Legislators

SOC Code: 11-1031
Also known as:
Alderman, Assembly Member, Assembly Person, Assemblyman, Assemblywoman
Median Annual Salary
$44,810
+3.4% growth (2024-2034)
2K
Openings/Year
28K
Current Jobs

What Legislators Do

Develop, introduce, or enact laws and statutes at the local, tribal, state, or federal level. Includes only workers in elected positions.

💰 Salary

$44,810
Median annual wage (2024)

📈 Job Growth

+3.4%
As fast as average

🎓 Education

Bachelor's degree
Typical entry-level requirement

🚀 Annual Openings

2K
Projected average per year

👔 Work Experience

Less than 5 years
Required before entry

Employment Projections (2024-2034)

Current Employment (2024)

27,700

Projected Employment (2034)

28,600

Related Careers

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Financial managers

$161,700 • +14.8% growth
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Political scientists

$139,380 • -3.1% growth
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Lawyers

$151,160 • +4.1% growth
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Judicial law clerks

$60,400 • +2.5% growth
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Technology & Tools

Adobe Acrobat Cisco Webex Microsoft Access Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft SharePoint Microsoft SQL Server Microsoft Visual Basic Microsoft Word

📚 Entry-Level Education

Bachelor's degree
Most common requirement

Degree Programs for Legislators

These degree programs can prepare you for a career as a legislators:

Public Administration

13,898 degrees awarded • 426 colleges offer this program
View Colleges →

Public Policy Analysis, General

5,419 degrees awarded • 163 colleges offer this program
View Colleges →

Best Colleges for Becoming a Legislators

Ranked by Repit grade, then by degrees in related programs. These are the top-rated colleges that prepare students to become legislators.

# College Location Related Degrees Repit Grade
1 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI 235 A+
2 University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 175 A+
3 Harvard University Cambridge, MA 419 A
4 Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY 409 A
5 University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA 307 A
6 Duke University Durham, NC 278 A
7 New York University New York, NY 262 A
8 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC 250 A
9 Princeton University Princeton, NJ 227 A
10 Cornell University Ithaca, NY 198 A
11 University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 198 A
12 University of Virginia-Main Campus Charlottesville, VA 191 A
13 Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD 133 A
14 University of Chicago Chicago, IL 125 A
15 The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX 123 A
16 Northwestern University Evanston, IL 123 A
17 University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA 120 A
18 University of Georgia Athens, GA 78 A
19 University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA 67 A
20 Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus Atlanta, GA 64 A

Want this ranking as a spreadsheet? Investor Pro+ members can export any Repit table to CSV. See plans →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do legislators make?
The median annual salary for legislators is $44,810.
What education do legislators need?
Most legislators positions require a bachelor's degree. Common degree programs include Public Administration, Public Policy Analysis, General.
Is becoming legislators a good career choice?
Legislators is projected to see +3.4% job growth from 2024 to 2034, which is about average for all occupations. With approximately 2,200 job openings expected annually, there are good opportunities for those entering the field.
What are the best colleges for legislators?
Top colleges for aspiring legislators include University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, University of California-Los Angeles, Harvard University, Columbia University in the City of New York, University of Southern California. These schools are ranked based on their Repit grade and the number of graduates in related programs.
What other job titles are similar to legislators?
Legislators may also be known as: Alderman, Assembly Member, Assembly Person, Assemblyman, Assemblywoman, City Alderman, City Council Member, City Councilman, Congress Member, Congressional Representative, Congressman, Congresswoman, Council Member, Councilman, Councilor, Councilperson, Councilwoman, Delegate, Legislator, Representative. These titles often refer to similar roles with varying responsibilities or specializations.