President Obama is paid USD 400,000 annually. He also receives an expense allowance of USD 50,000 per year.
In the United States, an anesthesiologist’s average annual salary is USD 246,320, while business executives earn USD 180,700.
The question is: how much does America's leader, President Obama, earn?
Not many!
President Obama is paid USD 400,000 annually, divided into equal monthly payments. He also receives an allowance of USD 50,000 per year.
This figure has changed considerably over time.
The first US president, George Washington, was paid 25,000 USD a year when he took office in 1789. That figure is not large, but adjusted for inflation, it is equivalent to about 600,000 USD today.
Since 1789, the US president's salary has increased 5-fold. The largest increase came in 2011, when Congress agreed to double it from USD 200,000 to USD 400,000.
In fact, this salary is only enough to place the president among the top 1% of earners in certain major U.S. cities.
Salary should not be confused with income. For example, President Obama's salary was only USD 400,000/year, but his income in 2011 was around USD 790,000 thanks to investments and book royalties.
Like most ordinary employees, the US president also receives benefits in addition to salary. Perhaps the only difference is that Obama's benefits include a limousine for transport, Marine One helicopter, Air Force One presidential aircraft, and, of course, the White House.
In addition, after his term ends, President Obama will still receive government protection, an annual pension of USD 200,000, medical care, and an office.
