State legislators and other state officials have received a pay raise that went into effect on December 1st. State legislators will now be paid over $110,000 annually.
As of December 1st, Pennsylvania state legislators will make an annual salary of $110,015.54 delivered in monthly payments. The raise comes as an inflation-based cost-of-living adjustment was made. Before the raise, legislators’ annual salary was $106,422.33.
Pay for judges, legislators, and most state-level officials coincides with regional Consumer Price Index inflation due to a 1995 amendment to Pennsylvania’s compensation law. The President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House now have salaries of $171,741.28. The four floor leaders received a pay raise to $159,398.47.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, only New York and California have a higher salary rate for state legislators. Those in favor of the state’s automatic salary-setting say that it saves legislators from spending time and political capital debating their pay each year. Those opposed believe the raises are excessive.
This will be the fourth year in a row that state officials saw a bigger percentage increase than private sector workers, compared with hourly earnings data. Pennsylvania Governor Shapiro’s salary will rise to nearly $246,000. He will be the second-highest paid governor in 2025, behind New York’s governor.
The salary increase that went into effect for this year was 3.5%, aligning with CPI inflation and cost-of-living. The salary increase in 2023 was 7.8%, which was the biggest increase since the 1995 amendment took effect.
