What is Josh Shapiro's Net Worth and Salary?
Josh Shapiro is a lawyer and Democratic politician who has a net worth of $100,000. Josh Shapiro serves as the governor of Pennsylvania, having taken office in 2023. Before that, from 2017 to 2023, he served as the attorney general of Pennsylvania, and from 2005 to 2012 he was a member of the state's House of Representatives. Between those roles, Shapiro chaired the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners from 2012 to 2016. In July 2024, Josh's name was included on a short list of potential running mate for Kamala Harris.
Financial Disclosure
According to a financial disclosure released on April 30, 2024, Josh Shapiro and his wife Lori do not own any real estate or any other major assets/liabilities.
Salary
The Governor of Pennsylvania earns an annual salary of $237,000. That's the second highest salary paid to a Governor in the United States, slightly above the $234,000 earned by California's Governor and behind the nation-leading NY salary of $250,000.
Early Life and Education
Josh Shapiro was born on June 20, 1973 in Kansas City, Missouri into a Jewish family. His mother Judi was a teacher, while his father Steve was a pediatrician. The family moved to Dresher, Pennsylvania when Shapiro was still young. As a teenager, he went to Akiba Hebrew Academy in Merion Station, where he was a member of the school basketball team. Shapiro went on to attend the University of Rochester in New York, graduating magna cum laude in 1995 with his BA in political science. Later, in 2002, he obtained his JD from the Georgetown University Law Center.
Career Beginnings
After graduating from the University of Rochester, Shapiro moved to Washington, DC and worked as a legislative assistant to Senator Carl Levin. He subsequently became a senior adviser to Representative Peter Deutsch, and then a senior adviser to Senator Robert Torricelli. From 1999 to 2003, Shapiro served as chief of staff to Representative Joe Hoeffel.
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Shapiro ran for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 2004, representing the 153rd district. With a campaign focused on improved education funding and access to healthcare, he narrowly defeated Republican nominee Jon D. Fox. Shapiro went on to be reelected three times, serving in the House until 2012. During his tenure, he was noted for his efforts to bridge partisan divisions.
Montgomery County Board of Commissioners
In 2011, Shapiro was elected to the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, marking the first time ever that the Republican Party lost control of the Board. As chair from 2012 to 2016, he focused on matters of social services and administration, and oversaw the implementation of zero-based budgeting. Shapiro also served as the chair of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency toward the end of his tenure.
Attorney General of Pennsylvania
Shapiro ran for attorney general of Pennsylvania in 2016. His campaign, which largely focused on tackling gun violence and the opioid epidemic, was supported by Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Michael Bloomberg, among other major politicians. Shapiro ultimately won the general election by defeating Republican John Rafferty Jr. He was reelected in 2020, defeating Heather Heidelbaugh with the most votes of any candidate in Pennsylvania history. During his tenure, Shapiro released the findings of a statewide grand jury report that disclosed the systemic abuse of children by the Catholic Church. Among his many other activities, he helped negotiate $1 billion for Pennsylvania as part of a national opioid settlement with four pharmaceutical companies.
(Photo by Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images)
Governor of Pennsylvania
In 2022, Shapiro ran for governor of Pennsylvania. After going unopposed in the Democratic primary, he defeated Republican Doug Mastriano in the general election. Shapiro began his gubernatorial tenure focusing on protecting voting rights and abortions rights, raising the minimum wage, and expanding Pennsylvania's workforce. He issued executive orders establishing the Commonwealth Workers Transformation Program and the Hire, Improve, Recruit, Empower Committee. Shapiro has also focused on criminal justice reform, signing into law a bill to restrict the kinds of activities deemed violations of parole and calling for the abolishment of the death penalty. Among his other notable actions as governor, he has been an outspoken supporter of Israel during the Israel-Hamas war that began in late 2023, and has opposed the pro-Palestinian protests taking place on college campuses across the United States.
Personal Life
Shapiro wed his high school sweetheart, Lori Ferrara, in 1997. They have four children together and reside in the Governor's Residence in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
