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

The annual salaries of state governors vary, with the lowest being $70,000 in Maine.
Josh Shapiro, Kathy Hochul, and Gavin Newsom are among the highest-paid US governors.
The average annual salary for a state governor is $171,479 in 2026.

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

There's a wide range in what state governors earn each year, from $70,000 in Maine to $253,870 in Pennsylvania.

Across all 50 states, governors earn an average official annual salary of $171,479 and are subject to federal and state income taxes, except in states without them, such as Florida or 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 money beyond their state salary through investments, book deals, and other sources, the income they're permitted to 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 salaries from the state.

Beyond the salary, other financial perks of being a 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.

50. Maine

Governor: Janet Mills (Democrat)

Salary: $70,000

With a salary of $70,000, Maine Governor Janet Mills is the lowest-paid governor in the US.

The salary for Maine's next governor is set to rise to $125,000 in 2027 underlegislation passed in 2025, marking the first raise in the governor's salary in the state since 1987.

49. Arizona

Governor: Katie Hobbs (Democrat)

Salary: $95,000

The Arizona governor, who has the second-lowest salary among US governors, will be eligible to receive a salary of $165,000 starting in 2027, per the state legislature.

48. Oregon

Governor: Tina Kotek (Democrat)

Salary: $98,600

Oregon law sets the governor's annual salary at $98,600 and provides a separate $1,000 monthly expense payment. The salary is one of the lowest for any governor in the US.

47. Nebraska

Governor: Jim Pillen (Republican)

Salary: $105,000

Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen, who earned $105,000 a year in 2025, perthe state legislature, is the fourth-lowest-paid governor in the US.

46. South Carolina

Governor: Henry McMaster (Republican)

Salary: $106,078

With a salary of $106,078 in 2025, per state records, the South Carolina governor is the fifth-lowest-paid governor in the US.

45. New Mexico

New Mexico governor Michelle Lujan Grisham

Governor: Michelle Lujan Grisham (Democrat)

Salary: $110,000

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham is the sixth-lowest-paid governor in the US. New Mexico's next governor will receive a salary of $169,714 starting with the next gubernatorial term in 2027.

44. Louisiana

Governor: Jeff Landry (Republican)

Salary: $129,394

43. Iowa

Governor: Kim Reynolds (Republican)

Salary: $130,000

42. Alabama

Governor: Kay Ivey (Republican)

Salary: $131,800

41. Colorado

Governor: Jared Polis (Democrat)

Salary: $134,632

The Colorado governor, previously one of the lowest-paid governors in the nation, has received a $134,632 salary since 2023, as outlined by state law.

40. Wyoming

Governor: Mark Gordon (Republican)

Salary: $140,000

39. Florida

Governor: Ron DeSantis (Republican)

Salary: $141,400

The Florida governor makes $141,400 each year, although the Florida state legislature has approved a raise to $251,414 for the office starting in 2027, which would make the Florida governor the highest paid in the nation, if other high-paying states do not also increase their salaries.

38. Montana

Governor: Greg Gianforte (Republican)

Salary: $141,517

Gianforte, who made his fortune in tech, donates his salary to Montana nonprofits. In 2025, his office said he had donated his entire gubernatorial salary to organizations supporting Montanans in need.

37. Missouri

Governor: Mike Kehoe (Republican)

Salary: $142,658

36. South Dakota

Governor: Larry Rhoden (Republican)

Salary: $146,472

35. Oklahoma

Governor: Kevin Stitt (Republican)

Salary: $147,000

While the current Oklahoma governor, Kevin Stitt, has a salary of $147,000 in 2026, his successor will see a raise to $185,000, per Oklahoma's Journal Record.

34. Idaho

Governor: Brad Little (Republican)

Salary: $151,400

33. Texas

Governor: Greg Abbott (Republican)

Salary: $153,750

As of 2021, Texas Governor Greg Abbott makes $153,750 a year, per state records.

32. Michigan

Governor: Gretchen Whitmer (Democrat)

Salary: $159,300

Michigan's governor also receives a $54,000 annual expense allowance, according to the State Officers Compensation Commission.

31. Mississippi

Governor: Tate Reeves (Republican)

Salary: $160,000

30. North Dakota

Governor: Kelly Armstrong (Republican)

Salary: $163,107

North Dakota's governor's salary is scheduled to rise to $168,000 starting July 1, 2026, per state legislation.

29. Rhode Island

Governor: Daniel McKee (Democrat)

Salary: $163,295

28. New Hampshire

Governor: Kelly Ayotte (Republican)

Salary: $163,510

27. Arkansas

Arkansas governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders

Governor: Sarah Huckabee Sanders (Republican)

Salary: $166,771

26. Nevada

Governor: Joe Lombardo (Republican)

Salary: $170,062

25. Kansas

Governor: Laura Kelly (Democrat)

Salary: $174,000

In 2023, Kansas raised the governor's annual salary starting January 1, 2025, tying the office's pay to the salary of a non-leadership member of Congress, according to state legislation.

24. Minnesota

Governor: Tim Walz (Democrat)

Salary: $174,775 (although Walz accepts $127,629)

The Minnesota governor's official salary is $174,775 and will increase to $200,000 in July 2026, per the Minnesota Legislature. However, Walz has repeatedly declined the raises and accepts the previous salary of $127,629.

"This is about the state workforce," he said, as reported by the Minnesota Star Tribune in March. "I don't want this to be an issue about the governor trying to pay himself. I think I'm compensated fairly by the state of Minnesota for the work I do at this point."

23. Virginia

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivers the Democratic response to U.S. President Donald Trump's State of the Union address on February 24, 2026 in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Governor: Abigail Spanberger (Democrat)

Salary: $175,000

22. Wisconsin

Governor: Tony Evers (Democrat)

Salary: $175,802

21. Alaska

Governor: Mike Dunleavy (Republican)

Salary: $176,000

20. Ohio

Governor: Mike DeWine (Republican)

Salary: $180,203

Ohio set the governor's salary in a 2018 law that established yearly pay increases for statewide elected officials through 2028, per state law.

After the 2026 increase, Gov. Mike DeWine's salary is about $180,203.

19. Georgia

Governor: Brian Kemp (Republican)

Salary: $182,000

18. Kentucky

Governor: Andy Beshear (Democrat)

Salary: $184,826

17. Delaware

Governor: Matt Meyer (Democrat)

Salary: $185,096

From July 2025 until 2029, the salary for the governor of Delaware is $185,096, per the state legislature.

16. West Virginia

Governor: Patrick Morrisey (Republican)

Salary: $190,424

Starting in 2025, the West Virginia governor's salary has been set to match the US Office of Personnel Management's locality pay area for the rest of US, per state legislature. That puts current governor Patrick Morrisey's salary at $190,424.

15. Maryland

Governor: Wes Moore (Democrat)

Salary: $192,000

As of his third year as Maryland governor, per the state legislature, Wes Moore has a salary of $192,000. The governor's salary will increase during the next term, starting at $195,000 in 2027 and reaching $210,000 by the fourth year, according to Maryland's Governor's Salary Commission.

14. Utah

Governor: Spencer Cox (Republican)

Salary: $193,100

Utah's Elected Official and Judicial Compensation Commission listed the governor's salary at $193,100 for fiscal year 2026, up from the prior $182,900 figure.

13. North Carolina

Governor: Josh Stein (Democrat)

Salary: $203,073

12. Illinois

Governor: Jay Robert "JB" Pritzker (Democrat)

Salary: $205,700 (foregone)

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, a member of the Pritzker family that owns the Hyatt Hotels Corporation, has chosen to forgo his salary. The state has set the governor's salary at $205,700 as of 2023, per the Illinois General Assembly.

11. New Jersey

Mikie Sherrill, governor-elect of New Jersey, during an inauguration ceremony at Prudential Hall at New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, New Jersey, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026.

Governor: Mikie Sherrill (Democrat)

Salary: $210,000

10. Hawaii

Governor: Josh Green (Democrat)

Salary: $217,908

9. Washington

Governor: Bob Ferguson (Democrat)

Salary: $218,744

Washington's governor earns $218,744 as of July 1, 2025, according to the state's Citizens' Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials. The salary is set to rise to $234,275 on July 1, 2026.

8. Indiana

Governor: Mike Braun (Republican)

Salary: $220,418

Indiana governor Mike Braun, who makes $220,418 each year per the Indiana state government, is the eighth-highest-paid governor in the US.

7. Connecticut

Governor: Ned Lamont (Democrat)

Salary: $226,711 (forgone)

Although the State of Connecticut sets the governor's salary as $226,711, the independently wealthy Ned Lamont has chosen to forgo the salary while in office. Lamont made his money in telecommunications and investments, and is the great-grandson of Thomas W. Lamont, a former chair of J. P. Morgan & Co. who built substantial wealth in banking.

The state has the seventh-highest salary for a governor in the US.

6. Vermont

Governor: Phil Scott (Republican)

Salary: $234,379

Vermont law lists the governor's salary at $234,379. The office is scheduled to receive another raise in July 2026, when the governor's salary will increase to $243,520.

5. Tennessee

Governor: Bill Lee (Republican)

Salary: $239,760

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee made $239,760 in 2025, according to OpenTheBooks, a nonprofit government-spending watchdog that tracks public payroll data.

4. Massachusetts

Governor: Maura Healey (Democrat)

Salary: $243,493

Massachusetts governor Maura Healey received a salary of $243,493 in 2025, per the Office of the Comptroller of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, making hers the fourth-highest governor's salary in the US.

3. California

Governor: Gavin Newsom (Democrat)

Salary: $245,929

As of May 2026, the California Department of Human Resources listed the governor's salary as $245,929, making Gavin Newsom the third-highest paid governor in the US.

2. New York

Governor: Kathy Hochul (Democrat)

Salary: $250,000

With a salary of $250,000 established by New York law, Kathy Hochul is the second-highest-paid governor in the US.

1. Pennsylvania

Governor: Josh Shapiro (Democrat)

Salary: $253,870

Shapiro's salary rose from $245,760 in 2025 to $253,870 in 2026 after a 3.3% cost-of-living increase, according to the Pennsylvania Office of the Budget. The raise makes him the highest-paid governor in the US.

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

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