You're thinking of a number, but is it more or less than what the U.S. president makes each year?
Here’s Exactly How Much Money the U.S. President Makes
Updated on Jan. 28, 2025
Being the president of the United States isn’t your typical nine-to-five job. In fact, presidents are basically on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year—even when they’re on vacation. Plus, they technically have three official positions, being both the head of state and head of government of the United States of America, as well as the commander in chief of the armed forces. On top of all that, the U.S. president has been seen as the “leader of the free world” since the start of the Cold War. In short, it’s an enormous responsibility that also comes with the stress of living your life in the public eye. Given everything the job entails, you may be asking yourself: Just how much does the U.S. president make?
We dove into the history of presidential dollars and cents to find out what the position has paid over the years. Read on to find out how much POTUS earns each year.
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How much does the U.S. president make?
The past four presidents elected to office—Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Barack Obama and George W. Bush—have all made $400,000 a year in salary. Presidents also get an expense allowance every year of $50,000 “to assist in defraying expenses relating to or resulting from the discharge of his official duties,” but they have to return any unused funds at the end of their term. A $100,000 travel account and a $19,000 entertainment budget are bonus benefits. Combined, that’s $569,000 annually.
On top of that, they get free housing in the White House—plus “use of the furniture and other effects” in their official residence—free transportation and free health care administered by the private medical team available in the White House.
How much did past presidents make?
There have been five pay raises since George Washington took office in 1789, most recently in 2001, when the president’s salary was doubled, going from $200,000 to $400,000.
It might seem like past presidents didn’t make that much, but if you take inflation into account, our earlier presidents earned far more than POTUS does today.
- 1789: $25,000 (worth roughly $896,000 in 2025)
- 1873: $50,000 (worth roughly $1.3 million in 2025)
- 1909: $75,000 (worth roughly $2.6 million in 2025)
- 1949: $100,000 (worth roughly $1.3 million in 2025)
- 1969: $200,000 (worth roughly $1.7 million in 2025)
- 2001: $400,000 (worth roughly $712,000 in 2025)
Because the president’s salary has remained the same for nearly a quarter-century, the $400,000 doesn’t go as far today as it did back in 2001.
What do U.S. presidents use their salaries for?
Many presidential candidates are already wealthy, so if elected, they don’t really need a salary to help them get by. Some of the wealthier presidents have chosen to donate their salary or portions of their salary. During his first term in office, for example, Trump pledged to donate his entire presidential salary. He reportedly donated it to institutions, including the National Park Service and the Department of Homeland Security, but it is unclear from his tax returns if he donated his full presidential salary for the four years he was in office. (He still made money from his hotels and other properties.)
Meanwhile, Herbert Hoover and John F. Kennedy—who were both wealthy before taking office—donated their entire presidential salaries.
How do presidents make money after office?
You know that the president gets paid while in office, but how much do they make once their final term is up? Presidents receive an annual pension after they leave the White House, which was $246,424 in 2024. Widows of former presidents are eligible for a $20,000 annual pension, plus franking privileges (the ability to send mail without postage). If a president previously served in Congress or held a position in the executive branch, they may also be eligible for a separate pension—and there’s no law saying that they can’t collect both.
In addition to their pension, some former presidents make money by giving speeches, writing books or working in film or television, while others have had some pretty unlikely jobs after leaving office, like being a cattle rancher, newspaper columnist and explorer.
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Sources:
- Office of the Law Revision Council: “Compensation of the President”
- Consumer Price Index: “Inflation Calculator”
- CBS News: “How much is the president paid?”
- Slate: “A Presidential Salary FAQ”
- USA Today: “Fact check: President Donald Trump donates his salary, but he still makes money”
- National Taxpayers Union Foundation: “Pensions and Perks for Former Presidents”
