It's not just the House that's paying its white staffers more: Non-white staffers are bringing in thousands of dollars less in the Senate, too.
Regardless of party, Black staffers were the Senate's lowest-paid racial group from October 2022 through March 2023. According to a LegiStorm analysis, Black Democratic staffers made 82% that of the median white staffer - a difference of $6,200 in six months.
Republicans had a smaller median pay disparity than Democrats but also employ far fewer racial minorities. Non-white Senate staffers make up nearly a third of Democrats' workforce but only 7% of Republicans'.
Republicans' median Black staffer made 91% that of white staffers, or about $3,000 less during that time period. The GOP paid its Asian-American/Pacific Islander staffers 2% more than white staffers, or $700 more.
Across both parties, non-white staffers working out of D.C. offices made 85% compared to the median white D.C. staffer. Non-white staffers working in state offices made 91% that of white staffers.
Non-white staffers were paid less across all job functions, with communications staffers seeing the largest median pay gap. This does not compare pay rates by exact job title.
This analysis examines the median pay across all full-time Senate staffers but does not reflect further distribution of those pay differences. These salary rates include any annual bonuses and may not necessarily reflect the median staffer's pay rate for the entire year.
