The Pay's Almost as Good -- And You Don't Have to Campaign

Top salary for a Congressional staffer is going up to $156,848 a year. A member of Congress doesn't make much more than that -- $158,100. While a good many Congressional staffers barely make enough to get by -- often recent college grads living in group houses to make ends meet -- the top pay allows top Congressmen to hire top talent. The pay comes out of individual office budgets ranging from $701,136 to $1,636,750 a year in fiscal 2004 in the House. The budgets are set based on state demographics and distance from Washington. (CAGW)