A Maryland state delegate’s salary is $56,636 in 2026, the final year of the current four-year pay cycle. All 141 members of the House of Delegates receive the same base pay, and senators earn the same figure. Only the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate are paid more. Salaries are paid in twelve monthly installments, whether or not the legislature is in session.
The 2023–2026 Pay Schedule
Legislative pay in Maryland is set on a four-year schedule tied to each term of office. For the current term, delegates started at $52,343 in 2023 and moved up each year:
- 2023: $52,343
- 2024: $54,437
- 2025: $55,526
- 2026: $56,636
That is a cumulative increase of about 12.5 percent over the term. It followed a stretch from 2019 through 2022 when the salary was frozen at $50,330.1Maryland General Assembly. Report of the General Assembly Compensation Commission The Maryland Constitution requires uniform compensation across all General Assembly members, with the sole exception being higher pay for presiding officers.2Maryland State Archives. Maryland Constitution – Article III – Legislative Department
What the Speaker Earns
The Speaker of the House and the Senate President each earn $73,562 in 2026, roughly $17,000 above rank-and-file pay.1Maryland General Assembly. Report of the General Assembly Compensation Commission Other leadership roles, including the Speaker Pro Tem, the majority leader, and committee chairs, receive no salary premium.
Recommended Pay for 2027–2030
The General Assembly Compensation Commission submitted its recommendations for the next term in January 2026. If the legislature does not reduce the figures, delegates will earn:
- 2027: $57,627
- 2028: $58,636
- 2029: $60,248
- 2030: $61,905
Presiding officers would rise from $74,849 in 2027 to $80,406 in 2030.1Maryland General Assembly. Report of the General Assembly Compensation Commission
Per Diem and Mileage
The General Assembly meets in Annapolis for a 90-day session running from mid-January through mid-April. The 2026 session opened on January 14 and is scheduled to adjourn on April 13.3General Assembly of Maryland. Dates of Interest – 2026 Session Delegates whose homes are far from the capital are reimbursed for lodging and meals during the session.
Lodging reimbursement is capped at the federal General Services Administration per diem rate for Annapolis. Meal reimbursement follows the Board of Public Works rates in Maryland’s state travel regulations. These are actual-expense reimbursements, not flat daily payments, so delegates submit documentation and get repaid up to the applicable cap.4Maryland General Assembly. Guidelines for Compensation and Expenses for Legislators
Mileage between home and Annapolis is reimbursed at Maryland’s standard state travel rate, which tracks close to but not identically with the federal rate. The IRS business mileage rate for 2026 is 72.5 cents per mile.5Internal Revenue Service. IRS Sets 2026 Business Standard Mileage Rate at 72.5 Cents Per Mile
No Extra Pay for Special Sessions
When the Governor calls a special session, delegates receive no additional salary. The Maryland Constitution limits special-session compensation to mileage and other allowances already provided by law.2Maryland State Archives. Maryland Constitution – Article III – Legislative Department Special sessions are capped at 30 days. A regular session can also be extended by up to 30 days, but that takes a three-fifths supermajority in each chamber.
Pension
Delegates participate in the Legislative Pension Plan, a defined-benefit plan run by the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System. The formula pays 3 percent of the salary currently paid to active legislators, multiplied by years of creditable service. A delegate with 20 years of service would draw 60 percent of whatever the legislative salary is at the time of retirement, not the salary earned during their years in office.6Maryland State Retirement Agency. Legislative Pension Plan Benefits Handbook for 2023-2026
The benefit is capped at two-thirds of the current legislative salary, which a member reaches after about 22 years and 3 months of service. Former Speakers and Senate Presidents have their pensions calculated using the current presiding officer’s salary rather than the rank-and-file figure.6Maryland State Retirement Agency. Legislative Pension Plan Benefits Handbook for 2023-2026
Vesting takes eight years of creditable service, effectively two full terms. A delegate who serves only one term leaves with no pension benefit. Normal retirement eligibility begins at age 60 with at least eight years of service. Delegates contribute a portion of their salary while in office, at a rate set by the system’s actuarial calculations.
Health Insurance
Delegates can enroll in the same medical, dental, and vision plans offered to other Maryland state employees. The state pays a share of the premium, so the coverage costs a delegate substantially less than comparable individual insurance would on the open market.
Who Sets the Salary
Delegates do not vote themselves a raise. A nine-member General Assembly Compensation Commission sets all legislative pay and allowances. The Governor appoints five members, the Senate President appoints two, and the Speaker appoints two. Sitting legislators and state or local government employees cannot serve.2Maryland State Archives. Maryland Constitution – Article III – Legislative Department
Every four years, within 15 days of the session’s start, the commission submits a resolution recommending salaries and benefits for the coming term. The General Assembly can reduce or reject any item by joint resolution, but it cannot raise any amount above what the commission proposed. If the legislature does nothing, the recommendations automatically take effect. Since 2014, the legislature has accepted the commission’s recommendations without change in every cycle.