Ever wondered what our presidents past and present did before they landed the top job? From attorneys of law to owners of a general store, our presidents have had a variety of career trajectories. While we aren’t going to cover all 46 presidents, we’ve picked a handful to give you insights into their careers and what they’d potentially earn in the present day.
With an election coming around soon, only time will tell what the past career of our next president will be.
Joe Biden
Years in office: 2021-present
Party: Democrat
Average salary: $88,150
Like a lot of our presidents, Joe Biden established a career as a lawyer before turning his hand to politics. It makes sense, as law gives you a great foundation in the US Constitution.
Once a successful lawyer, Biden also tried his hand at teaching. From 1991 – 2008, Biden co-taught a seminar on constitutional law at Widener University of Law. We wonder if any of Biden’s students will get the top job in the future!
Donald Trump
Years in office: 2017-2021
Party: Republican
Average salary: $138,154
Other than being our president for four years and a potential candidate in 2024, Trump is probably best known as an entrepreneur and the host of The Apprentice.
His career actually started in real estate, working for his father. He expanded the business to Manhattan where he demolished and renovated landmark buildings. Although he over-extended himself while working in this business, narrowly avoiding bankruptcy, it proved a fantastic foundation for his other entrepreneurial endeavors.
As fans of the hit Netflix show Selling Sunset will know, real estate can be a very lucrative business indeed.
Barack Obama
Years in office: 2009-2017
Party: Democrat
Average salary: $101,941
A Harvard Law graduate, Barack Obama worked as a civil rights attorney and academic from 1992 to 2004 before he entered the Senate.
While studying, Obama got a taste of the presidency as the first black president of the Harvard Law Review.
George W. Bush
Years in office: 2001-2009
Party: Republican
Average salary: $70,381
After his military career, George W. Bush entered the oil business. He first established Arbusto Energy which later became Bush Exploration. After a few changes at the top, Bush eventually became a member of Harken Energy Corporation’s board of directors.
The oil industry is still pretty lucrative to this day, although we imagine Bush would have been taking home an even bigger pay packet as the top dog of a variety of companies.
Bill Clinton
Years in office: 1993-2001
Party: Democrat
Average salary: $75,185
Bill may be best known for his iconic scandal and impeachment but that hasn’t meant he and his family have hidden away from the spotlight. In fact, his wife Hilary ran for Democratic presidential candidate in both 2008 and 2016.
During 2008, Bill was a vital cog in her campaign machine. Through speaking engagements and fundraisers, he was able to raise $10 million toward her campaign. Despite there being a lot of challenges during this campaign, and Bill and Hilary’s teams coming head to head, it’s clear that Bill still holds a lot of sway.
Could he put his campaign power behind another candidate in the future?
George H. W. Bush
Years in office: 1989-1993
Party: Republican
Average salary: $56,764
Another Bush to make the list, George Bush senior (father of George W. Bush) served a term of four years.
When Bush senior first graduated from Yale, he moved his young family to Texas. Like his son, the oil industry called. His first position in Texas was as an oil field equipment salesman for Dresser Industries, which was led by a family friend.
As a salesperson, you can top up your salary with commissions too – so don’t be put off by the average salary.
Ronald Reagan
Years in office: 1981-1989
Party: Republican
Average salary: $74,682
Ronald Reagan certainly had one of the more glamorous jobs before becoming president. As an actor, Reagan made thirty films after signing a seven-year contract with Warner Bros.
Quickly becoming a star with critically acclaimed performances his movie stardom was cut short by World War Two.
We don’t get a lot of acting roles here at Adzuna, but we know that Hollywood stars today are taking home the big bucks.
Jimmy Carter
Years in office: 1977-1981
Party: Democrat
Average salary: $63,407
Like many presidents, Jimmy Carter did military service. Carter spent his time in the Navy, rising to lieutenant. Much of his naval career focused on nuclear power, but his career was cut short when his father died and he was released from active duty in 1953. Carter had to take over his family’s peanut business!
A fun fact about Jimmy Carter is that he’s the longest-lived president in US history!
Gerald Ford
Years in office: 1974-1977
Party: Republican
Average salary: $93,644
Like Barack Obama Gerald Ford studied law at college. Unlike Barack though, his legal career was short and sweet. He founded a legal practice in 1941, the same year as Pearl Harbour, so Ford quickly enlisted in the Navy.
Did you know, that Ford is the only person to become US president without winning an election for president or vice president?
John F. Kennedy
Years in office: 1961-1963
Party: Democrat
Average salary: $64,013
JFK served as president for just two years prior to his assassination. He had planned to attend Yale Law School but when the US’s entry to World War Two seemed imminent he joined the Navy Reserves instead.
After the war, his father arranged a role for him at Hearst Newspapers (now known as Hearst Communications) as a special correspondent. This role kept Kennedy in the public eye and exposed him to journalism as a possible career. By 1947 though, he had joined the US House of Representatives.
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Years in office: 1953-1961
Party: Republican
Average salary: $55,823
Dwight David Eisenhower, also known as Ike, was an American military officer. During World War II, he served as Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in Europe and achieved the five-star rank as General of the Army.
Like many presidents before and after him, his military career catapulted him into a career in politics.
Herbert Hoover
Years in office: 1929-1933
Party: Republican
Average salary: $77,085
Probably best known for being memorialized by the Hoover Dam, Herbert Hoover had a successful career as a mining engineer before becoming president. As one of the first graduates of the new Stanford University in 1895, Hoover had a swift career progression, traveling to China and Australia to work in the mines.
Mining and engineering were very lucrative in the early twentieth century, and continue to be today!
Abraham Lincoln
Years in office: 1861-1865
Party: Republican
Average salary: $49,750
Another president on this list who met a grisly end is Abraham Lincoln who was assassinated while in office in 1865.
Although better known as a lawyer and military man, Lincoln actually started his career working in a general store. When he returned from the Black Hawk War he actually purchased the New Salem general store which sold a variety of alcoholic drinks, food, and takeout dinners.
George Washington
Years in office: 1789-1797
Party: Non-artisan
Average salary: $67,299
Fans of the smash hit musical Hamilton will be familiar with George Washington and Alexander Hamilton’s establishment of the National Bank.
This was established to stabilize and improve the nation’s credit. It didn’t last long, just 20 years, but many believe it was one of the foundations for the US becoming a financial power.
Read more: How much are world leaders paid?