How much do lobbyists earn?

[Anonymous]

I make around $600k, but as others have said, the salary range is all over the place. Working as staff is the easiest path. I don't practice law now, but my law degree was required for my initial staff job years ago.

[Anonymous]

i call them slime balls

[Anonymous]

I am a lobbyist for a small trade association and I make $116k. I think lobbyists generally come from one of two paths:

a) Hill work (often plus law school and/or Presidential and Congressional campaigns). Their strength is their connections to committee staff and members of Congress, but they may not be subject matter experts in what they lobby on.

b) experience in a certain field, and then they wind up lobbying on it. May have less Hill experience and more subject matter knowledge. This is the path I took. I met a guy at a campaign fundraiser once who lobbied for a trade association of railroad conductors--he'd been a conductor himself, as had his father. He knew more about trains than about politics: it was fun to talk with him! Sometimes folks in this category come up through a union or other trade/industry organization.

I think a) usually get paid better than b).

[Anonymous]

My sister is a lobbyist for a trade org and earns $150k. Last job was for a mission driven nonprofit and was, I think, about half that.

[Anonymous]

You won't make big money working for a lobbying firm unless you are in their management positions. Employees who have good clients are on the top.

Rest just acts on the supporting roles and get paid $100-150K

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You won't make big money working for a lobbying firm unless you are in their management positions. Employees who have good clients are on the top.

Rest just acts on the supporting roles and get paid $100-150K

Not sure what you are talking about. I agree on support but most lobbyists are not management. And comp varies from 150k to more than 10 million. Vast majority of professionals at big or notable shops or at companies are in the 500- 1 million range.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You won't make big money working for a lobbying firm unless you are in their management positions. Employees who have good clients are on the top.

Rest just acts on the supporting roles and get paid $100-150K

Not sure what you are talking about. I agree on support but most lobbyists are not management. And comp varies from 150k to more than 10 million. Vast majority of professionals at big or notable shops or at companies are in the 500- 1 million range.

You are wrong in this. It is not that easy. Not sure how many lobbyists you work with but I interact with them quite regularly. The top ones are lawyers and are equity partner in the lobbying firm. For the rest, it depends on the business - support staff of a big lobbying liaison is not going to get paid much as they are not doing anything to create more business. Very meager - 10-20K bonus.

[Anonymous]

I know a shill for the oil industry who clears over a mil. She's an awful human being.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know a shill for the oil industry who clears over a mil. She's an awful human being.

Sure, Jan. You know she works for a company, under the direction of a CEO and presumably a board, right? Why aren't they the recipients of your ire?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know a shill for the oil industry who clears over a mil. She's an awful human being.

Yeah, because nobody needs oil, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You won't make big money working for a lobbying firm unless you are in their management positions. Employees who have good clients are on the top.

Rest just acts on the supporting roles and get paid $100-150K

Not sure what you are talking about. I agree on support but most lobbyists are not management. And comp varies from 150k to more than 10 million. Vast majority of professionals at big or notable shops or at companies are in the 500- 1 million range.

You are wrong in this. It is not that easy. Not sure how many lobbyists you work with but I interact with them quite regularly. The top ones are lawyers and are equity partner in the lobbying firm. For the rest, it depends on the business - support staff of a big lobbying liaison is not going to get paid much as they are not doing anything to create more business. Very meager - 10-20K bonus.

Yes that is what I said.

[Anonymous]

Basically the more odious the client and positions you lobby, the more money you make.

[Anonymous]

How do you become a lobbyist? Do you need connection to be lobbyist?

[Anonymous]

Reviving this thread, any updated comp benchmarks? I'm a lobbyist for a public tech company and wondering how our comp stacks up against the trade associations, K street shops, other public companies, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As much as it takes to buy their soul.

+1 Lol

You do know that teachers' organizations and development agencies have lobbyists too, right?