Key facts
- The US president's annual salary has been $400,000 since 2001.
- In 1789, the first US president earned $25,000 annually.
- The presidential salary was raised to $50,000 in 1873.
- The salary increased to $75,000 in 1909.
- The annual compensation reached $100,000 in 1949.
- Adjusted for inflation, the current presidential salary is worth about half of its value in 1789.
The annual salary for the President of the United States has seen only a few adjustments since the nation's founding. Since 2001, the president has been paid $400,000 per year. This figure contrasts sharply with the $25,000 annual salary established in 1789 when George Washington was elected.
Despite the nominal increase, the real value of the presidential salary has significantly decreased over time due to inflation. The $25,000 salary from 1789 would be equivalent to approximately $949,000 in 2026 dollars, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' consumer price index.
The first salary increase occurred in 1873, during Ulysses S. Grant's presidency, when the annual pay rose to $50,000. This amount, which would be worth nearly $1.4 million in 2026 dollars, was maintained for 36 years.
In 1909, under William Howard Taft, the salary was increased to $75,000, equating to about $2.75 million in 2026 dollars. This rate remained in effect for four decades until 1949, when Harry S. Truman's second term saw the salary reach $100,000.
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