Posted by Keturah Hetrick on April 15, 2024
Many House staffers have long counted on holiday bonuses to make up a substantial proportion of their annual income. But, amid last year's record salary levels, the chamber shifted its emphasis away from end-of-year bonuses in favor of pay distributed more evenly throughout the year, a LegiStorm analysis indicates.
House staffers working for member offices received 11.9% more money in the fourth quarter than in previous quarters ― an average end-of-year bonus of about $2,500 per staffer. In 2021 and 2019, staffers received fourth-quarter pay bumps of 24.0% ($4,000) and 19.3% ($3,000), respectively. End-of-year bonuses are typically lower in non-election years.
As a proportion of their total quarterly income, House staffers in 2023 received their lowest end-of-year bonuses since 2013, which saw an average estimated bonus of 11.6% ($1,500).
Despite the higher bonuses of recent years, staffers still come out ahead. The median House staffer made $73,300 last year, including any bonuses. That's $13,700 more than the median staffer's 2021 pay of $59,600 and $18,900 more than 2019's median $54,400.
Members don't explicitly report bonuses in their quarterly expense reports. To estimate bonuses, LegiStorm compares average quarterly salaries to find payment increases in the fourth quarter.
Some people and organizations who "caught our eye" last week:
