🇺🇸 How much does a president make?
The U.S. President’s salary is $400,000 a year; a separate $50,000 is for official expenses. Japan’s published full-year estimate for its prime minister is about ¥40.6 million. Each office has one holder, so there’s no separate “most” or “top” pay tier.
The U.S. salary is fixed by law; in Japan, bonuses and voluntary pay returns can change how much the prime minister actually takes home.
US Most people, typical, the top
| Who | Yearly earnings | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| Any U.S. President, fixed legal salary | $400,000 | Federal law, 3 U.S.C. §102 |
US President, Vice President and Cabinet salaries
The President's salary is set by federal law. The table also shows the Vice President and Cabinet secretaries, whose pay follows the federal Executive Schedule.
Highest: President of the United States at $400,000. Lowest: Deputy Secretary (Executive Schedule Level II) at $228,000. Average of 4: $291,425.
| Place | Yearly salary | Notes and source |
|---|---|---|
| President of the United States | $400,000 | Set by 3 U.S.C. 102; separate $50,000 annual expense allowance Cornell LII, 3 U.S. Code 102 |
| Vice President of the United States JD Vance | $284,600 | Secondary source (Wikipedia) figure Wikipedia, Vice President of the United States |
| Cabinet Secretary (Executive Schedule Level I) | $253,100 | Basic pay rate effective January 2026; payable rate may be lower while the pay freeze continues (stated through 2026-01-30) U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Salary Table No. 2026-EX (Executive Schedule) |
| Deputy Secretary (Executive Schedule Level II) | $228,000 | Basic pay rate effective January 2026; payable rate may be lower while the pay freeze continues (stated through 2026-01-30) U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Salary Table No. 2026-EX (Executive Schedule) |
As of 2026-03-02 – 2026-10-04
Per month and per day
| Who | Per month | Per day (÷365) |
|---|---|---|
| Any U.S. President, fixed legal salary | $33,333 | $1,096 |
Where does the money come from?
What famous presidents make
| Who | Amount |
|---|---|
| 🏛️ Donald J. Trump President of the United States | $400,000 (2026) President Trump's salary is set by law at $400,000 a year, but his personal wealth is estimated at about $7 billion in 2026. |
How do you become a president?
In the United States, first meet the constitutional rules: be a natural-born citizen, at least 35, and have lived in the country for 14 years. Run in party primaries, seek the party nomination, campaign in the general election, then win the Electoral College vote and take office.
- Meet the constitutional requirements, announce a run, and register when required.
- Build support in party primaries and caucuses.
- Win the party’s nomination at its convention and campaign in the general election.
- Win the Electoral College vote and take the oath at the inauguration.
Qualifications and exams
The Constitution requires a natural-born U.S. citizen who is at least 35 and has lived in the United States for 14 years. It lists no job license or exam.
A day as a president
A U.S. president may start with a briefing on security and national issues. Depending on the day, the president meets advisers, decides how to carry out federal laws, and speaks at public events.
Common questions
Does President Trump get a special salary?
No. Federal law sets the U.S. president’s annual salary at $400,000; it is not a special rate just for Trump. Source
Is the expense allowance extra salary?
No. The law provides a separate $50,000 allowance for expenses related to official duties. Any unused amount goes back to the Treasury. Source
Is the president’s salary paid monthly?
Yes. The law states that the president’s annual compensation is paid monthly. Source
Can the salary change during a term?
No. The Constitution says presidential compensation cannot be increased or reduced during the elected term. Source
Does a former president keep receiving money?
Yes. The Former Presidents Act provides a lifetime allowance equal to the basic pay rate of an executive department head, paid monthly. It is not paid while the former president holds a paid federal office. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Japan’s prime minister, published full-year pay estimate | $270,733 | Cabinet Personnel Bureau annual-pay table |
Related questions
Jobs in the same group
Data table and sources
- uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:3%20section:102%20edition:prelim)
- www.cas.go.jp/jp/gaiyou/jimu/jinjikyoku/files/20241225_tokubetsushoku_kyuyo.pdf
- laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/324AC0000000252
- www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/08/japan/politics/takaichi-minister-pay-cuts/
- www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2011-title3/html/USCODE-2011-title3-chap2-sec
- constitution.congress.gov/browse/article-2/section-1/clause-7/
- www.usa.gov/requirements-for-presidential-candidates
- www.usa.gov/presidential-election-process
- www.whitehouse.gov/government/executive-branch
- www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/DCPD-2017DIGEST-OBAMA/pdf/DCPD-2017DIGEST-OBAMA.pdf
This job is not covered directly by government wage statistics, so the figures come from leagues, associations, surveys and the press.
- The US President's pay is set by law at $400,000 a year, unchanged since 2001, plus a housing allowance. (3 U.S.C. §102 (US law))