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Shapiro to Become Nation’s Highest-Paid Governor When Pennsylvania’s COLA Takes Effect Jan. 1

The increase stems from a state law that ties annual pay adjustments to the regional consumer price index, set at 3.3% for 2026.

Overview

  • Gov. Josh Shapiro’s salary will rise to $253,870 on Jan. 1 after a 3.3% cost-of-living adjustment, up from about $245,000 in 2025 and surpassing New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s $250,000.
  • The Pennsylvania Office of the Budget calculated the adjustment using CPI-U data for the PennsylvaniaNew JerseyDelawareMaryland region reported by the U.S. Department of Labor.
  • The same 3.3% increase applies to other statewide officials, including Treasurer Stacy Garrity, Attorney General Dave Sunday, Auditor General Timothy DeFoor, and Lt. Gov. Austin Davis.
  • Large agency heads and many board and commission members will also receive increases, with major department leaders topping $200,000 under the updated schedule.
  • Rank-and-file state legislators’ salaries have risen to about $113,000 through automatic adjustments, a system that has drawn criticism from the state GOP, which faulted the governor’s new pay level.