Having been sworn as the 112th Mayor of New York City on January 1, 2026, Zohran Mamdani also witnessed a major boost in his previously estimated earnings as an assemblyman. Prior to his Mayor post, the Indian-origin politician represented the 36th New York State Assembly District and its neighbourhoods of Astoria, Ditmars-Steinway, and Astoria Heights.
Cut to the new year: Now Mamdani is on his way to scoring a nearly $260,000 a year paycheck as the NYC mayor, as per public records cited by US reports, including Fox News.
This figure puts his official earnings way above House Speaker Mike Johnson’s $223,500 annual salary or the $246,400 paychecks of US President Donald Trump’s cabinet secretaries, as per the Business Insider. However, it still doesn’t make him the highest paid US mayor.
As per the Prestige Online, Mamdani is the third-highest-paid mayor in the US after his counterparts in San Francisco and Los Angeles earning $380,000 and $300,000, respectively.
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani salary and perks revealed
Recently sworn-in NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani is set to earn $258,750 a year based on what former Mayor Eric Adams earned, as per public payroll records cited by the Business Insider and Fox News. This figure marks a more than 80% raise from what he was making ($142,000) as a New York state assemblyman earlier.
The massive salary hike also comes with other perks, including the rent-free and luxurious mayoral residence, the Gracie Mansion.
On top of that, the mayor gets even security protection from the New York City Police Department along with benefits like health insurance, which are available to other city employees as well.
While the nearly $260,000 pay still wouldn’t make Mamdani the highest-paid American mayor, it would result in him being listed among NYC’s top earners. According to the most recent Census Bureau data cited by Fox News, this accounts for more than three times New York City’s median household income of roughly $80,000.
Although Mamdani moved to the official mayoral residence from his previous abode in Astoria, where he paid a monthly rent of $2,300, as per the Associated Press. He had lived there since 2018.
While all these new additions as part of mayoral salary will help boost Mamdani’s fortune this year, Forbes Africa had previously estimated his net worth to be around $200,000.
Donald Trump salary: How much does the US president earn?
Like any other US president since 2001, Donald Trump’s presidential salary is set at $400,000 annually, as per the Congress mandate. While this figure alone should have made every American leader’s earnings uniform all through the 21st century, it doesn’t. Each politician to enter the country’s top-most office has had their own set of multiple sources of earnings.
Other than the $400,000 paycheck, American presidents also score an additional expense allowance of $50,000 a year, a $100,000 non-taxable travel account and $19,000 for entertainment. They inevitably get free transportation in the shape of the presidential limousine, Marine One and Air Force One, along with free housing in the White House as well.
Much of Trump’s wealth actually comes from the countless buildings, golf courses or entities like vodka and other merchandise that bear his name, in addition to his social media platform Truth Social. Following his return to office in 2025, the MAGA leader’s net worth soared to $7.3 billion from its $3.9 billion-mark in 2024, according Forbes’ September report.
However, his presidential salary’s contribution to his overall net worth is shocking low. In 2025, Trump revealed in a viral video that he had given up his presidential salary during both terms. “I didn’t take it in the first four years, I’ve not taken it in these four years either,” he proclaimed.
In August, he took to his Truth Social platform to make a proud confession about how he had donated the first paycheck of his second term to the White House Historical Association.
“I am proud to be the only President (with the possible exception of the Late, Great George Washington) to donate my Salary. My first “Paycheck” went to the White House Historical Association, as we make much needed renovations to the beautiful “People’s House.” Great improvements and beautification is taking place at the White House, at levels not seen since its original creation. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” he posted in August.
Addressing his salary donation during the first term in 2017, a White House news release stated at the time, “Since taking office, President Trump has been donating his quarterly salary to initiatives of national significance. In Quarter 1, President Trump donated his salary to the Department of Interior, and the funds went to the National Park Service to aid in its goal of preserving our country’s national security.”
Meanwhile, his second-quarter salary was donated to the Department of Education, according to the 2017 news release.