If you love helping people and the causes you believe in, consider a career in politics. Running for state representative or other elected office can be one of the most rewarding — and challenging — experiences of your life.
Salary for a State Representative is set at $24,000. In addition to their $57,400 base salary each year, State Representatives can receive a daily allowance for living expenses of up to $169 per day. The state also provides them with a g
What Is a State Legislator?
State legislators have a vote and an impact on the issues that face their states. Usually they hold a bachelor’s degree in a related field like law, history, public administration or even liberal studies. They run for office, serve on various committees, and work to pass legislation that will affect the citizens of their state in some capacity. The table below outlines the general requirements for this career.
| Degree Required | Bachelor’s degree |
| Educational Field of Study | Political Science History Public Administration |
| Key Responsibilities | Creates and enacts laws, policies, and regulations; studies proposed legislation; meets with constituents |
| Job Outlook (2020-2030) | 8% for all legislators* |
| Average Salary (May 2020) | $53,560 for all legislators* |
*Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
What Type of Work Do State Legislators Do?
Most states have an upper and a lower house in its legislative branch of government; an assembly and a senate, for example. This legislative body develops state laws, regulations and policies introduced and voted on legislators. Typically, state legislators, also known as state lawmakers, are elected or appointed to represent an area or district of the state for a term defined by a state constitution.
As a legislator, you’ll have an office in your state’s capital district and one or more offices in your legislative district. You’ll study proposed legislation and meet with constituents and representatives of various interest groups. You may draft bills to be presented for a vote by legislative committees, each house chamber and by the full legislature. In many states, legislators serve part-time or for the portion of the year when the legislature is in session. During other periods you may travel your district to attend events and meet with constituents to gain insight on local issues. You’ll also be working on political activities such as your re-election campaign.
How Do You Become A State Legislator?
Each state’s constitution defines residency, citizenship and minimum age requirements for legislators. Active involvement in your community not only helps to prepare you for this job but also helps to establish name recognition, develop contacts, and gain media exposure. You may volunteer and serve in leadership positions for community organizations. Service as an elected official on the local or county level is a common background for state legislators.
Affiliation with and involvement in a political party is usually required to become a legislator. You’ll need to obtain the endorsement of your party, often through primary elections, and then run for office in the general election. An option may be to run as an independent candidate. In either case, you’ll need to secure a spot on the ballot through a nominating petition with the signatures of a prescribed percentage of registered voters in your district, as defined in your state’s laws or constitution.
No particular educational path is required to serve as a state legislator. You may find courses in government, political science, public administration, and history relevant. Many state lawmakers are lawyers, but a wide array of professional backgrounds are represented.
What Is the Path for Advancement?
Some popular legislators serve for decades in the state legislature. Some states, however, have term limits that dictate how long a legislator may remain in office. According to the National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL), as of 2020, 15 states had such limits (www.ncsl.org).
Some legislators run for office in the upper house of the state legislature directly, but many may advance from the lower house to the upper house. After service in the state legislature, you might decide to run for the United States Congress or Senate. Legislators may also go on to serve as lieutenant governor or governor.
Government-issued health plan, pension plan, life insurance HDHP and social security coverage.
Salary For State Representative Overview
The salary of a state representative depends on the state. Some states pay their representatives with a salary, while others pay them per diem and reimburse mileage. The average salary of a state representative is $48,000.
The amount of money you make as a state representative depends on the number of hours you work, what your employer pays you, and whether or not your employer offers benefits.
If you are working in a salaried position, then your income will be based on how many hours you work each week and how much your employer pays for that position. Your employer may also offer benefits such as health insurance or retirement savings plans, which will increase your total compensation package.
If you are working as a part-time employee on an hourly wage basis, then the amount of money you make will depend on how many hours per week you work. If your employer does not offer benefits or other perks such as medical insurance or paid time off, then this will also affect how much money you take home each week from your job.
How state legislator salaries are set
Salaries of state legislators are determined in four ways.
- Nineteen states use a commission of some kind to determine the salary of legislators. The powers of these commissions vary from non-binding reports to reports that are implemented unless voted down by the legislature, not approved by the governor, or overturned by citizen referenda.
- In two of these states mentioned above—Arizona and Nebraska—any recommendation to change legislators’ pay must be approved by voters before going into effect.
- Some states tie legislative salaries to those of other state employees
- Other states allow the legislators themselves to set their own salaries
States with a policy of allowing legislators to set their own salaries encounter what the National Conference of State Legislatures calls the “pay problem,” in which the political risk associated with possible negative perceptions of legislators who vote to increase their own pay prevents legislatures from raising salaries. When this happens, it is possible for inflation to outpace the rate of pay, meaning legislative salaries may decline over time.
Full-time and part-time legislatures
See also: States with a full-time legislature
The National Conference of State Legislatures classifies state legislatures as full-time, part-time, or hybrid.
- Full-time states have legislators who devote 84 percent of a full time job to their legislative duties which include committee hearings, listening sessions, constituent service, and time spent campaigning. On average, each full-time legislator is paid about $82,358.[4]
- Hybrid states have legislators who devote 74 percent of a full time job to their legislative duties. Legislators estimate they spend more than two-thirds of a full-time job on their legislative duties. On average, each hybrid legislator is paid about $41,110.[4]
- Part-time states have legislators who devote 57 percent of a full time job to their legislative duties. On average, each legislator is paid about $18,449. These are also called “traditional or citizen legislatures” and the legislators typically need additional sources of income outside the legislature to make a living.[4]
