The lawmakers who are elected to run cities, states, and the nation, plus the staff who power their offices.
Top pay: highest pay, longest training
U.S. Senator: One of 100 lawmakers in the U.S. Senate who write federal laws, approve judges, and ratify treaties. Typical pay $174k.
U.S. Representative: One of 435 members of the U.S. House who write federal laws and control government spending. Typical pay $174k.
Governor: The elected chief executive of a state, running its agencies, budget, and National Guard. Typical pay $150k.
Congressional Chief of Staff: The top aide to a member of Congress, running their office, staff, and political strategy. Typical pay $170k.
Legislative Counsel: A nonpartisan lawyer who turns lawmakers' ideas into the precise legal text of a bill. Typical pay $150k.
Parliamentarian: The expert who interprets a legislature's rules and advises the presiding officer on procedure. Typical pay $150k.
Committee Staff Director: Leads the expert staff behind a congressional committee, shaping hearings, investigations, and bills. Typical pay $160k.
State Attorney General: A state's top lawyer and law enforcement officer, usually elected, who sues companies, defends state laws, and protects consumers. Typical pay $150k.
Secretary of State (State Government): A statewide official, usually elected, who runs elections, registers businesses, and keeps official state records. Typical pay $125k.
Legislative Chaplain: Opens each day of a legislature with prayer and serves as private pastor and counselor to lawmakers and their staff. Typical pay $175k.
Mid pay: solid pay, degree or apprenticeship
Mayor: The elected leader of a city or town, often running city services from police to trash pickup. Typical pay $75k.
County Commissioner: Governs a county, overseeing roads, jails, elections, health departments, and budgets. Typical pay $65k.
Legislative Director: Oversees a lawmaker's policy team and decides which bills to push. Typical pay $95k.
Legislative Assistant: Covers a set of policy topics for a lawmaker, writing memos and meeting with advocates. Typical pay $65k.
Government Communications Director: Handles the media and public messaging for an elected official or government office. Typical pay $80k.
Constituent Services Caseworker: Helps people in a lawmaker's district solve problems with federal or state agencies. Typical pay $55k.
Lieutenant Governor: The second-highest official in a state, who takes over if the governor leaves office and often leads the state senate. Typical pay $100k.
Legislative Sergeant-at-Arms: Keeps order and security in a legislature: escorting officials, enforcing rules on the floor, and overseeing police and support staff. Typical pay $75k.
Official Reporter of Debates: Records every word spoken on the floor of Congress or a state legislature, word for word, for the official record. Typical pay $95k.
Legislative Clerk: Runs the paperwork of lawmaking: reading bills aloud, calling the roll, recording votes, and keeping the official journal. Typical pay $70k.
County Clerk & Recorder: An elected county official who keeps official records like property deeds, marriage licenses, and often runs local elections. Typical pay $80k.
Congressional District Director: Runs a member of Congress's offices back home: the staff, local events, and the member's relationships with mayors and community leaders. Typical pay $100k.
Tribal Council Member: An elected leader of a Native American nation's government who passes tribal laws, sets budgets, and deals with states and the federal government. Typical pay $75k.
Starter: fastest way in
State Legislator: Writes state laws on schools, roads, taxes, and more, often while keeping another job. Typical pay $46k.
City Council Member: Votes on a city's laws, budget, zoning, and services as an elected local representative. Typical pay $40k.
Legislative Staff Assistant: The entry-level job in a lawmaker's office: answering phones, giving tours, and handling mail. Typical pay $45k.
Scheduler: Plans every minute of an elected official's day, from votes to events to travel. Typical pay $54k.
School Board Member: An elected local official who sets policy, budgets, and hires the superintendent for a school district. Typical pay $4k.
U.S. Senate Page: A high school junior who lives in Washington, D.C., for a semester, working on the Senate floor while attending a special page school. Typical pay $38k.
Capitol Visitor Guide: Leads tours of the U.S. Capitol or a state capitol, explaining how laws are made and the history behind every statue and painting. Typical pay $52k.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.