With a new president about to take office, you may be wondering how much the “leader of the free world” gets paid.
The role, obviously, isn’t your typical nine-to-five job as presidents are essentially on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year - even when they’re on vacation. Plus, they technically have three official positions: head of state and head of government of the United States of America, as well as the commander in chief of the armed forces. Given everything the job entails, how much does the U.S. president make?
The past four presidents - Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Barack Obama and George W. Bush - have banked $400,000 a year in salary. That has remained unchanged since 2001, but it's still considerably less than the $75,000 paid to President William Howard Taft in 1909 as that, in 2025 terms, was equivalent to roughly $2.6 million. When George Washington took office in 1789, he was paid $25,000 (worth roughly $896,000 in 2025).
However, today, presidents also get an expense allowance every year of $50,000 “to assist in defraying expenses relating to or resulting from the discharge of his official duties.” A $100,000 travel account and a $19,000 entertainment budget are bonus benefits. Combined, that’s $569,000 annually.
On top of that, they get free housing in the White House - plus “use of the furniture and other effects” in their official residence - free transportation and free health care administered by the private medical team available in the White House.
Presidents also receive an annual pension after they leave the White House, which was $246,424 in 2024.