Republican offices on Capitol Hill pay their top staff more on average than Democratic offices, while Democratic offices offer more competitive salaries for lower-ranking staff.
The median GOP chief of staff salary was nearly 3% more than the median Democratic chief of staff salary in 2022 and 2023, according to annual salary records. Republican offices have also placed higher value on the deputy chief of staff position, with a median annual salary that was approximately 4% greater than the median Democratic salary in 2022 and 5% higher in 2023.
Meanwhile, the median salary for staff assistants - the most junior staff positions - in Democratic offices was 17% more than the median GOP staff assistant salary in 2022, and nearly 12% more in 2023.
The median annual salary for legislative correspondents, the next most junior position, was approximately 8% more for Democrats in 2023 and 11% in 2022. The same pattern holds for legislative assistants. In 2022 the median Democratic salary was approximately 5% more than the median GOP salary and 2% more in 2023.
