State salaries rise as Shapiro rakes in most | News, Sports, Jobs

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is the highest paid in his position in the United States.

In Pennsylvania, state officials, including the governor, much of his administration and the legislature, receive automatic annual cost-of-living adjustments to their salaries.

This year, it will bump Gov. Josh Shapiro up to the highest paid governor in the nation, overtaking New York’s Gov. Kathy Hochul.

The new salary increase of 3.3% comes in at $253,870 according to the state’s Office of the Budget. That 3.3% applies to leaders across state departments and boards like the Liquor Control Board and Public Utility Commission.

Members of the legislature saw their salaries rise to $113,000 for rank-and-file members. The median household income for their constituents is about $76,000 according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The full-time legislature met less than 90 days this year, with the Senate clocking fewer sessions than the House. The state budget they oversee was 135 days late.

Shapiro’s second-in command, Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, major agency leaders, and the state’s row officers including Attorney General Dave Sunday, Treasurer Stacy Garrity, and Auditor General Tim DeFoor will all be making more than $200,000 in 2026.

For perspective, the president of the United States earns $400,000 annually. The lowest-paid governor according to Business Insider, Maine’s Janet Mills, earns $70,000.