An Illinois state representative salary sits at roughly $98,000 per year in 2026, and that base is only part of the package. On top of it, a representative collects a daily per diem during session, mileage reimbursement for official travel, a district office allowance of about $179,000, state-employee health insurance, and a defined-benefit pension. Leaders and committee chairs earn stipends that push their totals higher.
Base Salary
Illinois law sets a statutory floor of $85,000 per year for each member of the General Assembly, effective with the 103rd General Assembly that convened in January 2023.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code Chapter 25 Legislature – HB3949 Text The Compensation Review Board can set a higher amount, and it has done so every year since. The National Conference of State Legislatures reported the base at $89,250 for 2024.2National Conference of State Legislatures. 2024 Legislator Compensation For the second year of the 104th General Assembly, the base rose to approximately $98,000.
Illinois law caps any single raise at 5% per year, and legislators have taken the maximum in several recent cycles. Annual raises since 2019 have added roughly $30,000 to the base in total.
Leadership and Committee Stipends
Representatives who hold leadership positions or chair committees earn extra pay on top of the base. The amount is set by statute or by the Compensation Review Board, whichever is greater. The statutory minimums, unchanged since 1989, are:
- Speaker of the House: additional $16,000 per year
- Minority Leader: additional $16,000 per year
- Majority Leader: additional $13,500 per year
- Committee chairs and ranking minority members: additional $6,000 per year each
In practice, the actual amounts paid to top leaders often exceed those floors because the Compensation Review Board has set them higher.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code Chapter 25 Legislature – HB3949 Text
Per Diem for Session Days
Every representative receives a daily per diem on days the legislature is in session or during official committee work. The most recently confirmed rate is $178 per day, up from $166 in 2024 and $157 in 2023.2National Conference of State Legislatures. 2024 Legislator Compensation The payment is automatic on eligible days. No receipts or expense reports are required. Across a session of 60 to 80 working days, per diem alone can add $10,000 to $14,000 to a representative’s annual income. It is intended to cover meals and lodging in Springfield.
When Per Diem Is Taxable
Federal tax treatment turns on distance from the capitol. A legislator whose residence is more than 50 miles from the capitol building can elect to treat Springfield as their “away from home” work location and deduct living expenses up to the federal per diem rate, making much of the per diem effectively nontaxable.3eCFR. 26 CFR 1.162-24 – Travel Expenses of State Legislators A representative who lives 50 miles or closer cannot make this election and owes income tax on the full amount. The 50 miles is measured by the shortest commonly traveled route, not a straight line.
Mileage Reimbursement
Representatives are reimbursed for mileage when they drive their own vehicles on official business, including trips between their home districts and Springfield. Illinois ties its rate to the federal standard. For 2026, the IRS business mileage rate is 72.5 cents per mile, up from 70 cents in 2025.4Internal Revenue Service. IRS Sets 2026 Business Standard Mileage Rate at 72.5 Cents Per Mile The state updates its rate whenever the federal rate changes.5Illinois Department of Central Management Services. Travel Update 25-01 For a downstate member driving 200 miles each way, the reimbursement adds up quickly across a full session.
District Office Allowance
Each House member receives approximately $179,000 per year to operate a district office. This money is separate from the legislator’s personal salary and is spent on the district operation, not pocketed. It covers:
- Salaries for legislative assistants, who receive the same employment benefits as other General Assembly employees
- Office rent, furnishings, and supplies
- Constituent communications, including newsletters, brochures, certificates, and congratulatory mailings
- Phone, internet, and travel related to legislative duties
The allowance cannot be used for improvements to real property unless the lease requires the tenant to make them, and none of it can go toward political campaign activity.6FindLaw. Illinois Statutes Chapter 25 Legislature 115/4 – Office Allowance Most members hire between one and three district staff and use the rest on rent and communications.
Health Insurance
Representatives have access to the same group insurance program as other full-time state employees. It covers medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, with HMO and PPO options through various carriers, and coverage extends to spouses and dependents.7Illinois Department of Central Management Services. State Employee Benefits
Legislators pay monthly premiums that vary by salary tier and plan. For FY2026, the employee-only contribution runs from $138 per month at the lowest salary tier to $300 per month for those earning over $125,000. Adding dependents costs another $168 to $339 per month depending on the plan and number of dependents.8Illinois Department of Central Management Services. FY2026 Rate
Pension
Illinois legislators participate in the General Assembly Retirement System, a defined-benefit plan that provides retirement, disability, and survivor benefits. Which tier applies depends entirely on when the member first enrolled, and the two tiers pay very differently.
Tier 1: Enrolled Before January 1, 2011
Tier 1 members receive a pension calculated from their final average salary and total years of credited service. The accrual rate rises with tenure:
- First 4 years: 3.0% of final average salary per year
- Next 2 years: 3.5% per year
- Next 2 years: 4.0% per year
- Next 4 years: 4.5% per year
- Each year after 12: 5.0% per year
Under this formula, a legislator with 20 years of service receives a pension equal to 85% of their final average salary.9State Retirement Systems. GARS Tier 1 Retirement Benefits
Tier 2: Enrolled On or After January 1, 2011
Tier 2 is tighter. A member must accumulate at least eight years of credited service to qualify for any pension benefit at all. Full retirement benefits begin at age 67. A member can retire at 62 with eight years of service, but the benefit is reduced by 0.5% for each month the member is under 67, which works out to a 30% reduction for someone retiring at exactly 62.10State Retirement Systems. GARS Tier 2 Retirement Benefits Many legislators serve fewer than eight years, so a significant number of post-2011 members will leave office without ever vesting.
Who Sets the Pay
The Compensation Review Board is an independent body within the legislative branch that sets pay for legislators, judges, constitutional officers, and certain appointed officials. It considers the public interest, the state’s financial capacity, comparable private-sector compensation, and the responsibilities of each position.11Justia. Illinois Code 25 Legislature 25 ILCS 120 Compensation Review Act Once the Board issues its report, the General Assembly can vote to disapprove the recommendations. If the legislature takes no action, the new salary levels take effect.