Although the 541 people who serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate (including non-voting delegates in the House) are hardly representative of the United States citizenry as a whole, they are a varied group. Here is a sampling of what some of them used to do before they were elected to serve in Congress.

262 state or territorial legislators

102 educators, including teachers, professors, counselors, administrators and coaches

33 mayors

32 prosecutors

28 farmers, ranchers or cattle farm owners

17 physicians

9 accountants

8 congressional pages

7 judges

7 social workers

7 reporters or journalists

6 radio or television broadcasters

6 engineers

5 radio talk show hosts

5 nurses

5 ordained ministers

5 software executives

5 Peace Corps volunteers

3 psychologists

3 sheriffs

3 pilots

2 FBI agents

2 dentists

2 veterinarians

2 physicists

2 almond orchard owners

2 car dealership owners

1 psychiatrist (Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Washington)

1 optometrist (Sen. John Boozman, R-Arkansas)

1 microbiologist (Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-New York)

1 comedian (Sen. Al Franken, D-Minnesota)

1 professional football player (Rep. John Runyan, R-New Jersey)

1 funeral home owner Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Florida)

1 rodeo announcer (Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Arkansas)

-David Wallechinsky

To Learn More;

Membership of the 113th Congress: A Profile (by Jennifer E. Manning, Congressional Research Service) (pdf)