Salaries For Governor- Read More About It

Every state in the US has a Governor that acts as the Chief Executive. It is the highest ranking position in a state. A Governor gets responsible for implementing state laws. The job title is the same for every state, but the salary may differ. A Governor gets paid more than the Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Controller, and Treasurer because he/she lies at the top of the hierarchy. Let us know more detail about ‘Salaries For Governor’.

Salaries For Governor

Salaries For Governor

A Governor’s salary in the US is proportional to the population and rate of taxes. It ranges from $70,000 to $187,818. The average salary is $153,068. New York, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee are some of the highest-paying states for a Governor.

Governors And Their Salaries: Salaries For Governor

Kay Ivey (Alabama)

She is a member of the Republican party. She gets paid $127,833, excluding the benefits, and her net worth is approximately $100,000. Her salary is comparatively lower than the governors in other states.

Jared Polis (Colorado)

He belongs to the Democratic party. He is also a businessman, entrepreneur, and political leader. He earns more than $3 million per month, which turns out to be $33 million per year. His net worth is approximately $400 million.

Ron DeSantis (Florida)

He earns $180,000 and pays $4 million in the name of taxes as of 2022. His net worth is $52 million. DeSantis gets $9 million through other sources of income. However, in 2020 his gubernatorial salary was the only field source of income.

Janet Mills (Maine)

She is a Democrat and the leader of the government in Maine. Her salary is $70,000, and it is the lowest of all. This amount has not changed since 1987 for any governor. She gets ranked 51st in terms of pay among other states.

Muriel Bowser (District of Columbia)

She used to earn $220,000 as of 2021. She stood in 79th place in terms of pay. Her net worth is approximately $300 million. She was elected for the first time in 2007 and re-elected in 2008 and 2012.

Benefits For Governors In The US

The state government and other organizations pay for the benefits received by the governors in the US. The benefits include insurance, official residence, and more. Following are some benefits received by the governors in the US:

State Pension

The governors get eligible for a monthly retirement benefit after their term ends. They get $5,000 per month, in installments, in the name of pension. However, it depends on the number of years they spent in the office.

Health Insurance

All current and retired state employees get health insurance according to state law. This plan works for the state employees of all 50 states due to the rising costs for health care and maintenance.

Travel And Transportation Benefits

The governors of all 50 states and 5 US Territories get travel allowance according to the state law. Helicopters and airplanes are the vehicles provided by the state to the governors in the name of Travel And Transportation Benefits.

Other Benefits

Governors get free official residence and a daily stipend for lodging, food, etc. They get associated with the staff members too. Nebraska provides only 9 staff members, Texas provides 277 staff members.

The Highest Paying States For Governors

Currently, Kathy Hochul, the governor of New York is the highest paid governor with $225,000. The current population of New York is 18,867,000. The population of the state plays a major role in the salary of the governor. Other highest paying states for a governor are California ($209,747), Pennsylvania ($201,729), Tennessee ($198,780), and Massachusetts ($185,000).

Other states that pay their governors more than $163,000 area Washington ($182,179), Illinois ($181,670), Virginia ($175,000), Maryland ($170,000), Delaware ($171,000), Georgia ($175,000), Vermont ($184,100), and New Jersey ($175,000). Salaries for the governors may increase in case of inflation or if the state legislature passes such a law.

The Lowest Paying States For Governors

Janet Mills, the governor of Maine, is the lowest paid governor with $70,000. The governor of Puerto Rico, Pedro Pierluisi, also gets paid the same amount. The population of Maine is approximately 13.4 lakhs, while that of Puerto Rico is 31.9 lakhs.

Other lowest paying states are Oregon ($98,600), Arizona ($95,000), Colorado ($92,700), Wyoming ($105,000), Montana ($118,397), South Carolina ($106,078), and more. South Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Lowa, Minnesota, Mississippi, and Louisiana pay the governors between $101,000 and $132,000.

Exceptions

Governors in the US end up paying 24% of their total pay in the name of Federal tax and rent. Though it is the highest ranking position, the governors may not get paid the highest amount. Other government employees like the coaches of football teams or college presidents may end up getting paid more than some governors in the US.

Not all governors take the full amount. They return a part of their salaries to the state. It helps them to set an example for the residents of the state. People can do more with less by looking at the government. The number of years or terms for a governor depends on the state to avoid anyone taking advantage of the salaries and benefits.

For instance, the governors from a few states and territories like Kansas, West Virginia, New Mexico, South Dakota, etc can serve only for two consecutive terms. They may join again as the governor only after taking a break of four years after these two consecutive terms. The governors from Delaware, Arkansas, Nevada, etc cannot serve again after serving for two consecutive or non-consecutive terms.

Conclusion

Now we’ve learnt about ‘Salaries For Governor’, The state law and other factors like population, inflation, etc affect the salary of the governors. Though it is one of the highest ranking positions, the governors may not end up getting paid lesser than other government personnel. However, most governors get a five-figure salary, and the average salary is $153,068. New York is the highest paying state for the governors, whereas Maine is the lowest paying state.

Frequently Asked Questions
  1. What Are The Duties Of A Governor In The USA?

The governor appoints state judges and signs bills to make law. He/she also gets responsible to declare special elections and remove a few items mentioned in the budget.

  1. Who Is The Governor Of New Mexico And How Much Does He Earn?

The governor of New Mexico is Michelle Lujan Grisham. She earns $110,000 per month.

Salaries For Governor- Read More About It

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