Here's how much the governor of every US state makes ahead of the midterm elections, ranked

Josh Shapiro is the highest-paid governor in the US.

Bloomberg/Getty Images The annual salaries of state governors vary, with the lowest being $70,000 in Maine.

Josh Shapiro, Kathy Hochul, and Spencer Cox are among the highest-paid US governors.

The average annual salary for a state governor is $174,479 in 2026.

In some states, being the governor doesn't automatically make you a top earner .

With voters in 36 states heading to the polls to elect governors in November's midterm elections , the annual salaries attached to the job vary dramatically across the country — from $70,000 in Maine to over $250,000 in Pennsylvania.

Across all 50 states , governors earn an average official annual salary of $174,479 and are subject to federal and state income taxes — except in states without income tax, such as Florida and Texas.

By comparison, the top 1% of US earners each make at least $731,492 a year, placing the average governor below the ultrarich but also well above the average US wage of $69,846 in 2024, according to the Social Security Administration .

While governors across all 50 states are generally allowed to earn income beyond their state salaries through investments, book deals , and other sources, the income they may take in is closely regulated, and rules vary by state.

Some, like Florida's Ron DeSantis, have brought in yearly incomes of over $1 million thanks to book royalties , while others, like Illinois' JB Pritzker , earn eight figures due to investment gains and even gambling wins .

As such, some governors, like Pritzker and Connecticut's Ned Lamont, who are independently wealthy, have chosen to forgo their six-figure state salaries .

Beyond the salary, other financial perks of being governor may include living in the governor's mansion , receiving private transportation from the state, and having access to security and staff.

See how much your governor makes each year, based on the most recent available state records, salary commissions, legislation, and public payroll data.

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