Assistant to the President and Senior Counselor — $183,000
One of the highest-paid White House employees is the Assistant to the President and Senior Counselor, earning a salary of $183,000. While it’s not clear what tasks this position requires, the one holding this position spends most of the time clarifying the things the president says to the public and tweeting.
Former President Obama didn’t have an employee working under this title while he was in office, and his highest-paid employees earned $172,200 in 2009. So things have changed since the Obama days.
Speechwriter — $120,000
Some of the most essential White House employees are the speechwriters. Some presidents can have a number of Speechwriters on staff with salaries reaching $120,000. Some presidents seemed to like to go off script, and without the insistence of some Speechwriters, speeches would be even more disastrous than what we have witnessed in the past.
When Obama was in office, he had nine speechwriters on staff, with salaries that ranged from $42,613 to $176,461 back in 2016. Getting the right words and the right time costs a lot of money.
West Wing Receptionist — $48,800
While a secretarial job may not sound very thrilling, working as the West Wing Receptionist has got to be interesting. It's the perfect entry-level position for someone looking to move up in politics, the role is currently filled by
One of the former West Wing Receptionists started her life in the White House as an intern and gradually worked her way up. The salary may not go through the roof, but sometimes it's worth starting low and taking the steps slowly.
Senior Advisor to the Chief of Staff for Strategy and Stakeholder Engagement — $239,595
During the Trump days, John Czwartacki was by far the highest-paid White House staffer. With a salary of $239,595, he even made more than his boss, Mick Mulvaney. As a Senior Advisor to the Chief of Staff for Strategy and Stakeholder Engagement, his job was to advise and report to Mulvaney.
As the former chief communications officer at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Czwartacki brought valuable knowledge to the job. While no one with this title worked in the White House during Obama’s administration, the highest salary in 2009 was $172,200 per year.
Director of the Presidential Gift Office — $58,200
One of the more peculiar jobs in the White House is the Director of the Presidential Gift Office. The person holding this position is responsible for keeping track of all of the gifts presented to the sitting president. This is essential, as anything gifted to the president is put into the National Archives.
If he wants to keep it for himself, he must buy it at market value after his term is up. The job pays $58,200 per year. In 2009, a similar position was filled during the Obama administration, and the Assistant Director of Correspondence for Gifts earned $50,000 per year.