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.
