Life As a Legislator
Position Description Develop, introduce or enact laws and statutes at the local, tribal, State, or Federal level. Includes only workers in elected positions.
Legislator Responsibilities
- Appoint nominees to leadership posts, or approve such appointments.
- Represent their parties in negotiations with political executives or members of other parties, and when speaking with the media.
- Conduct “head counts” to help predict the outcome of upcoming votes.
- Alert constituents of government actions and programs by way of newsletters, personal appearances at town meetings, phone calls, and individual meetings.
- Make decisions that balance the perspectives of private citizens, public officials, and party leaders.
- Oversee expense allowances, ensuring that accounts are balanced at the end of each fiscal year.
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Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Selectman
- Assembly Person
- Council Member
- Assembly Member
- City Alderman
Job Opportunities for Legislators
In the United States, there were 55,500 jobs for Legislator in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 7% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 3,900 new jobs for Legislator by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 4,400 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Legislator are Utah, Nevada, and Texas. Watch out if you plan on working in New Jersey, Wisconsin, or Oregon. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Do Legislators Make A Lot Of Money?
The salary for Legislators ranges between about $17,510 and $98,890 a year.

Legislators who work in New York, Hawaii, or California, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Legislators in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $31,760 |
Alaska | $45,340 |
Arizona | $56,530 |
Arkansas | $21,970 |
California | $68,580 |
Colorado | $57,570 |
Connecticut | $59,740 |
Florida | $56,990 |
Georgia | $23,810 |
Hawaii | $60,400 |
Idaho | $25,310 |
Indiana | $36,910 |
Iowa | $43,450 |
Kansas | $22,870 |
Louisiana | $33,370 |
Maryland | $45,110 |
Michigan | $35,460 |
Minnesota | $34,690 |
Mississippi | $25,360 |
Missouri | $25,630 |
Montana | $45,510 |
Nebraska | $34,320 |
New Hampshire | $18,910 |
New Mexico | $23,960 |
New York | $90,050 |
North Dakota | $36,050 |
Ohio | $43,770 |
Oklahoma | $48,770 |
Oregon | $37,960 |
South Carolina | $20,910 |
Tennessee | $41,470 |
Texas | $45,180 |
Utah | $26,930 |
Virginia | $32,900 |
Washington | $66,240 |
West Virginia | $28,520 |
Wyoming | $38,180 |
What Tools & Technology do Legislators Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Legislators may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Structured query language SQL
- Microsoft Visual Basic
- Microsoft SQL Server
- Microsoft Exchange Server
- IBM Domino
- Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
- Mapping software
- Adobe Systems Adobe FrameMaker
- Apple iWork Keynote
- Cisco Systems WebEx
- Citrix GoToMeeting
Legislators Sector

Legislators work in the following industries:

References:
Image Credit: The Official CTBTO Photostream via Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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