Current Vice President Salary US: The Real Breakdown
US Vice President Salary: Is It Higher Than You Think?
The current US vice president salary paid to the officeholder is $235,100 per year, according to 2026 federal pay schedules from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and nonprofit tracking groups such as the National Taxpayers Union. This figure has remained effectively frozen since 2019, despite annual statutory increases that would otherwise raise the nominal Executive Schedule level tied to the vice president's office.
Official salary and statutory framework
The vice president's salary is set by federal law as part of the Executive Schedule, which governs pay for top political appointees, including the President and cabinet-level officials. A 2019 adjustment bumped the schedulable rate for the vice president position to roughly $284,600 for 2024, but Congress has maintained a pay freeze that limits actual disbursement to $235,100.
By comparison, the President of the United States earns a fixed $400,000 annually, a figure that has not changed since 2001. The Supreme Court associate justices, in contrast, were paid around $306,600 in 2026, meaning that even at the frozen rate, the vice president's pay is lower than the judiciary's top tier.
Historical progression of the salary
- From 2001 to 2018, the official vice president salary climbed from $175,100 to $230,700, reflecting periodic cost-of-living adjustments embedded in the Executive Schedule.
- In January 2019, Congress raised the schedulable rate to about $246,900, although the effective payable amount was still capped at $235,100 due to a broader executive-pay freeze.
- Subsequent annual adjustments (for example, $284,600 for 2024, $289,400 for 2025, and $292,300 for 2026) have remained on paper only; the actual cash compensation delivered to the office stayed at $235,100.
The decoupling of the schedulable rate from the payable salary illustrates how congressional budget constraints can override the default indexation formula built into the Executive Schedule. This pattern has held through multiple administrations, including the Trump and Biden presidencies, and remains in place as of 2026.
Benefits and non-cash compensation
Beyond the base salary of the vice president, the office includes a substantial package of benefits that significantly raise total compensation. These typically comprise health insurance, retirement contributions under the Federal Employees Retirement System, and a generous life-insurance allowance, all provided at government expense.
The vice president and family also receive round-the-clock Secret Service protection, government-funded travel on Air Force Two, and access to official residences or allowances for housing and office space. When valued in dollar terms, these perquisites can raise the effective annual package well above the $235,100 cash line, though formal federal disclosures treat most of these as non-monetary benefits rather than taxable income.
Where the vice president fits in federal pay scales
The vice president's pay sits below that of the President but above that of many senior legislative leaders. For the 2026 fiscal year, for example, the Speaker of the House draws $223,500, while rank-and-file members of the House and Senate earn $174,000.
Table 1 below illustrates how the vice president's salary compares to other high-level federal officials as of January 2026:
| Office | Annual salary (2026) |
|---|---|
| President of the United States | $400,000 |
| Vice President of the United States | $235,100 (payable; schedulable rate higher) |
| Speaker of the House | $223,500 |
| House/Senate Majority & Minority Leaders | $193,400 |
| House/Senate members | $174,000 |
| Chief Justice, Supreme Court | $320,700 |
| Associate Justices, Supreme Court | $306,600 |
Note that the vice president's schedulable rate for 2026 is listed at $292,300 by the Office of Personnel Management, but due to the long-running pay freeze Congress has not authorized payment of the full amount. This freeze effectively keeps the vice president underpaid relative to the statutory benchmark, even as the judiciary's top echelon continues to receive indexed raises.
How often does the salary change?
- The vice president's base salary is tied to the Executive Schedule, which is normally adjusted each January to reflect changes in the ECI-based pay index under the Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act.
- Between 2001 and 2018, there were roughly one dozen upward adjustments, each usually in the low-single-digit percentage range, pushing the nominal rate from $175,100 to $230,700.
- Since 2019, the recorded schedulable rate has continued to climb-by about 1.5-2% per year-but the actual disbursed vice president salary has remained at $235,100, creating a growing gap between the legal maximum and the operational pay.
This pattern reflects broader executive-pay policy debates: some lawmakers argue that freezing pay for the President and Vice President signals fiscal discipline, while others contend that frozen salaries undermine the executive branch's ability to attract top-tier talent over the long term.
"Even though the vice president is second in line to the presidency, the pay structure reflects a deliberate political choice to cap executive compensation while allowing the judiciary to keep pace with inflation," notes a 2025 analysis from the National Taxpayers Union, underscoring the tension between symbolic prestige and practical salary policy.
For readers searching for "current vice president salary US," the key takeaway is this: the effective cash compensation today is $235,100 annually, with additional non-monetary benefits that are not counted in that headline figure. Over time, the gap between the schedulable and payable rates may narrow or widen depending on future congressional decisions, but for now the vice president's salary remains one of the more tightly controlled pay lines in the federal hierarchy.
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How much does the current US vice president make per year?
The current US vice president salary that is actually paid to the officeholder is $235,100 per year, even though the schedulable Executive Schedule rate for 2026 is listed at $292,300. This discrepancy results from a congressional pay freeze enacted in 2019 that has persisted through multiple budget cycles.
Is the vice president paid more or less than most cabinet members?
The vice president's pay is higher than that of most cabinet-level department secretaries, who typically fall in the Executive Schedule Level II range of about $221,000-$230,000 in 2026. Because the vice president's schedulable rate is set at Level I, the nominal cap for that office is above cabinet salaries, but the effective $235,100 reflects about the same order of magnitude once the pay freeze is factored in.
Do vice presidents keep their salary after leaving office?
No-once out of office, former vice presidents' salaries revert to ordinary income from private work, books, speaking engagements, or other ventures; there is no ongoing federal salary for the role after leaving the White House. However, former vice presidents are eligible for certain post-service benefits, including a generous pension after a minimum number of years of federal service and potential eligibility for Secret Service protection depending on security-risk assessments.
Why doesn't the vice president earn as much as Supreme Court justices?
Although the vice president's position is second in the executive line of succession, the judiciary's pay policy has historically allowed higher automatic increases for federal judges, who are protected from routine political interference. Associate justices' salaries now exceed $300,000 in 2026, while the vice president's pay remains frozen at $235,100 despite a higher schedulable rate.
Can the vice president earn outside income on top of the salary?
While the vice president salary is fixed by statute, there are no strict limits on outside income akin to full-time private-sector executives, provided any external work complies with ethics and conflict-of-interest rules administered by the Office of Government Ethics. Former vice presidents frequently earn substantial sums from book deals, board memberships, and paid speaking circuits, but during active service, most outside income must be vetted to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest.
How has the vice president's salary changed over the last two decades?
From 2001 to 2018, the official vice president salary increased from $175,100 to $230,700 through a series of annual indexed adjustments. After 2018, the schedulable rate rose further-reaching $292,300 by 2026-but the payable amount has remained at $235,100, reflecting a growing gap between the statutory benchmark and the actual vice president's paycheck.
What is the difference between schedulable and payable salary?
The schedulable salary is the rate embedded in the Executive Schedule, which normally rises each January with the federal pay index. The payable salary, however, is what Congress actually authorizes the Treasury to disburse; in the case of the vice presidency, the payable figure has been frozen at $235,100 since 2019, even though the schedulable rate is higher.
Are there any bonus or performance payments tied to the vice president's salary?
No-the vice president salary is a fixed annual cash amount set by statute, with no formal bonus, commission, or performance-based component like those common in corporate executive roles. Any additional income must come from outside sources such as private sector work, media projects, or speaking engagements after leaving office, subject to federal ethics rules.