❌

Reading view

For Clues About How A.I. Will Change Work, Look to the Past

Economists hope earlier episodes of labor disruption, from the Industrial Revolution to the Great Depression, can help us prepare for the age of artificial intelligence.

© Illustration by Andrei Cojocaru; photos by Getty Images

  •  

In San Francisco, a Family Earning $325,000 Qualifies for Government Aid

With the A.I. boom driving up prices, the city is subsidizing child care for households with high incomes. Even with the help, families say they are struggling.

© Christie Hemm Klok for The New York Times

Natsumi Makiyama and John Marman, a married couple in San Francisco, together make just under $235,000, qualifying them for free child care under a city program.
  •  

A $345,000 writing job at Anthropic says a lot about what humans still bring to the table

Anthropic logo displayed on a laptop screen and Claude on App Store displayed on a phone screen are seen in this illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland on October 16, 2026. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Anthropic is advertising the role of an executive communications writer for $295,000 to $345,000 a year.

Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images

  • Anthropic is hiring an executive communications writer for up to $345,000.
  • A comms pro told Business Insider that "When speed becomes cheap, judgment carries a premium."
  • 3 writing experts gave Business Insider tips for young workers on practicing critical thinking.

Anthropic's AI chatbot can draft a speech in seconds, but the company is now hiring a human writer — for $295,000 to $345,000 a year.

Anthropic isn't looking for just anyone with a way with words. It wants someone with at least 8 years of experience who can quickly grasp technical concepts, help executives sharpen their thinking, and remain composed when news breaks.

While some LinkedIn users reacted skeptically to the idea that the new hire's work would be used to train AI, with an Oregon-based author commenting that this is the job one would take if the "writer wanted to build their own gallows," communication pros say the Anthropic job offers clues about the enduring value of human creatives.

Three professional writers and comms experts told Business Insider that young writers need to understand that the work starts long before the typing does, and that being good with words is only part of the job.

“When speed becomes cheap, judgment carries a premium," Ann Handley, the chief content officer at MarketingProfs and author of “Everybody Writes,” told Business Insider. "I think we're seeing that value extended to the role of the writer.”

What AI could not achieve

The opening for an "Executive Communications Writer" comes as Anthropic’s own research shows how AI is reshaping its workforce. According to the company's report, junior workers accounted for 9% of hires in technical departments in June, down from 27% in early 2025.

In May, Anthropic CFO Krishna Rao said that AI already writes 90% of the company's code, which shifted hiring needs in all office roles toward oversight, judgment, and strategy, away from the actual execution. Rao also added that the company may actually expand hiring because "there's no shortage of work to do."

Handley said that successful corporate communicators need to become strategists for the company's leaders, rather than simply polish their language.

"Good writers have always been strategic, in the sense that they have always made choices about what goes on the page, and what does not," Handley said.

"The successful candidate isn't merely shaping language, but shaping thought leadership and how the team is presenting to the world," Handley added. "That means knowing which ideas are worth owning, which are worth exploring, and which are just plain dumb."

Joseph Braue, the executive editor of Content Marketing Partners, told Business Insider that a large part of the job as a corporate writer is to challenge unsupported claims, avoid overpromising, and resist pressure to publish weak material.

“The decisions I’ve regretted the most were times I didn’t push back enough on corporate or customer executives,” Braue said, adding that while many writers do collaborate with AI, they must control the narrative and ensure accuracy.

Measure your impact

The compensation for Anthropic's communication role is high compared to similar openings, and professional writers said that there are ways a new hire in such a role could prove they are worth the expense.

By comparison, Amazon Web Services has a job opening for an Executive Communications Manager based in Seattle, offering between $126,700 and $171,400 in annual pay.

Josh Bernoff, an author on business strategy and former executive with 20 years of experience, told Business Insider that a bigger pile of content isn’t proof of a writer’s value in a company, and that to get promoted, writers need to collect evidence of the impact of their writing.

“If your job is to create market research reports, then you're only effective if people read those reports and say, 'here are the changes we're going to make on this product,'" Bernoff added. "Your job is to move people and think about how to do it before you start writing."

Braue, who leads a content strategy team, said that writers looking to prove their value need to understand business language and check whether internal partners and key sales leaders are using their content.

“Learn basic marketing analytics. Understand attribution, conversion, and how a pipeline works," Braue said. "Writers who speak revenue get promoted."

Build evidence that you can think

For young graduates, the pros recommend practicing original thinking while learning to use AI deliberately, even if you don't intend to be a writer.

Bernoff said he would urge all early-career workers to take writing classes and to practice using AI for research and efficiency while composing the words themselves.

Bernoff, who conducts an annual survey on how writers use AI, said he found last year that writers commonly used AI as a thesaurus or search engine, but fewer than 10% used it to create content intended to be published as is.

"If you're in a position to move your fellow students or people reading a school newspaper or your professors, then you're going to be taking the first step that's necessary to be able to move people in a corporate environment," Bernoff said.

Handley said she recommends that early career professionals start a newsletter and publish at least every two weeks, even with a small audience.

“Maybe you'll learn to interview people or ask better questions or notice things others don't," Handley said. "In doing so, you'll build a body of work that shows a potential employer that, sure, you can write, but most importantly, you can think, and you can engage on the page.”

Read the original article on Business Insider

  •  

Venezuela’s Acting President Reviews Wage Consensus With Business, Unions

The Acting President, Delcy Rodríguez, led a strategic meeting aimed at consolidating labor and social consensus between the state, business federations and trade union centers of the country. Photo: Venezuelan Presidential Press.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez led a meeting on Monday with Venezuela’s main business federations and national union confederations to consolidate agreements on wage restoration, salary scales and worker’s protections.


The meeting brought together the Federation of Chambers and Associations of Commerce and Production of Venezuela (Fedecámaras), the Federation of Chambers and Companies of Venezuela (Fedeindustria) and the country’s various union confederations.

The dialogue table evaluated the progress made in the days of debate focused on restoring workers’ purchasing power.

RELATED: Venezuela Promotes Venezuela Feeds Plan and Local Economy Law to Achieve “Hunger 0”

Three core areas shaped the agenda. The first was the progressive conversion of workers’ income into formal salary, a shift the government describes as progressive salary restructuring.

The second involved adjusting salary scales and tables. The third centered on designing guarantees of stability for Venezuelan workers. In this sense, the working group also reviewed draft laws and regulatory instruments meant to shield the framework of social and economic protection for workers.

Dialogue for Sovereign Growth

Venezuelan Acting President Rodríguez reiterated the government’s unwavering commitment to protecting the inalienable rights conquered by the people. She insisted on preserving the workday, end of year bonuses, additional bonuses, vacations, seniority premiums and social benefits in the face of external economic aggression. Following this, the authorities said the three-way dialogue strengthens the model of social justice and lays the groundwork for sovereign economic growth.

The government’s participants included Economy Minister and sector Vice-president Anabel Pereira, Sectoral Vice President for Social and Territorial Socialism Héctor Rodríguez, Planning Minister Ricardo Menéndez and Economy Sectoral Vice-President Calixto Ortega. Labor Minister Carlos Alexis Castillo, University Education Minister Ana María San Juan and Presidential Commissioner for the Constituent Assembly and Labor Consensus Eduardo Piñate also attended.

The labor meeting follows Rodríguez’s announcement days earlier before the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) that the executive will submit a draft Law for the Local Economy to the National Assembly.

Rodríguez explained that the legal text has as its strategic objective the dynamization of the domestic productive apparatus through the effective linkage of the different economic sectors of the country. Before the multilateral delegations, the Venezuelan Acting President detailed the guiding principles of the norm, designed to strengthen the food sovereignty and security of the Venezuelan people against the blockade of foreign powers.

  •  

Here's how much the governor of every US state makes ahead of the midterm elections, ranked

Josh Shapiro speaks at a podium
Josh Shapiro is the highest-paid governor in the US.

Bloomberg/Getty Images

  • The annual salaries of state governors vary, with the lowest being $70,000 in Maine.
  • Josh Shapiro, Kathy Hochul, and Spencer Cox are among the highest-paid US governors.
  • The average annual salary for a state governor is $174,479 in 2026.

In some states, being the governor doesn't automatically make you a top earner.

With voters in 36 states heading to the polls to elect governors in November's midterm elections, the annual salaries attached to the job vary dramatically across the country — from $70,000 in Maine to over $250,000 in Pennsylvania.

Across all 50 states, governors earn an average official annual salary of $174,479 and are subject to federal and state income taxes — except in states without income tax, such as Florida and Texas.

By comparison, the top 1% of US earners each make at least $731,492 a year, placing the average governor below the ultrarich but also well above the average US wage of $69,846 in 2024, according to the Social Security Administration.

While governors across all 50 states are generally allowed to earn income beyond their state salaries through investments, book deals, and other sources, the income they may take in is closely regulated, and rules vary by state.

Some, like Florida's Ron DeSantis, have brought in yearly incomes of over $1 million thanks to book royalties, while others, like Illinois' JB Pritzker, earn eight figures due to investment gains and even gambling wins.

As such, some governors, like Pritzker and Connecticut's Ned Lamont, who are independently wealthy, have chosen to forgo their six-figure state salaries.

Beyond the salary, other financial perks of being governor may include living in the governor's mansion, receiving private transportation from the state, and having access to security and staff.

See how much your governor makes each year, based on the most recent available state records, salary commissions, legislation, and public payroll data.

50. Maine
Maine governor Janet Mills

Staff photo by Carl D. Walsh/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images

Governor: Janet Mills (Democrat)

Salary: $70,000

With a salary of $70,000, Maine Governor Janet Mills is the lowest-paid governor in the US.

The salary for Maine's next governor is set to rise to $125,000 in 2027 under new legislation, marking the first raise in the governor's salary in the state since 1987.

After two terms, Mills is now term-limited. Democrat Hannah Pingree and Republican Bobby Charles are facing off to become the state's next governor in the November midterm election.

49. Arizona
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs

Rebecca Noble/Getty Images

Governor: Katie Hobbs (Democrat)

Salary: $95,000

The Arizona governor, who has the second-lowest salary among US governors, will be eligible to receive a salary of $165,000 starting in 2027, per the state legislature.

Democrat Katie Hobbs is running for a second term in the November midterm election.

48. Oregon
Oregon governor Tina Kotek

Mathieu Lewis-Rolland/Getty Images

Governor: Tina Kotek (Democrat)

Salary: $98,600

Oregon law sets the governor's annual salary at $98,600 and provides a separate $1,000 monthly expense payment. The salary is one of the lowest for any governor in the US.

Democrat Tina Kotek is up for reelection during the November midterms, seeking a second term.

47. Nebraska
Nebraska governor Jim Pillen

JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images

Governor: Jim Pillen (Republican)

Salary: $105,000

Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen, who earned $105,000 a year in 2025, per the state legislature, is the fourth-lowest-paid governor in the US.

Republican Jim Pillen is up for reelection, seeking a second term in the November midterm elections.

46. South Carolina
South Carolina governor Henry McMaster

Tracy Glantz/The State/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Governor: Henry McMaster (Republican)

Salary: $106,078

With a salary of $106,078 in 2025, per state records, the South Carolina governor is the fifth-lowest-paid governor in the US.

After two full terms, McMaster is now term-limited. Republican Alan Wilson and Democrat Jermaine Johnson are facing off in the race to become the state's next governor in the midterm election.

45. New Mexico
New Mexico governor Michelle Lujan Grisham

Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Governor: Michelle Lujan Grisham (Democrat)

Salary: $110,000

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham is the sixth-lowest-paid governor in the US. New Mexico's next governor will receive a salary of $169,714 starting with the next gubernatorial term in 2027.

Lujan Grisham is term-limited after serving two terms. Democrat Deb Haaland and Republican Gregg Hull are competing to succeed her in the November midterm election.

43. (tie) Louisiana
Louisiana governor Jeff Landry

Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Governor: Jeff Landry (Republican)

Salary: $130,000

Louisiana law set the governor's salary at $130,000 in 2026. The salary has remained unchanged since January 2008.

43. (tie) Iowa
Iowa governor Kim Reynolds

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Governor: Kim Reynolds (Republican)

Salary: $130,000

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds earns an annual salary of $130,000, according to the state's official employee salary records.

Reynolds is not running for reelection, leaving Democrat Rob Sand and Republican Zach Lahn competing for the open governor seat in the November midterms.

42. Colorado
Colorado governor Jared Polis

CHET STRANGE/AFP via Getty Images

Governor: Jared Polis (Democrat)

Salary: $134,632

The Colorado governor, previously one of the lowest-paid governors in the nation, has received a $134,632 salary since 2023, as outlined by state law.

After nearly eight years in office, Polis is now term-limited.

Democrat Phil Weiser and Republican Victor Marx are competing to become Colorado's next governor in the November midterm.

41. Alabama
Alabama governor Kay Ivey

Stew Milne/Getty Images

Governor: Kay Ivey (Republican)

Salary: $134,780

In fiscal year 2026, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey had a salary of $134,780, per the state's Department of Finance.

After two full terms in office, Ivey is now term-limited. Republican Tommy Tuberville and Democrat Doug Jones are facing off to become the state's next governor in the upcoming midterm election.

40. Wyoming
Wyoming governor Mark Gordon

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Governor: Mark Gordon (Republican)

Salary: $140,000

Wyoming law sets the governor's salary at $140,000 in 2026.

Mark Gordon is term-limited after two terms, leaving Republican Eric Barlow and Democrat Kenneth Casner competing for governor in the November midterm election.

39. Florida
Florida governor Ron DeSantis

GIORGIO VIERA/AFP via Getty Images

Governor: Ron DeSantis (Republican)

Salary: $141,400

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis earns $141,400 per year, according to state records.

DeSantis is term-limited after two terms in office. Republican Byron Donalds and Democrat David Jolly are competing for governor in the November midterms.

38. Montana
Montana governor Greg Gianforte

Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images

Governor: Greg Gianforte (Republican)

Salary: $141,517

Gianforte, who made his fortune in tech, donates his salary to Montana nonprofits. In 2025, his office said he had donated his entire gubernatorial salary to organizations supporting Montanans in need.

37. Missouri
Missouri governor Mike Kehoe

Emily Curiel/The Kansas City Star/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Governor: Mike Kehoe (Republican)

Salary: $145,095

Missouri law sets the governor's salary at $145,095 as of 2026.

36. Oklahoma
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt

SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

Governor: Kevin Stitt (Republican)

Salary: $147,000

While the current Oklahoma governor, Kevin Stitt, has a salary of $147,000 in 2026, his successor will see a raise to $185,000, per Oklahoma's Journal Record.

After nearly eight years in office, Stitt is now term-limited. Republican Mike Mazzei and Democrat Cyndi Munson are facing off to become the state's next governor in the midterm election.

35. South Dakota
South Dakota governor Larry Rhoden
South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden makes $146,472 a year in 2025.

Toby Brusseau/AP

Governor: Larry Rhoden (Republican)

Salary: $148,522

South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden earns $148,522 a year in 2026, per the state's pay transparency website.

Republican Larry Rhoden, who took office last year following Kristi Noem's resignation, is up for election in November, seeking a full term.

34. Idaho
Idaho governor Brad Little

Darin Oswald/The Idaho Statesman/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Governor: Brad Little (Republican)

Salary: $151,400

Idaho Governor Brad Little makes $151,400 in 2026, per state records.

Little is seeking a third term in the midterm elections this November.

33. Texas
Texas governor Greg Abbott

Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images

Governor: Greg Abbott (Republican)

Salary: $153,750

As of 2026, Texas Governor Greg Abbott makes $153,750 a year, per state records.

Abbott is seeking a fourth term in the midterm election this November.

32. Michigan
Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Governor: Gretchen Whitmer (Democrat)

Salary: $159,300

Michigan law sets the governor's salary at $159,300. Governor Gretchen Whitmer also receives a $54,000 annual expense allowance, according to the State Officers Compensation Commission.

After nearly eight years in office, Whitmer is now term-limited.

Democrat Jocelyn Benson and Republican John James are facing off to become Michigan's next governor in the November midterm election.

31. Mississippi
Mississippi governor Tate Reeves

Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Governor: Tate Reeves (Republican)

Salary: $160,000

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves earns a salary of $160,000 in 2026, according to the state's personnel board.

30. Rhode Island
Rhode Island governor Daniel McKee

David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Governor: Daniel McKee (Democrat)

Salary: $163,295

Rhode Island's governor, Daniel McKee, earns a salary of $163,295, according to the state's pay transparency portal.

After losing the Democratic primary, incumbent Dan McKee will not be on the ballot. Democrat Helena Foulkes and Republican Aaron Guckian are facing off to become the state's next governor in the midterm election.

29. New Hampshire
New Hampshire governor Kelly Ayotte

Kayana Szymczak/Getty Images

Governor: Kelly Ayotte (Republican)

Salary: $165,027

New Hampshire law sets the governor's salary at $165,027.

Republican Kelly Ayotte is up for reelection this November, seeking a second two-year term in the midterm election.

28. Wisconsin
Wisconsin governor Tony Evers

Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for Democratic Party of Wisconsin

Governor: Tony Evers (Democrat)

Salary: $165,568

Wisconsin law bans salary changes for a governor during their term in office. Gov. Tony Evers has received an annual salary of $165,568 since beginning his second term in January 2023, up from $152,756 during his first term.

Evers is not seeking reelection. The state's next governor is slated to receive an annual salary of $184,684 when they take office in January 2027, according to Wisconsin's official compensation plan.

Democrat David Crowley and Republican Tom Tiffany are facing off in the November midterm election.

27. North Dakota
Nprth Dakota governor Kelly Armstrong

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Governor: Kelly Armstrong (Republican)

Salary: $168,000

North Dakota's governor's salary is $168,000 following a July raise, per state legislation.

26. Nevada
Nevada governor Joe Lombardo

Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Governor: Joe Lombardo (Republican)

Salary: $170,062

The Reno Gazette Journal reported in May that Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo makes $170,062 a year.

Lombardo is up for reelection in the November midterm elections, seeking a second term.

25. Arkansas
Arkansas governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders

Leon Neal/Getty Images

Governor: Sarah Huckabee Sanders (Republican)

Salary: $171,808

In October, an independent commission in Arkansas voted to raise Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders' salary to $171,808 annually.

Sanders is running for a second term in the November midterm election.

24. Kansas
Kansa governor Laura Kelly

Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images

Governor: Laura Kelly (Democrat)

Salary: $174,000

In 2023, Kansas raised the governor's annual salary starting January 1, 2025, tying the office's pay to the salary of a non-leadership member of Congress, according to state legislation.

Kelly is term-limited after two terms, leaving Democrat Cindy Holscher and Republican Ty Masterson competing for the governor's seat in the November midterm elections.

23. Virginia
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivers the Democratic response to U.S. President Donald Trump's State of the Union address on February 24, 2026 in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Mike Kropf/Getty Images

Governor: Abigail Spanberger (Democrat)

Salary: $175,000

Virginia law sets the governor's salary at $175,000 in 2026.

22. Ohio
Ohio governor Mike DeWine

Jason Mowry/Getty Images

Governor: Mike DeWine (Republican)

Salary: $180,203

Ohio set the governor's salary in a 2018 law that established yearly pay increases for statewide elected officials through 2028, per state law. After the 2026 increase, Gov. Mike DeWine's salary is about $180,203.

DeWine is term-limited after two terms. Democrat Amy Acton and Republican Vivek Ramaswamy are competing for the governor's seat in the midterm elections.

21. Alaska
Alaska governor Mike Dunleavy

SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

Governor: Mike Dunleavy (Republican)

Salary: $182,787

In 2025, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy had a salary of $182,787, per the state's Department of Administration.

After two terms in the governor's seat, Dunleavy is now term-limited.

Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins and Republicans David Bronson, Treg Taylor, and Bernadette Wilson are facing off to become the state's next governor in the November midterm election.

20. Georgia
Georgia governor Brian Kemp

Alex Wroblewski for the Washington Post

Governor: Brian Kemp (Republican)

Salary: $185,000

In fiscal year 2025, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp earned a salary of $185,000 and also received over $56,506 in travel reimbursements during the year, according to the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts' financial transparency portal.

After two terms in office, Kemp is term-limited. Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms and Republican Rick Jackson are running to be the state's next governor in the midterm election.

19. Delaware
Delaware governor Matt Meyer

Meg Oliphant/Getty Images

Governor: Matt Meyer (Democrat)

Salary: $185,096

From July 2025 until 2029, the salary for the governor of Delaware is $185,096, per the state legislature.

18. Kentucky
Kentucky governor Andy Beshear

Stephen Cohen/Getty Images

Governor: Andy Beshear (Democrat)

Salary: $188,523

Kentucky's governor, Andy Beshear, has a salary of $188,523, per the state's pay transparency portal.

17. West Virginia
West Virginia governor Patrick Morrisey

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Governor: Patrick Morrisey (Republican)

Salary: $190,424

Since 2025, the West Virginia governor's salary has been set to match the US Office of Personnel Management's locality pay area for the rest of the US, per the state legislature. That puts current governor Patrick Morrisey's salary at $190,424.

16. Maryland
Marland governor Wes Moore

Kevin Richardson/Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Governor: Wes Moore (Democrat)

Salary: $192,000

As of his third year as Maryland governor, per the state legislature, Wes Moore's salary was $192,000 in 2025. The governor's salary will increase during the next term, starting at $195,000 in 2027 and reaching $210,000 by the fourth year, according to Maryland's Governor's Salary Commission.

Moore is running for a second term in the November midterm elections.

15. Minnesota
Minessota governor Tim Walz

DOMINIC GWINN/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

Governor: Tim Walz (Democrat)

Salary: $200,000

The Minnesota governor's official salary is $200,000 after a July raise, per the Minnesota Legislature. Tim Walz previously declined salary raises while in office and accepted only a $127,629 salary. But during his last six months in office, he accepted his full salary, as reported by Minnesota Public Radio.

After two terms as governor, Walz is not running for reelection.

Democrat Amy Klobuchar and Republican Lisa Demuth will face off in November in a race to become the state's next governor.

14. Illinois
Illinois governor JB Pritzker

Scott Olson/Getty Images

Governor: Jay Robert "JB" Pritzker (Democrat)

Salary: $205,700 (foregone)

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, a member of the Pritzker family that founded the Hyatt Hotels Corporation, has chosen to forgo his salary. The state has set the governor's salary at $205,700 as of 2023, per the Illinois General Assembly.

Pritzker is up for reelection this November, seeking a third term in the midterm elections.

13. North Carolina
North Carolina governor Josh Stein

RYAN M. KELLY/AFP via Getty Images

Governor: Josh Stein (Democrat)

Salary: $209,165

North Carolina state law sets the governor's salary at $209,165 in 2026.

12. New Jersey
Mikie Sherrill, governor-elect of New Jersey, during an inauguration ceremony at Prudential Hall at New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, New Jersey, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026.
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill earns $210,000 a year.

Bloomberg/Getty Images

Governor: Mikie Sherrill (Democrat)

Salary: $210,000

State law sets New Jersey's governor's salary at $210,000 after a 2023 increase.

11. Indiana
Indiana governor Mike Braun

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Governor: Mike Braun (Republican)

Salary: $220,418

Indiana Governor Mike Braun, who earns $220,418 a year, according to the Indiana state government, is the 11th-highest-paid governor in the US.

10. Hawaii
Hawaii Governor Josh Green

PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

Governor: Josh Green (Democrat)

Salary: $226,620

Hawaii's governor, Josh Green, is now the 10th-highest-paid following a July raise passed by the state legislature.

Green is running for a second term in the midterm elections

9. Connecticut
Connecticus governor Ned Lamont

Aaron Flaum/Hartford Courant/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Governor: Ned Lamont (Democrat)

Salary: $226,711 (forgone)

Although the State of Connecticut sets the governor's salary at $226,711, the independently wealthy Ned Lamont has chosen to forgo the salary while in office.

Lamont made his money in telecommunications and investments. He's also the great-grandson of Thomas W. Lamont, a former chair of J. P. Morgan & Co. who built substantial wealth in banking.

Lamont is up for reelection this November, seeking a third term in the midterm elections.

8. Washington
Washington governor Bob Ferguson

Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images

Governor: Bob Ferguson (Democrat)

Salary: $234,275

Washington's governor earns $234,275 following a July raise, making Bob Ferguson the eighth-highest paid governor in the US.

7. Massachusetts
Massachusetts governor Maura Healey

Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Governor: Maura Healey (Democrat)

Salary: $243,493

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey received a salary of $243,493 in 2025, per the Office of the Comptroller of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, making hers the seventh-highest governor's salary in the US.

Healey is seeking a second term in the November midterm elections.

6. Vermont
Vermont governor Phil Scott

John Lazenby/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Governor: Phil Scott (Republican)

Salary: $243,520

Vermont law lists the governor's salary at $243,520 following a July raise, making the office the sixth-highest paid in the country.

Gov. Phil Scott is running for a sixth term in the midterm elections.

5. California
California governor Gavin Newsom

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Governor: Gavin Newsom (Democrat)

Salary: $245,929

As of May 2026, the California Department of Human Resources listed the governor's salary as $245,929, making Gavin Newsom the fifth-highest-paid governor in the US.

After two terms, Newsom is now term-limited. Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton are facing off in a race to become the state's next governor in the midterm election.

4. Tennessee
Tennessee governor Bill Lee

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Governor: Bill Lee (Republican)

Salary: $246,108

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee earns $246,108 annually as of August, based on a monthly salary of $20,509 listed in the state's public payroll database.

After two terms in office, Lee is term-limited. Republican Marsha Blackburn and Democrat Jerri Green are running for the governor's seat in the midterm election this November.

3. Utah
Utah governor Spencer Cox

George Frey/Getty Images

Governor: Spencer Cox (Republican)

Salary: $249,250

In March 2026, the Utah Legislature passed a bill setting the governor's salary equal to that of the chief justice of the state supreme court, which is $249,250.

The raise made Spencer Cox the third-highest-paid governor in the US.

2. New York
New York governor Kathy Hochul

Barry Williams/New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Governor: Kathy Hochul (Democrat)

Salary: $250,000

With a salary of $250,000 established by New York law, Kathy Hochul is the second-highest-paid governor in the US.

Hochul is seeking a second full term in the midterm elections.

1. Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro

Jason Ardan/The Citizens' Voice via Getty Images

Governor: Josh Shapiro (Democrat)

Salary: $253,870

Shapiro's salary rose from $245,760 in 2025 to $253,870 in 2026 after a 3.3% cost-of-living increase, according to the Pennsylvania Office of the Budget. The raise made him the highest-paid governor in the US.

Shapiro is up for reelection in the midterm elections this November, seeking a second term.

Read the original article on Business Insider

  •  
❌