🏙️ How much does a mayor make?
In the U.S., small-town/part-time mayors can earn $0–$26,000; full-time examples pay $126,000–$138,000; San Francisco’s salary is $405,548.
Mayors’ pay is set locally, and small-town mayors may serve part-time while full-time city leaders run larger governments.
US Most people, typical, the top
| Who | Yearly earnings | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| Small-town or part-time mayors | $0–$26,000 | 2024 municipal compensation survey |
| Full-time mayors (survey examples) | $126,006–$138,051 | League of Minnesota Cities survey |
| Highest city-set salary San Francisco mayor (city salary schedule: $405,548) | $405,548 | San Francisco 2026 salary schedule |
Mayors of big US cities (cities with a confirmed official figure)
Each US city sets its mayor's pay by ordinance or budget, so it varies a lot: some mayors work full time, some are part-time with a small stipend, and a few decline their pay. Only cities whose figure we could confirm in official city data are listed here.
Highest: San Francisco, CA at $405,548. Lowest: Oklahoma City, OK at $24,000. Average of 17: $222,388.
| Place | Yearly salary | Notes and source |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA Daniel Lurie | $405,548 | City classification salary effective 2026-07-01. Mayor Lurie was reported to take $1 a year, but city payroll data (CY2025 $370,802; FY2026 $409,391) does not show a $1 salary. 1190-Mayor | City and County of San Francisco |
| Los Angeles, CA Karen Bass | $318,145 | City Controller rate table effective 2024-07-01. Mayor Bass said she would take a pay cut; the amount is not in official records. Salary Rate for Elected Officials |
| New York City, NY Zohran Mamdani | $305,800 | Salary set by Local Law 134 of 2026, retroactive to 2026-01-01. Bloomberg (2026-07-16) reports the mayor declined the raise and stays at $258,750; not confirmed in official records. Local Laws of the City of New York for the Year 2026, No. 134 |
| Philadelphia, PA Cherelle L. Parker | $288,555 | Base annual salary in the City's employee earnings dataset (2026 Q3); a payroll record, not an ordinance. Employee Earnings | City of Philadelphia Open Data Portal |
| Columbus, OH Andrew Ginther | $273,063 | Current 2026 salary in the City compensation commission report; annual COLAs apply. Citizens’ Commission on Elected Official Compensation Final Report |
| Seattle, WA Katie Wilson | $272,334 | City wage dataset lists the Mayor at $130.93/hour; annualized at 2,080 hours = $272,334 (our conversion, not an ordinance figure). City of Seattle Wage Data (data.seattle.gov), updated 2026-09-28 |
| Washington, DC Muriel Bowser | $250,000 | D.C. Code 1-611.09 (effective 2023-01-02, fixed without step increases). § 1–611.09. Compensation — Mayor and members of Council; Attorney General. |
| San Diego, CA Todd Gloria | $244,727 | FY2027 salary under the City's Measure L elected-official adjustment (unchanged from FY2026). Measure L – Adjusted Salaries for Elected Officials – Fiscal Year 2026 |
| San Jose, CA Matt Mahan | $228,005 | 2025 figure from the California State Controller's public pay data; source not re-fetched. GCC : Mayor << San Jose (2025) << Cities |
| Chicago, IL Brandon Johnson | $221,052 | Mayor's annual salary in the 2026 budget ordinance position list; matches the payroll dataset. Budget - 2026 Budget Ordinance - Positions and Salaries |
| Nashville, TN Freddie O'Connell | $209,898 | FY2027 pay plan, effective 2026-07-01. FY27 Pay Plan Book |
| Boston, MA Michelle Wu | $207,000 | Mayor's regular pay in the City's CY2025 Employee Earnings Report (payroll record, not an ordinance). City of Boston Employee Earnings Report (Analyze Boston), calendar year 2025 |
| Denver, CO Mike Johnston | $205,991 | Ordinance 23-0199: salary fixed for the term beginning 2023-07-17. Council Bill No. 23-0199, Series of 2023 — For an ordinance amending Section 18-81, D.R.M.C., setting elected officers’ salaries for terms beginning July 17, 2023 |
| Las Vegas, NV Shelley Berkley | $189,419 | Base salary in the City's 2025 employee compensation dataset (gross wages $196,619); a payroll record, not an ordinance. Employee Compensation | City of Las Vegas Open Data |
| Dallas, TX Eric Johnson | $80,000 | City Charter Sec. 4(a): $80,000 for a mayor not in office on 4 Nov 2014. CHARTER of THE CITY OF DALLAS, TEXAS |
| Charlotte, NC Rob Harrington | $57,054 | FY2027 budget mayor compensation (effective 2026-07-04). Part-time role; total compensation with allowances is $80,237. FY 2027 Mayor and City Council Annual Compensation (Attachment D), City of Charlotte FY 2027 Adopted Budget |
| Oklahoma City, OK David Holt | $24,000 | Annual stipend for a part-time mayor. Oklahoma City Charter, Article II, Section 33 — Mayor and Council—Salary |
As of 2023-01-02 – 2026-10-04
Per month and per day
| Who | Per month | Per day (÷365) |
|---|---|---|
| Small-town or part-time mayors | $0–$2,167 | $0–$71 |
| Full-time mayors (survey examples) | $10,501–$11,504 | $345–$378 |
| Highest city-set salary | $33,796 | $1,111 |
Where does the money come from?
What famous mayors make
| Who | Amount |
|---|---|
| 🏛️ Zohran Mamdani Mayor of New York City | $258,750 (2026) New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's salary is $258,750 a year. |
How do you become a mayor?
In the United States, the path and eligibility rules vary by city and state. Check the local rules, register with the city clerk, and file any required papers and signatures. Most mayors are elected by residents, though some are chosen by the city council.
- Check your state and city’s age and residency rules.
- Register as a candidate with the city clerk.
- Collect any required signatures and file the ballot papers.
- Campaign, then win the vote or be chosen by the council.
Qualifications and exams
Eligibility rules vary by state and city. Texas lists age, citizenship, voter, and residency rules for some city mayor candidates; no professional license or job exam is listed there.
A day as a mayor
A mayor might start by reviewing city issues and meeting with staff or the council. Later, they may hear residents’ concerns, lead a council meeting, or represent the city at a community event. Duties vary by city.
Common questions
Can a part-time mayor still be paid?
Yes, but it varies. A 2024 municipal survey listed part-time mayor pay at $0 in Clarendon Hills and $26,000 a year in Bensenville. Source
How much does a mayor make a year?
It depends on the city. Washington, D.C. pays $250,000 a year (since 2023), and San Francisco pays $405,548 (from July 2026). Small towns pay far less. Source
What is the Washington, D.C., mayor’s salary?
D.C. law sets the mayor’s annual compensation at $250,000, effective January 2, 2023. Source
What is the San Francisco mayor’s salary?
San Francisco’s official salary schedule lists the mayor’s yearly rate as $405,548, effective July 1, 2026. Source
This section summarizes public sources. We only show numbers that have a source.
Close jobs in official statistics
In Japan
Japan Most people, typical, the top
| Who | Yearly earnings | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest-paid town and village mayors | $30,600–$64,000 | 2025 MIC survey monthly pay annualized; bonuses excluded |
| Typical city mayor | $86,667 | Nikkei estimate of average annual pay |
| Yokohama mayor (example) Takeharu Yamanaka, Yokohama mayor (~¥19.2M annualized from monthly pay; bonus excluded) | $127,920 | 2025 MIC survey monthly pay annualized; bonuses excluded |
Mayors of Japan's 20 designated cities
Each city sets its mayor's pay by local ordinance, so the same job pays differently from city to city. The monthly figure is the statutory amount; cities that are cutting pay actually pay less than that. The yearly figure comes from a source that includes the regional allowance, so it is an estimate. For comparison, the Prime Minister earns $13,967 a month and a Diet member $8,627 a month.
Highest: Osaka at $11,127. Lowest: Okayama at $7,733. Average of 20: $8,729.
| Place | Monthly salary | Approx. yearly pay | Notes and source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Osaka | $11,127 Cut to $6,676 | — | Salary and bonus cut 40% for now. Actually paid $6,676 a month and about $112,958 a year (April 2026). Pre-cut system annual figure: 28,239,480 yen (not what is paid). Source |
| Yokohama | $10,660 | $187,403 | No cut. Raised to $10,980 a month from April 2026; this row uses the Dec 2025 amount. Source |
| Nagoya | $9,780 Cut to $3,333 | — | Paid $3,333 a month and $13,333 a year in bonus under a mayoral special measure since June 2021, with no regional allowance (about $53,333 a year in all). Based on April 2024 documents; the current term is unconfirmed. Pre-cut system annual figure: 28,613,835 yen (not what is paid). Source |
| Kyoto | $9,400 | $160,505 | No cut. Pay as of April 2026. Source |
| Kobe | $9,400 Cut to $7,520 | — | Salary cut 20% and bonus cut 30%; paid $7,520 a month. The annual figure counts the regional allowance, so it is not monthly x 12 plus bonus. Pre-cut system annual figure: 27,667,584 yen (not what is paid). Source |
| Chiba | $8,780 | $154,352 | No cut. Source |
| Sendai | $8,733 | $153,366 | No cut. Regional allowance 3%. The annual figure counts the regional allowance, so it is not monthly x 12 plus bonus. Source |
| Hiroshima | $8,733 | $158,138 | No cut. Regional allowance 3%. The annual figure counts the regional allowance, so it is not monthly x 12 plus bonus. Source |
| Fukuoka | $8,667 | $160,663 | No cut. Regional allowance 10%. The annual figure counts the regional allowance, so it is not monthly x 12 plus bonus. Source |
| Sapporo | $8,533 | $151,236 | No cut. Regional allowance 4%. The annual figure counts the regional allowance, so it is not monthly x 12 plus bonus. Source |
| Hamamatsu | $8,513 | $147,447 | No cut. The annual figure counts the regional allowance, so it is not monthly x 12 plus bonus. Source |
| Shizuoka | $8,333 | $146,000 | No cut. Source |
| Kitakyushu | $8,200 | $142,684 | Salary, allowance and bonus cut 10% (April 2023 to Feb 2027); paid $7,380 a month as of April 2024. Regional allowance 3%. The annual figure counts the regional allowance, so it is not monthly x 12 plus bonus. Source |
| Saitama | $8,193 | $159,811 | A one-month 10% cut in January 2026 has expired. Regional allowance 15%. The annual figure counts the regional allowance, so it is not monthly x 12 plus bonus. Source |
| Kawasaki | $8,107 | $159,434 | No cut. Regional allowance 16%. The annual figure counts the regional allowance, so it is not monthly x 12 plus bonus. Source |
| Kumamoto | $8,047 | $130,356 | No cut. Dec 2025 amount (the official April 2024 figure was 1,193,000 yen a month). Source |
| Sakai | $7,933 | $149,750 | Salary, allowance and bonus cut 30% (June 2023 to April 2027); paid $5,553 a month as of April 2024. The annual figure counts the regional allowance, so it is not monthly x 12 plus bonus. Source |
| Sagamihara | $7,873 | $149,115 | No cut. Regional allowance 12%. The annual figure counts the regional allowance, so it is not monthly x 12 plus bonus. Source |
| Niigata | $7,827 | $123,035 | No cut. Source |
| Okayama | $7,733 | $140,031 | No cut. Regional allowance 3%. The annual figure counts the regional allowance, so it is not monthly x 12 plus bonus. Source |
As of 2024-04-01 – 2026-04-01
Famous people
| Who | Amount |
|---|---|
| 🏛️ Yokoyama Hideyuki Mayor of Osaka City | $112,958 (2025) The Osaka mayor's pay is cut 40% by law, so Yokoyama earns about ¥16.94 million a year (¥20.03 million before the cut). |
Related questions
Jobs in the same group
Data table and sources
- www.e-stat.go.jp/stat-search/files?page=1&layout=datalist&toukei=00200212&tstat=
- business.nikkei.com/atcl/gen/19/00461/060900413
- go.boarddocs.com/il/coe/Board.nsf/files/DLMP9R639066/$file/Elected%20Officials%2
- nwsccc-brooklynpark.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?clip_id=1767&meta_id=171297&view
- careers.sf.gov/classifications/index.php?classCode=1190
- www.ktvu.com/news/san-francisco-mayor-elect-daniel-lurie-plans-to-take-1-annual-
- www.nlc.org/resource/cities-101-mayoral-powers/
- www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/laws/qualifications.shtml
- www.cityofmadison.com/clerk/elections-voting/candidates-campaigns/running-for-lo
- code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/1-611.09