Congress Salary
$174,000
Frozen since 2009
U.S. Median Salary
$62,608
BLS 2025, full-time workers
Congress Health — Gov't Pays
$16,800
Approx. 72–75% of premium
Avg Worker Health — Employer Pays
$7,000
Avg single-coverage employer share, 2025
Congress Vacation (est.)
239 days
Not in session 2025 (est.)
Avg Worker Vacation
11 days
After 1 year (BLS 2025)
Congress Pension
1.7%/yr
FERS special Member rate
Private Worker Pension Access
9%
Have a defined-benefit pension (2025)
Member of Congress
Base Salary$174,000/yr
Pension SystemFERS — 1.7%/yr
Health Premium — Member Pays~$2,700/yr
Health Premium — Gov't Pays~$16,800/yr
Paid Vacation~239 off days/yr
Office Allowance (MRA)$1.93M avg
TSP MatchUp to 5%
Retiree Health CoverageYes — 5+ yrs service
Total Est. Direct Comp$199,500/yr
Average American Worker
Median Salary$62,608/yr
Pension System401(k) if offered (9% have pension)
Health Premium — Worker Pays~$2,325/yr (single)
Health Premium — Employer Pays~$7,000/yr (single)
Paid Vacation11 days/yr (yr 1)
Office / Work Allowance$0
Employer 401(k) Match3–4% (if offered)
Retiree Health CoverageRarely — Medicare at 65
Total Est. Direct Comp~$71,933/yr
Annual Salary by Role
Total Compensation Package (est.)
The Salary Gap
A Member of Congress earns $174,000 — 2.78× the median U.S. worker salary of $62,608. The Speaker earns $223,500 — 3.57× the median.
The Benefits Gap
Congress members receive an estimated $199,500 in direct compensation (salary + health + TSP). The average worker's total package is roughly $71,933 — a $127,567 gap.
The Retirement Gap
Only 9% of private workers have a defined-benefit pension. Congress members receive a guaranteed FERS pension at 1.7%/yr plus up to 5% TSP matching.
The Time-Off Gap
Congress is estimated to spend ~126 days in session in 2025. Average workers start with just 11 paid vacation days per year — plus ~10 federal holidays if their employer observes them.
Select Professions to Compare
Annual Salary Comparison
Salary Distribution — Government vs. Private
Real Salary Growth (2009–2026, base worker)
Congress vs. Median — The Frozen Gap
Congressional salary has been $174,000 since 2009. The U.S. median worker salary rose from ~$42,000 in 2009 to $62,608 in 2025 (+49%). Congress has received zero cost-of-living raises in that time, but started from such a high base the gap remains enormous.
Outside Income Limits
Members may earn no more than $33,285/yr in outside earned income (15% of Level II Executive Schedule pay). Honoraria are prohibited. Investment income is not capped. Private workers have no such restrictions.
The 40-Million Gap
40.6 million full-time private workers have no access to a workplace retirement plan. Average income for the bottom 10% of workers: under $27,400/year — less than 16% of a congressman's salary.
Congress — Gov't Pays (est.)
$16,800/yr
~75% of avg family plan premium
Congress — Member Pays (est.)
$2,700/yr
~25% of avg family plan premium
Private Worker — Employer Pays
$7,000/yr
Avg single coverage employer share (KFF 2025)
Private Worker — Employee Pays
$2,325/yr
Avg single coverage employee share (KFF 2025)
Avg Family Plan Total Premium
$26,993/yr
KFF 2025 survey — employer-sponsored
Workers with No Coverage
26M+
Est. uninsured Americans under 65
Who Pays the Health Premium? (Family Plan)
Annual Health Premium — Employer Share by Profession
Health Benefit Quality Breakdown by Sector
FEHB — 250+ Plans
Congress members enroll in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program — the same as all federal employees. The government pays 72–75% of the premium. Members have access to 250+ health plan options nationwide.
The Private Sector Reality
In 2025, the average employer contributes ~75% of single premiums ($7,000 of $9,325). But 26+ million Americans have no coverage. Many small business employees receive far less — or nothing.
Retiree Health: A Stark Divide
Members who served 5+ years can keep FEHB coverage in retirement. Average Americans rely on COBRA (expensive) until age 65, then Medicare. No guaranteed private retiree health plan exists for most workers.
Congress — Days Not in Session
~239
Est. 2025 (non-session days)
Avg Worker — Vacation Days (Yr 1)
11
BLS private industry, after 1 year
Avg Worker — Vacation Days (Yr 10)
18
BLS private industry, after 10 years
Federal Employees — Vacation (Yr 1)
13
Increases to 26 after 15 yrs service
Workers with No Paid Leave
24%
Private industry workers (BLS 2025)
U.S. vs. EU Avg Vacation
−14 days
U.S. averages 11 days vs. EU minimum 20
Paid Vacation Days by Profession
Private Worker Vacation Growth by Tenure
Congress Has No Mandatory Schedule
Congress sets its own legislative calendar. In 2025, the House was scheduled to be in session roughly 126 days, meaning members spend an estimated 239 days out of session. Unlike any private employee, they are not "clocked out" — they may work in their districts — but face zero employer vacation limits.
No Federal Paid Leave Law
The U.S. is one of the only developed nations with no federal mandate for paid vacation. Approximately 24% of private industry workers receive no paid vacation at all. The EU mandates a minimum of 20 paid days per year.
Federal Employees Have It Better
Regular federal employees start at 13 vacation days/year, increasing to 20 days after 3 years and 26 days after 15 years — significantly more than the private sector average, plus 11 federal holidays.
Congress Pension Rate
1.7%/yr
FERS Member special accrual
Federal Employee Pension Rate
1.0%/yr
FERS standard accrual
Private Workers with Pension
9%
Defined-benefit plan (Pension Rights, 2025)
Private Workers w/ Any Retirement
53%
Participating in any workplace plan (BLS 2025)
Congress TSP Match
Up to 5%
Matching on Thrift Savings Plan
Avg Employer 401(k) Match
3–4%
Among employers that offer a match
Retirement Coverage: Congress vs. Workforce
Est. Annual Pension by Sector (20-yr career)
Defined-Benefit Pension Access: Government vs. Private Workers
The Pension Desert
Only 9% of private sector workers have access to a defined-benefit pension — down from over 60% in 1980. Government employees, including Congress, still enjoy guaranteed lifetime pensions. The shift to 401(k)s put all investment risk on workers.
The Access Problem
40.6 million full-time private workers have no access to any workplace retirement plan at all. Among the bottom 10% of earners, 79% lack access. Congress has both a pension AND TSP matching — a dual-layer system unavailable to most Americans.
Congress Pension Formula
After 20 years, a Member's FERS pension: 20 × 1.7% × $174,000 = $59,160/yr. A comparable private worker relying on Social Security (~$24,000/yr avg) would need a substantial 401(k) to approach the same income — and many have little to nothing saved.
Complete Side-by-Side Comparison Table
| Profession | Sector | Avg Salary | Health — Employer % | Health — You Pay/yr | Vacation (Yr 1) | Pension Type | Pension Access | Retire Age | Est. Total Comp | vs. Median |
|---|
Total Compensation Package Comparison (Salary + Health + Retirement value est.)
Cost to Taxpayers
Annual Taxpayer Cost per Congressional Member (est.)
Health Coverage Quality Score (1–10)
Salary + Stock Trading Income
Congressional Salary vs. Stock Market Trading (2025)
Members of Congress earn a base salary of $174,000/year. The chart below compares that salary to the estimated volume of stocks they traded in the same year. These are not necessarily profits — they represent the scale of financial activity happening alongside their legislative duties.
The Real Compensation Package
When you add stock trading volume to the official salary, the compensation picture changes dramatically. The red dashed line shows the $174K salary. Everything above it is stock market activity.
Top Traders — Detail
Loading stock trading data...
The $174K Fiction
Congress members officially earn $174,000 per year. But the top traders move hundreds of times that through the stock market annually. Michael McCaul (R-TX) traded $79.6M in 2025 alone — 457 times his salary. Nancy Pelosi traded $79.9M — 459 times hers. The salary is a rounding error.
Average Worker Comparison
The median American worker earns $62,608/year and has no access to classified economic briefings, advance knowledge of legislation, or committee-level industry intelligence. Yet Congress members trade millions in stocks in the same sectors they regulate — with a $200 fine for late disclosure.