"In 2007 dollars, George Washington's presidential salary is higher than that of George W. Bush."
Technically, the U.S. president is the highest-paid employee in the government. Expense accounts aside, right now he earns a $400,000 annual salary (a figure established in 2001, which was a substantial increase from $200,000).
George Washington's initial salary was $25,000, which, in today's money, comes to about $566,000. Historically, the $75,000 salary approved in 1909 is the highest in 2007 dollars, being about the equivalent of $1,714,000 today.