentile | $119,725 |
| 25th percentile | $143,663 |
| 75th percentile | $191,538 |
| 90th percentile | $215,475 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $109,390 |
| New York | $97,050 |
| Hawaii | $74,150 |
| Michigan | $73,110 |
| Colorado | $66,700 |
| Wisconsin | $58,850 |
| Delaware | $58,250 |
| Maryland | $54,430 |
| California | $54,290 |
| Pennsylvania | $51,490 |
| Montana | $50,710 |
| Utah | $50,600 |
| Alaska | $50,400 |
| New Jersey | $48,050 |
| Virginia | $47,730 |
| Oklahoma | $47,490 |
| West Virginia | $46,990 |
| Florida | $46,910 |
| Ohio | $46,890 |
| Arkansas | $44,350 |
| Texas | $42,080 |
| North Dakota | $41,550 |
| Indiana | $39,940 |
| Iowa | $39,290 |
| Wyoming | $36,800 |
| New Mexico | $34,630 |
| Illinois | $33,160 |
| Nebraska | $32,620 |
| Tennessee | $30,300 |
| Idaho | $27,720 |
| Alabama | $26,990 |
| Kansas | $23,210 |
| South Carolina | $19,270 |
Where Legislators Earn the Most
Earnings for legislators vary by region. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $72,061 | 13.7% | 0.84 |
| Far Western US | $66,948 | 18.1% | 1.19 |
| Great Lakes | $51,137 | 15.7% | 1.54 |
| Rocky Mountains | $48,310 | 7.9% | 2.73 |
| Southwest | $36,127 | 12.4% | 0.90 |
| Southeast | $27,330 | 23.1% | 2.25 |
| Plains States | $14,294 | 8.7% | 2.64 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utica-Rome, NY | NY | $173,280 | 30 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | WA | $157,080 | 90 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | NY | $141,990 | 370 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | WA | $138,380 | 50 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | IL | $137,740 | 50 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $125,960 | 340 |
| Yakima, WA | WA | $120,480 | 40 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | OR | $116,460 | 70 |
Software Legislators Use
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Video conferencing software: Cisco Webex (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Document management software: Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft SQL Server (hot technology)
- Development environment software: Microsoft Visual Basic (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Structured query language SQL (hot technology)
How to Become Legislators
This career aligns with Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Treasurers and Controllers (Primary-Short)
- Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary (Supplemental)
- Education Administrators, Postsecondary (Primary-Long)
- Social and Community Service Managers (Supplemental)
- Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers (Primary-Long)
- Labor Relations Specialists (Primary-Long)
- Political Scientists (Primary-Short)
- Social and Human Service Assistants (Supplemental)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Aspiring legislators often complete programs in:
Public Administration and Social Service Professions
2 programs across 2 majors
Sources
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 11-1031.00 (Legislators).
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