How overmuch do you get paid to beryllium the leader of the free world?
Since 2001, the president of the United States has been paid $400,000 a year. Compare that to 1789, erstwhile the US elected its first president, and the statesmanlike net was $25,000 a year.
While that whitethorn sound for illustration a fraction of today's paycheck, the salary's worth has really decreased by astir half erstwhile adjusted for inflation.
In the 237 years since, the president has only received a fistful of raises, although, of course, the agency comes pinch plenty of different perks.
Here's really the president's yearly compensation has changed since America's founding.
For the first 84 years of the United States' existence, the president earned $25,000 a year.
When Washington was elected successful 1789, the task fell to Congress to determine what the statesmanlike compensation should be.
In 2026 dollars, that $25,000 net would beryllium adjacent to astir $949,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' user value index.
In all, Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, James K. Polk, Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, Abraham Lincoln, and Andrew Johnson each made $25,000.
The first alteration came successful 1873, erstwhile Ulysses S. Grant was the president. The yearly net was raised to $50,000.
By 1873, that $25,000 had depreciated to astir $696,000 successful today's money. A sizable bump to $50,000 a twelvemonth made the net worthy almost $1.4 cardinal successful 2026 dollars.
Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Chester A. Arthur, Grover Cleveland, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, and Theodore Roosevelt each made $50,000.
That lasted for 36 years, until 1909, during William Howard Taft's term. It was raised to $75,000.
The $50,000 net lasted for astir 3 decades. In 1909, it was raised to $75,000, aliases astir $2.75 cardinal successful 2026 dollars.
Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Harry Truman (during his first term) each earned $75,000.
Another 40 years passed earlier it was raised again successful 1949 during Harry S. Truman's 2nd term, erstwhile it reached $100,000.
By 1949, that $75,000 had depreciated successful worth to astir $1 cardinal successful 2026 dollars. So Congress voted to raise it to $100,000, aliases astir $1.4 cardinal successful today's currency.
Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, and Lyndon B. Johnson each made $100,000 a year.
In 1969, Congress raised the net to $200,000.
In 1969, the $100,000 net was worthy astir $910,000 successful today's money, whereas the $200,000 net was worthy astir $1.8 million.
Lyndon B. Johnson was president astatine the time, but the raise didn't spell into effect until Richard Nixon took office.
Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton earned $200,000 a year.
Three decades later, successful 2001, George W. Bush became the first president to beryllium paid $400,000 annually. It hasn't been raised since.
In 1999, Congress voted to raise the net to $400,000 starting successful 2001. That magnitude would beryllium worthy astir $762,000 today.
There hasn't been a raise since then: Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden person each made $400,000.
Before he took agency successful 2017, Trump said he would not return location the presidential salary, and during his first term, he donated the payments to national agencies, including the National Park Service and the Department of Transportation.
Trump said he would forgo his net during his 2nd term. The White House has not publically said wherever the payments person gone.
Other presidents person taken a akin attack — Hoover and Kennedy donated their salaries to charities.
Since 1949, the president has besides received a $50,000 disbursal account.
In 1949, Congress passed an enactment that raised compensation to $100,000 and established a $50,000 disbursal account.
The $50,000 covers expenses related to the president's charismatic duties, specified arsenic dry-cleaning and hosting societal gatherings. Unused costs revert to the US Treasury.
They've besides had a $100,000 recreation fund and a $19,000 allowance for intermezo expenses.
The $100,000 recreation fund has been successful effect since 1978 — before that, it was $40,000.
When you time off office, that doesn't mean the paychecks extremity coming.
Since 1958, presidents person received a pension adjacent to the "salary of a Cabinet-level secretary." For example, Obama's statesmanlike pension is $253,100 annually.
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Gabbi Shaw is simply a newsman connected Business Insider's editorial partnerships team. She covers entertainment, travel, food, and manner for Business Insider, and Insider Inc.'s partners, including MSN, Apple News, and Yahoo.She graduated from Tulane University successful 2017 pinch a grade successful nationalist wellness and now lives successful New York City. She tin beryllium reached connected X aliases LinkedIn.Please nonstop each inquiries, comments, aliases tips to [email protected].Selected stories:
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