An advanced degree can earn the average congressional staffer thousands more in annual pay, according to LegiStorm data.
A legislative director with a law degree makes about $4,500 more than one with only a bachelor's degree, while a master's degree will net almost $4,000 more than a bachelor's. A legislative assistant with a JD brings home an average of $5,500 more than if he or she held only a bachelor's.
The bump from advanced degrees is not so pronounced among chiefs of staff: a JD is worth only about $1,000 annually compared to a bachelor's or master's degree.
This data comes from a new LegiStorm feature that analyzes staffer education and official salaries.
The effect isn't limited to D.C. staffers. A district director with a law degree earns almost $3,000 more than district directors with a master's degree and $3,500 more than those with just a bachelor's.
Of course, those increases in pay that come from an advanced degree may not be enough to keep pace with soaring student-loan costs. However, congressional staff get major assistance with their student loans from taxpayers. Many full-time congressional aides are eligible for the Student Loan Repayment Program, which the House Chief Administrative Officer and Secretary of the Senate pay. The discretionary benefit, which is covered for up to 3.5 percent of each personal office's member representational allowance, pays up to $10,000 per year per staffer on federal loans, for a maximum of $40,000 in cumulative benefits for Senate employees and $60,000 for the House.
