Meet the highest-paid White House staffers in 2026 — and see how much they make

Stephen Miller, Susie Wiles, and Tom Homan are among the highest-paid staffers at the White House. / / The White House salary report shows its top-paid staffers earn up to $197,200 annually. Senior advisors, legal counsel, and policy directors are among the highest earners listed. Government salaries can fall below private sector pay but far exceed the national average income. Working at the White House might be one of the most exclusive and prestigious jobs in the US, but you'd be surprised by how much some of the people around the president make each year. For starters, having the top job — that is, being the president of the US — brings in a salary of $400,000, which some independently wealthy presidents, such as John F. Kennedy, Herbert Hoover, and Donald Trump, have chosen to donate instead. While the figure is significantly higher than what the average American makes — $72,800 in 2025, according to the Social Security Administration — it's also less than you would need to be in the top 1% of earners across all US states. In 2025, the top 1% of earners in Maryland and Virginia, which border the District of Columbia, earn $677,543 and $701,792 annually, respectively. Government salaries often lag behind what professionals earn in the private sector, since serving the public isn't as lucrative as maximizing shareholder value. Still, to say that those working at the White House are underpaid would be an overstatement. On July 1, the White House shared with Congress the salaries of all employees inside the president's executive office, including aides, advisors, and staff leaders, as it is legally required to. Some of the highest-compensated workers around the president include policy advisors and legal counsel, while others are responsible for the president's communications and personnel management. Lower-paid roles include research assistants and press assistants. Other notable names, like Marco Rubio and David Sacks, declared a $0 salary from the office of the president, either forgoing their salary or receiving compensation from other branches of government. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. See the 34 people who get paid the most inside the White House, after the president himself. Role: Senior policy advisor Salary: $197,200 Role: Executive director of the Anti-Fraud Task Force Salary: $197,200 Lucas Croslow Lucas Croslow previously served as general counsel for the Federal Trade Commission. Role: Senior policy advisor Salary: $197,200 Blake Deeley The Washington Post/The Washington Post via Getty Images Role: Deputy executive director of the National Energy Dominance Council Salary: $197,200 Harry Jung Trump established the President's Council of Advisors for Digital Assets (also known as the White House Crypto Council) in 2025. Jim WATSON / AFP via Getty Images Role: Deputy director of the Presidential Council of Advisors for Digital Assets Salary: $197,200 Peter Lake Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images Role: Senior advisor Salary: $197,200 James "J.C." Miller USDA photo by Christophe Paul Role: Senior policy advisor Salary: $197,200 Joseph Simonson Joseph Simonson previously served as the director of public affairs at the Federal Trade Commission. Role: Senior policy advisor Salary: $197,200 Nick Stewart Nick Stewart, who served in the State Department during Trump's first term, is now a policy advisor on the White House team negotiating to end the war in Iran. Role: Policy advisor Salary: $197,200 for Concordia Summit Role: Executive director of the National Energy Dominance Council Salary: $195,200 Role: Senior policy advisor Salary: $195,200 Walker Barrett Walker previously worked for the House Armed Services Committee. Role: Assistant to the president for policy Salary: $195,200 Meghan Bauer Bauer serves as an assistant to the president and his Cabinet Secretary. Role: Cabinet Secretary Salary: $195,200 James Braid Blair (right) left the white house in october. Role: Director of legislative affairs Salary: $195,200 Role: Director of communications Salary: $195,200 John Coale Michael M. Role: Deputy assistant to the president and deputy special envoy to Ukraine Salary: $195,200 Role: Director of management and administration and director to the Office of Administration Salary: $195,200 Role: Associate counsel Salary: $195,200 Vince Haley AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin Role: Director of the Domestic Policy Council Salary: $195,200 Role: Chief of staff to the first lady Salary: $195,200 William ' Role: Deputy chief of staff for operations Salary: $195,200 Role: Assistant to the president for economic policy and director of the National Economic Council Salary: $195,200 Anne Hawkins Hawkins previously served as general counsel and chief of strategy at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Role: Senior policy advisor Salary: $195,200 Role: Border czar Salary: $195,200 Role: White House press secretary Salary: $195,200 Role: Deputy chief of staff for policy and Homeland Security advisor Salary: $195,200 Role: Senior counselor for trade and manufacturing Salary: $195,200 Role: Deputy chief of staff director of the Office for Presidential Personnel Salary: $195,200 Will Scharf Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP Role: Staff secretary Salary: $195,200 Courtney Stecker Courtney Stecker previously served as senior advisor to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Rose-Marie Henriksson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Role: Senior policy advisor Salary: $195,200 Role: Counsel to the president Salary: $195,200 Role: Chief of staff Salary: $195,200 for Chainlink Labs Role: Executive director of the Presidential Council of Advisors for Digital Assets Salary: $195,200 Role: Director of speechwriting Salary: $195,200 Read the original article on Business Insider

Read it at Business Insider ↗

← Front page