A rank-and-file U.S. senator makes $174,000 a year, and that is what most senators take home in base salary. The three top leaders make $193,400. On top of the paycheck, senators get a federal pension, a 401(k)-style retirement match of up to 5%, subsidized health coverage, life insurance, and an office budget between roughly $4.3 million and $6.6 million to run their staff and state offices. What follows breaks down each piece.
The $174,000 Base Salary
Every senator who isn’t in a designated leadership post earns $174,000.1United States Senate. Senate Salaries (1789 to Present) That rate took effect in January 2009 and hasn’t moved since, which puts the freeze at 17 straight years.2Library of Congress. Salaries of Members of Congress: Recent Actions and Historical Tables
There is a law on the books that would give senators an automatic raise each year. Under 2 U.S.C. ยง 4501, congressional pay is supposed to adjust annually based on the Employment Cost Index, which tracks private-sector wage growth.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 2 USC 4501 – Compensation of Members of Congress Congress has blocked that adjustment 23 times since the mechanism was created in 1989, including every year from 2010 through 2026, by inserting a provision into its annual spending bills.2Library of Congress. Salaries of Members of Congress: Recent Actions and Historical Tables
Leadership Pay
The Majority Leader, the Minority Leader, and the President Pro Tempore each earn $193,400. That’s about $19,400 above the standard salary and covers the extra work of running floor proceedings, setting the schedule, and steering party strategy. The Vice President, who presides over the Senate as its president, is paid separately, and that salary has been frozen since 2019 by continuing appropriations.4U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Salary Table No. 2026-EX
Pension and Retirement Savings
Senators elected since 1984 are enrolled in the Federal Employees Retirement System, the same pension plan that covers most federal civilian workers. Vesting takes five years. A senator with five years of service can start collecting at age 62; with 20 or more years, benefits can begin as early as age 50.5U.S. Office of Personnel Management. FERS Eligibility
The formula is more generous for members of Congress than for other federal employees, but lawmakers who took office in 2013 or later get a noticeably smaller benefit than their predecessors:
- Elected before 2013: 1.7% of the highest three-year average salary for each of the first 20 years of service, plus 1% for each additional year.
- Elected in 2013 or later: 1% per year of service, rising to 1.1% for those with at least 20 years who retire at 62 or older.
To put numbers on it: a senator elected before 2013 who serves two full six-year terms and retires with a $174,000 high-three average would draw about $35,500 a year. A senator elected after 2012 with the same 12 years would get roughly $20,900.6Library of Congress. Retirement Benefits for Members of Congress
The pension isn’t the whole retirement package. Senators also participate in the Thrift Savings Plan, the federal version of a 401(k). The government kicks in 1% of salary automatically, then matches employee contributions dollar-for-dollar on the first 3% and 50 cents on the dollar on the next 2%, capping the match at 5% of pay. In 2026, a senator can contribute up to $24,500 of their own salary, with an additional catch-up allowance at age 50 and older.7Thrift Savings Plan. Contribution Limits
Health Insurance and Life Insurance
Under the Affordable Care Act, senators buy their health coverage through the DC Health Link exchange, the small-business marketplace in Washington. To keep the government’s employer contribution, a senator must pick a gold-tier plan.8Library of Congress. Health Benefits for Members of Congress and Designated Congressional Staff Senators pay a share of the premium out of pocket, but the government subsidy covers a large portion, the same way a private employer helps pay for staff coverage.9U.S. Office of Personnel Management. What Are SHOP and DC Health Link
Senators can also use the Office of the Attending Physician for basic on-site care in the Capitol for an annual fee. Life insurance runs through the Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance program, with a basic level plus optional tiers paid for through a mix of employee premiums and government contributions.10eCFR. 5 CFR Part 870 – Federal Employees Group Life Insurance Program
Office Budget
Every senator gets an office budget known as the Senators’ Official Personnel and Office Expense Account.11Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 2 USC 6313 – Senators Official Personnel and Office Expense Account This is not personal income. It pays staff salaries, state office rent, travel between Washington and the home state, mail, and other official costs, and it cannot be used for personal spending or campaign work.
The size depends on the state’s population, its distance from Washington, and local rent. For fiscal 2026, allocations run from about $4.3 million to $6.6 million per office. Senators from small, close-in states sit at the lower end; those from large or distant states like California or Hawaii get considerably more.
Limits on Outside Income
A senator can’t just stack outside earnings on top of the salary. Federal ethics rules cap outside earned income at 15% of the Level II Executive Schedule salary as of January 1 of the given year.12eCFR. 5 CFR 2636.304 – The 15 Percent Limitation on Outside Earned Income For 2026 the cap is $33,855.13U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics. Financial Thresholds and Limits The limit applies to fees for work such as teaching, consulting, or practicing law. It does not touch passive income from investments, rental property, or royalties on books written before taking office.
Honoraria for speeches or appearances are banned outright, and a sitting senator cannot serve as a paid officer or board member of any corporation or other entity.14U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics. Conflicts of Interest
What Senators Actually Take Home
Senators pay federal income tax on their salary like anyone else. Until 2017, members of Congress could deduct up to $3,000 a year in living expenses for maintaining a Washington residence away from their home state. The 2017 tax law wiped that deduction out.15Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 162 – Trade or Business Expenses Senators who keep homes in both places now cover those costs with no tax break.
State income tax turns on the home state’s rules. A senator from a no-income-tax state keeps more of the $174,000 than one from a high-tax state, and that gap can be meaningful once the numbers are run.