Congressional Aides
Overview
Introduction
Congressional aides are the men and women who staff the offices of the members of the United States Congress. Working for senators and representatives, they assist with a variety of congressional duties, from administrative details to extensive research on legislation. Members of Congress typically include among their staff legislative assistants, a press secretary, a chief of staff, an office manager, a personal secretary, a legislative correspondent, and constituent services representatives. Aides are generally divided into two gr...
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
Congressional aides' salaries vary a great deal from office to office. Aides working in Senate positions generally have higher salaries than those working in House positions. Earnings also vary by position. A chief of staff has a much higher salary than a staff assistant working in the same office. Experience also plays a role in aides' earnings, with the highest salaries going to staffers with...
Work Environment
Congressional aides are often faced with long hours, cramped quarters, and constant pressure. But many people thrive on the fast pace and appreciate the opportunity to get to know federal legislation from the inside.
Oddly enough, while Congress makes laws to protect workers and to ensure civil rights among the general populace, it has, in many cases, exempted itself from those same laws...
Outlook
Members of Congress will continue to hire aides regularly; however, this is not a large employment field. The need for new workers will be steady but limited. Additionally, aides' positions are linked to the success of the Congressman or Congresswoman for whom they work. If their employer is voted out of office, aides also lose their jobs. And, despite the long hours and often low pay, these jo...
