WORKING ON THE HILL: Big Progress on Staff Salaries in 2022
A new analysis by the House Chief Administrative Officer finds significant advances in staff salaries on a position-by-position basis, with an overall average increase of 23 percent increase from 2021 to 2022, measured as of September.
A total of 6,000 House staff positions were measured for 2022, compared to a slightly higher total in 2021, to arrive at the 23 percent average pay hike. None of the positions analyzed was paid less than the $45,000 minimum recommended by the bipartisan Select Committee on House Modernization.
Screenshot from House Chief Administrative Officer Analysis.
Several positions for staffers working in district offices received increases of 30 percent or more, including District Scheduler (52 percent), District Aide (41 percent), Regional Director (38 percent), and District Staff Assistant (34 percent).
In the Washington, D.C. office, the biggest increase was seen for Digital Director at 50 percent, Staff Assistant/Legislative Correspondent (47 percent), Communications Assistant (42 percent), Senior Advisor (37 percent), Legislative Correspondent (36 percent), and Press Assistant (30 percent).
Interestingly, the CAO’s analysis looked at the minimum and maximum salaries paid on a position-by-position basis.
The highest permitted maximum of $203,700 were paid to at least one individual staffer in these positions: Caseworker, Chief of Staff, Communications Director, Constituent Liaison, Constituent Services Representative, Deputy Chief of Staff, Deputy District Director, District Chief of Staff, District Director, Field Representative, Legislative Assistant, Legislative Director, and Senior Policy Advisor.
At the opposite end of the data, at least one individual in five of the positions listed in the preceding paragraph were paid the minimum salary of $45,000, thus illustrating the wide latitude allowed individual Members in determining pay levels for their staffs, as well as the varying job priorities reflected in those levels.
To read the full dataset, go here, courtesy of Demand Progress.