Who fills the seats in the nation’s legislatures?
A recent NCSL report, “State Legislators at Work: Insights Into Legislator Time and Demographics,” gives insights into who legislators are, how much time they dedicate to legislative work and how that work impacts their other careers.
More than 700 state legislators participated in the survey from all 50 states and all but one of the territories.
To learn more about the type of person serving in state legislatures, the survey collected both institutional and social demographic data.
Institutional Demographics
The survey responses are largely a proportional representation of legislature type (full time, part time, and hybrid) and chamber affiliation (Senate or House membership). Additional demographic details tell us:
- Most respondents served three or fewer terms at the time of the survey.
- 9.5% of respondents held chamber or caucus leadership positions.
- 44% served as committee chairs.
- 54% of respondents were Democrats, 43% were Republicans and 2% identified as nonpartisan or other party.
- Nearly 75% of respondents planned to run for office again, and nearly half of them indicated political ambitions beyond the state legislature.
Overall, most respondents had served at least one term, did not hold a leadership position and planned to run for office again.
Social and Economic Demographics
The survey also asked questions about social demographics including income, marital status, dependents, education and race.
About two-thirds of surveyed legislators reported an annual household income of $100,000 or more. The average annual legislative base salary at the time of the survey in 2022 was $41,007, indicating many legislators supplement their legislative income with outside sources.
Household Income
- 29%: $100,000-$149,999.
- 28%: $50,000-$99,999.
- 21%: Over $200,000.
- 16%: $150,000-$199,999.
- 5%: Less than $49,999.
Percentages rounded to whole numbers.
Survey responses confirm this, as 54% of surveyed legislators held employment outside of the legislature. Of the 46% of respondents who did not hold outside employment, almost half were retired.
Questions on marital status and dependents provided a snapshot of a respondent’s home life. Most respondents were married, indicating a spouse may be contributing to the household income, and 62% of respondents did not have adult or child dependents living at home with them.
According to the survey, state legislators have more formal education than the general U.S. population. Most legislators hold a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Educational Attainment
- 36%: Bachelor’s degree
- 30%: Master’s degree
- 16%: Professional degree (J.D. or M.D.)
- 8%: Some college
- 4%: Doctoral degree
- 4%: Associate degree
- 2%: High school degree/GED
Percentages rounded to whole numbers.
Survey respondents include members of the Silent Generation (1928-1945), baby boomers (1946-1964), Generation X (1965-1980) and millennials (1981-1996). While members of Generation Z (1997-2012) do serve in state legislatures, none are represented in the survey responses. When compared with 2020 U.S. Census Bureau data, baby boomers and Generation X cohorts are overrepresented in the survey.
Seventy percent of respondents described their race/ethnicity as white, with the next largest groups identifying as Black/African American (9%) and Asian American (7%).
Racial/Ethnic Identity
- 70%: White
- 9%: Black/African American
- 7%: Asian American
- 6%: Hispanic/Latino
- 5%: Multiracial
- 2%: Some other race
- 1%: American Indian/Native American
- 1%: Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
Percentages rounded to whole numbers.
So, what can the survey tell us about the “average” legislator? They include men and women from an array of racial and ethnic backgrounds, though most legislators are white. There are adults of every age serving as state legislators, but the baby boomer generation is the largest cohort. While no singular profile can capture what a typical state legislator looks like, those surveyed were most likely over the age of 50, male, white, had completed some form of higher education, had sources of income beyond legislative compensation and were married without dependents in the home.
What’s Changed?
NCSL has not surveyed the newest class of state and territorial legislators with the same level of detail as in 2022, but a few statistics emerged when analyzing the 2024 elections.
First, the percentage of women legislators increased in at least 26 states. Women now occupy 50% or more of the legislative seats in Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico.
At least seven states have newly elected members who are part of the National Caucus of Native American State Legislators.
The National Asian Pacific American Caucus of State Legislators reports members in at least one more state after the 2024 elections, and the group’s membership also increased to 224 from 208 in a total of 38 states.
Emily Ronco is a policy specialist in NCSL’s Center for Legislative Strengthening.