List of presidents of the United States by previous experience

Although many paths may lead to the presidency of the United States, the most common job experience, occupation or profession of U.S. presidents has been that of a lawyer.[1] This sortable table enumerates all holders of that office, along with major elective or appointive offices or periods of military service prior to election to the presidency. The column immediately to the right of the presidents' names shows the position or office held just before the presidency. The next column to the right lists the next previous position held, and so on. Note that the total number of previous positions held by an individual may exceed four; the number of columns was limited to what would fit within the page width. The last two columns on the right list the home state (at the time of election to the presidency) and primary occupation of each future president, prior to beginning a political career.

By the numbers

There have been 45 presidencies (including the current one, whose term began in 2017), and 44 different individuals have served as president. Grover Cleveland was elected to two nonconsecutive terms, and as such is considered the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Of the 44 different people who have or are currently serving as president:

  • 26 presidents were previously lawyers.
  • 22 presidents had previous military experience; 9 were generals in the US Army.[lower-alpha 1]
  • 18 presidents previously served as U.S. representatives; 6 of 18 held this office prior to the four 'previous positions' shown in this table. Only one – James A. Garfield – was a Representative immediately before election as president. Only John Quincy Adams served as a U.S. representative after being president. Additionally, after being president, John Tyler served in the Provisional Confederate Congress and was later elected to the Confederate House of Representatives, but he died before taking his seat.[2]
  • 17 presidents previously served as governors; 16 were state governors; 9 were governors immediately before election as president. One, William Howard Taft, served as a territorial governor. One, Andrew Jackson, served as a military governor (Florida).
  • 16 presidents previously served as U.S. senators; only 3 immediately before election as president. Only one president, Andrew Johnson, served as a U.S. senator after his presidency.
  • 14 presidents previously served as vice president. All except Richard Nixon were vice presidents immediately before becoming president; 9 of the 14 succeeded to the presidency because of the death or resignation of the elected president; 5 of those 9 were not re-elected.
  • 8 presidents were out of office (for at least one year) immediately before election as president.
  • 8 presidents previously served as Cabinet secretaries; 6 as secretary of state; 5 of the 8 served immediately before election as president.
  • 7 presidents had previous experience in foreign service.[lower-alpha 2]
  • 5 presidents had never been elected to public office before becoming president: Zachary Taylor, Ulysses S. Grant, Herbert Hoover, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Donald Trump. Most of these had, however, been appointed to several prominent offices. Hoover's contributions toward the Treaty of Versailles preceded his appointment as United States secretary of commerce. Taylor, Grant and Eisenhower led U.S. forces to victory in the Mexican–American War, American Civil War and World War II, respectively – each occupying the highest-ranking command post of their time. Trump is the group's sole exception, having never held any public office nor any military position.
  • 4 presidents taught at a university: James A. Garfield, William Howard Taft, Woodrow Wilson, and Barack Obama.
  • 2 presidents served as party leaders of the House of Representatives, James A. Garfield and Gerald Ford.
  • 1 president served as an ordained minister, serving as a pastor in the Disciples of Christ (Christian) Church. James A. Garfield. [3] [4]
  • 1 president served as speaker of the House of Representatives, James K. Polk.
  • 1 president served as president pro tempore of the United States Senate, John Tyler.
  • 1 president served as party leader of the United States Senate, Lyndon B. Johnson.
  • 1 president served as president of the United States for two non-consecutive terms, Grover Cleveland.

List
PresidentPrevious 1Previous 2Previous 3Previous 4OccupationState[lower-alpha 3]
1George WashingtonN.A[lower-alpha 4]Constitutional Convention[lower-alpha 5]Out of officeMilitary[lower-alpha 6]Planter, land surveyorVirginia
2John AdamsVice PresidentForeign service[lower-alpha 7]Continental CongressState legislator[lower-alpha 8]Lawyer, farmerMassachusetts
3Thomas JeffersonVice PresidentSecretary of StateForeign service[lower-alpha 7]CongressmanPlanter, lawyer, land surveyor, architectVirginia
4James MadisonSecretary of StateU.S. representativeConstitutional ConventionState legislator[lower-alpha 8]PlanterVirginia
5James MonroeSecretary of StateForeign service[lower-alpha 7]State governorU.S. senatorPlanter, lawyerVirginia
6John Quincy AdamsSecretary of StateForeign service[lower-alpha 7]U.S. senatorState legislator[lower-alpha 8]LawyerMassachusetts
7Andrew JacksonOut of office[lower-alpha 4]U.S. senatorMilitaryU.S. senatorLawyer, military officerTennessee
8Martin Van BurenVice PresidentSecretary of StateState governor[lower-alpha 9]U.S. senatorLawyerNew York
9William Henry HarrisonForeign service[lower-alpha 7]U.S. senatorU.S. representativeState governorMilitaryOhio
10John TylerVice President[lower-alpha 10]U.S. senatorState governorU.S. representativeLawyerVirginia
11James K. PolkOut of office[lower-alpha 4]State governorSpeaker of the HouseU.S. representativeLawyer, planterTennessee
12Zachary TaylorMilitary------------MilitaryKentucky
13Millard FillmoreVice President[lower-alpha 11]State officeOut of office[lower-alpha 4]U.S. representativeLawyerNew York
14Franklin PierceOut of office[lower-alpha 4]MilitaryU.S. senatorU.S. representativeLawyerNew Hampshire
15James BuchananForeign service[lower-alpha 7]Out of office[lower-alpha 4]Secretary of StateU.S. senatorLawyerPennsylvania
16Abraham LincolnOut of office[lower-alpha 4]U.S. representativeState legislator[lower-alpha 8]MilitaryLawyer, land surveyorIllinois[lower-alpha 12]
17Andrew JohnsonVice President[lower-alpha 13]Military governor[lower-alpha 14]U.S. senatorState governorTailorTennessee
18Ulysses S. GrantMilitary------------MilitaryIllinois[lower-alpha 15]
19Rutherford B. HayesState governorOut of office[lower-alpha 4]State governorU.S. representativeLawyerOhio
20James A. GarfieldU.S. representativeMilitaryState legislator[lower-alpha 8]----Ordained minister, lawyer, teacherOhio
21Chester A. ArthurVice President[lower-alpha 16]Out of office[lower-alpha 4]Federal office[lower-alpha 17]Out of officeLawyer, teacher, tariff collectorNew York
22Grover ClevelandState governorLocal office[lower-alpha 18]--------LawyerNew York
23Benjamin HarrisonOut of office[lower-alpha 4]U.S. senatorOut of officeMilitaryCourt ReporterIndiana
24Grover ClevelandOut of office[lower-alpha 4]President of the U.S.State governorLocal office[lower-alpha 18]LawyerNew York
25William McKinleyState governorU.S. representativeMilitary----LawyerOhio
26Theodore RooseveltVice President[lower-alpha 19]State governorMilitaryFederal office[lower-alpha 17][lower-alpha 20]Historian, public servant, naturalist, military officer, policeman, rancherNew York
27William Howard TaftSecretary of WarTerritorial governor[lower-alpha 21]Judicial[lower-alpha 22]Federal office[lower-alpha 17][lower-alpha 23]Lawyer, deanOhio
28Woodrow WilsonState governor------------AcademicNew Jersey
29Warren G. HardingU.S. senatorOut of office[lower-alpha 4]State legislator[lower-alpha 8]----Journalist, publisherOhio
30Calvin CoolidgeVice President[lower-alpha 24]State governorState officeState legislator[lower-alpha 8]LawyerMassachusetts[lower-alpha 25]
31Herbert HooverSecretary of CommerceOut of office[lower-alpha 4][lower-alpha 26]Federal office[lower-alpha 17][lower-alpha 27]----Mining engineerCalifornia
32Franklin D. RooseveltState governorOut of office[lower-alpha 4]Federal office[lower-alpha 17][lower-alpha 20]State legislator[lower-alpha 8]LawyerNew York
33Harry S. TrumanVice President[lower-alpha 28]U.S. senatorCounty commissioner (County court)MilitaryBusinessman, farmerMissouri
34Dwight D. EisenhowerMilitary------------Military officer, university presidentKansas
35John F. KennedyU.S. senatorU.S. representativeMilitary----Journalist, military officerMassachusetts
36Lyndon B. JohnsonVice President[lower-alpha 29]U.S. senatorU.S. representativeFederal office[lower-alpha 17][lower-alpha 30]Teacher, military officerTexas
37Richard NixonOut of office[lower-alpha 4]Vice PresidentU.S. senatorU.S. representativeLawyer, naval officerCalifornia
38Gerald FordVice President[lower-alpha 31]U.S. representativeMilitary----LawyerMichigan[lower-alpha 32]
39Jimmy CarterOut of office[lower-alpha 4]State governorState legislator[lower-alpha 8]MilitaryFarmer, naval officerGeorgia
40Ronald ReaganOut of office[lower-alpha 4]State governor----MilitaryActor, Screen Actors Guild President
California[lower-alpha 33]
41George H. W. BushVice PresidentOut of office[lower-alpha 4]Federal office[lower-alpha 17][lower-alpha 34]Foreign service[lower-alpha 7]Businessman, Naval AviatorTexas[lower-alpha 35]
42Bill ClintonState governorState attorney general--------Lawyer, teacherArkansas
43George W. BushState governorOut of office[lower-alpha 4][7]Military[8]----Businessman, Air National Guard PilotTexas
44Barack ObamaU.S. senatorState legislator[lower-alpha 8]Academic[lower-alpha 36]----Lawyer, teacherIllinois[lower-alpha 37]
45Donald Trump----------------Businessman, real estate developer, reality television personalityNew York

See also

Notes
  1. George Washington was commanding general of the Continental Army, the pre-independence equivalent of the US Army. The 9 US Army generals were Jackson, W. H. Harrison, Taylor, Pierce, Grant, Hayes, Garfield, B. Harrison and Eisenhower. Others with military experience were Monroe, McKinley, T. Roosevelt, Truman, Kennedy, L. B. Johnson, Nixon, Carter, Ford, Reagan, G. H. W. Bush, G. W. Bush.
  2. Martin van Buren's brief foreign service is not counted since, although he was appointed Ambassador to the United Kingdom, the appointment was rejected by the U.S. Senate
  3. "State" refers to the state generally considered "home", not necessarily the state where the president was born
  4. This designation is used whenever the subject was out of public office for more than one year
  5. Washington was first chosen by the Virginia State Legislature to be a delegate to the Constitutional Convention. Then he was elected by the delegates to be president of the convention.
  6. Commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War
  7. This is a general designation for any appointive position representing the United States to a foreign government
  8. This is a general designation for any elected state legislator
  9. Van Buren served just over two months of his term as governor of New York before President Jackson appointed him Secretary of State
  10. Tyler succeeded President Harrison, who died in office. He was not elected.
  11. Fillmore succeeded President Taylor, who died in office. He was not elected.
  12. Lincoln was born in Kentucky, but moved to Indiana, then Illinois at an early age
  13. Johnson succeeded President Lincoln, who was assassinated. He was not elected.
  14. President Lincoln appointed Johnson military governor of Tennessee during the Civil War
  15. Grant was born and raised in Ohio. He rose to prominence as a Civil War general from Illinois and Illinois was his residence for his political career.[5][6]
  16. Arthur succeeded President Garfield, who was assassinated. He was not elected.
  17. This is a general designation for appointive domestic Federal offices below cabinet level
  18. This is a general designation for local elective offices
  19. Roosevelt succeeded President McKinley, who was assassinated. He was elected to a full term (1904), chose not to run again in 1908, and ran unsuccessfully in 1912.
  20. Assistant Secretary of the Navy
  21. President McKinley appointed Taft governor-General of the Philippines
  22. United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
  23. Solicitor General of the United States
  24. Coolidge succeeded President Harding, who died in office. He was elected to a full term.
  25. Born and raised in Vermont and spent time in Vermont politics. Permanently moved to Massachusetts to attend college.
  26. Following World War I, Hoover was involved with several humanitarian organizations.
  27. Director of United States Food Administration
  28. Truman succeeded President Roosevelt, who died in office. He was elected to a full term.
  29. Johnson succeeded President Kennedy, who was assassinated. He was elected to a full term.
  30. head of the National Youth Administration in Texas
  31. Ford succeeded President Nixon, who resigned. He was not elected. Previously, Ford was appointed Vice President after Spiro Agnew resigned. Currently only President not to have been elected to the Executive Branch.
  32. Ford was born in Nebraska, but moved to Michigan at an early age
  33. Reagan was born, raised and educated in Illinois; he moved permanently to California after graduation from college.
  34. Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
  35. Bush was born in Massachusetts, and raised in Connecticut, but moved to Texas after graduation from college.
  36. Obama taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School from 1992 to 2004
  37. Obama was born in Hawaii and mostly raised there. His career was based in Illinois.

References
  1. International Law, US Power: The United States' Quest for Legal Security, p 10, Shirley V. Scott - 2012
  2. Journal of the Congress of the Confederate States of America, 1861–1865 Volume 1. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1904. pp. 303, 658.
  3. The Preacher President http://punditwire.com/2012/03/03/the-preacher-president/
  4. The Singular Humility of America's Only Ordained President https://www.christianitytoday.com/pastors/2016/april-web-exclusives/singular-humility-of-americas-only-ordained-president.html
  5. "The Congressional Globe". Library of Congress. 1868. p. 1063.
  6. McFeely, William S. (1981). Grant: A Biography. Norton. pp. 232–233. ISBN 0-393-01372-3.
  7. P.O. Box 400406. "George W. Bush: Life Before the Presidency—Miller Center". Millercenter.org. Retrieved 2016-12-27.
  8. York, Byron. "Byron York on George W. Bush & National Guard on National Review Online". Archived from the original on 2008-08-30. Retrieved 2016-12-27.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
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