Legislators

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Typical Tasks for Legislators

The day-to-day work of a legislators typically centers on analyze and understand the local and national implications of proposed legislation. 0 of these 8 tasks are Core O*NET duties; the remainder are common supplemental work. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.

1. Analyze and understand the local and national implications of proposed legislation.n/a
2. Appoint nominees to leadership posts, or approve such appointments.n/a
3. Confer with colleagues to formulate positions and strategies pertaining to pending issues.n/a
4. Debate the merits of proposals and bill amendments during floor sessions, following the appropriate rules of procedure.n/a
5. Develop expertise in subject matters related to committee assignments.n/a
6. Hear testimony from constituents, representatives of interest groups, board and commission members, and others with an interest in bills or issues under consideration.n/a
7. Keep abreast of the issues affecting constituents by making personal visits and phone calls, reading local newspapers, and viewing or listening to local broadcasts.n/a
8. Maintain knowledge of relevant national and international current events.n/a

Salary by State — Legislators

Median annual pay is highest in Washington at $109,390 and lowest in South Carolina at $19,270 — a 5.7× spread. The top five states (Washington, New York, Hawaii, Michigan, Colorado) average $84,080. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.

Also Known As

Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for legislators. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Alderman or Assembly Member frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.