List of presidents of the United States by previous experience
Updated: 5/20/2026, 7:09:46 PM Wikipedia source
Although many paths may lead to the presidency of the United States, the most common job experience, occupation or profession of U . presidents has been that of a lawyer. 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.
Tables
· List
1
1
President
1
President
President
George Washington
Previous 1
Out of office
Previous 2
Constitutional Convention
Previous 3
Out of office
Previous 4
Military
Occupation
Planter, land surveyor
State
Virginia
2
2
President
2
President
President
John Adams
Previous 1
Vice President
Previous 2
Foreign service
Previous 3
Continental Congress
Previous 4
State legislator
Occupation
Lawyer, farmer
State
Massachusetts
3
3
President
3
President
President
Thomas Jefferson
Previous 1
Vice President
Previous 2
Secretary of State
Previous 3
Foreign service
Previous 4
Congressman
Occupation
Planter, lawyer, land surveyor, architect
State
Virginia
4
4
President
4
President
President
James Madison
Previous 1
Secretary of State
Previous 2
U . representative
Previous 3
Constitutional Convention
Previous 4
State legislator
Occupation
Planter
State
Virginia
5
5
President
5
President
President
James Monroe
Previous 1
Secretary of State
Previous 2
Foreign service
Previous 3
State governor
Previous 4
U . senator
Occupation
Planter, lawyer
State
Virginia
6
6
President
6
President
President
John Quincy Adams
Previous 1
Secretary of State
Previous 2
Foreign service
Previous 3
U . senator
Previous 4
State legislator
Occupation
Lawyer
State
Massachusetts
7
7
President
7
President
President
Andrew Jackson
Previous 1
Out of office
Previous 2
U . senator
Previous 3
Military
Previous 4
U . senator
Occupation
Lawyer, military officer
State
Tennessee
8
8
President
8
President
President
Martin Van Buren
Previous 1
Vice President
Previous 2
Secretary of State
Previous 3
State governor
Previous 4
U . senator
Occupation
Lawyer
State
New York
9
9
President
9
President
President
William Henry Harrison
Previous 1
Out of office
Previous 2
Foreign service
Previous 3
U . senator/U . representative
Previous 4
Territorial governor
Occupation
Military
State
Ohio
10
10
President
10
President
President
John Tyler
Previous 1
Vice President
Previous 2
U . senator
Previous 3
State governor
Previous 4
U . representative
Occupation
Lawyer
State
Virginia
11
11
President
11
President
President
James K. Polk
Previous 1
Out of office
Previous 2
State governor
Previous 3
Speaker of the House
Previous 4
U . representative
Occupation
Lawyer, planter
State
Tennessee
12
12
President
12
President
President
Zachary Taylor
Previous 1
Military
Previous 2
—
Previous 3
—
Previous 4
—
Occupation
Military
State
Kentucky
13
13
President
13
President
President
Millard Fillmore
Previous 1
Vice President
Previous 2
State office
Previous 3
Out of office
Previous 4
U . representative
Occupation
Lawyer
State
New York
14
14
President
14
President
President
Franklin Pierce
Previous 1
Out of office
Previous 2
Military
Previous 3
U . senator
Previous 4
U . representative
Occupation
Lawyer
State
New Hampshire
15
15
President
15
President
President
James Buchanan
Previous 1
Foreign service
Previous 2
Out of office
Previous 3
Secretary of State
Previous 4
U . senator
Occupation
Lawyer
State
Pennsylvania
16
16
President
16
President
President
Abraham Lincoln
Previous 1
Out of office
Previous 2
U . representative
Previous 3
State legislator
Previous 4
Military
Occupation
Lawyer, land surveyor
State
Illinois
17
17
President
17
President
President
Andrew Johnson
Previous 1
Vice President
Previous 2
Military governor
Previous 3
U . senator
Previous 4
State governor
Occupation
Tailor
State
Tennessee
18
18
President
18
President
President
Ulysses S. Grant
Previous 1
Military
Previous 2
—
Previous 3
—
Previous 4
—
Occupation
Military
State
Illinois
19
19
President
19
President
President
Rutherford B. Hayes
Previous 1
State governor
Previous 2
Out of office
Previous 3
State governor
Previous 4
U . representative
Occupation
Lawyer
State
Ohio
20
20
President
20
President
President
James A. Garfield
Previous 1
U . representative
Previous 2
Military
Previous 3
State legislator
Previous 4
—
Occupation
Ordained minister, lawyer, teacher
State
Ohio
21
21
President
21
President
President
Chester A. Arthur
Previous 1
Vice President
Previous 2
Out of office
Previous 3
Federal office
Previous 4
Out of office
Occupation
Lawyer, teacher, tariff collector
State
New York
22
22
President
22
President
President
Grover Cleveland
Previous 1
State governor
Previous 2
Local office
Previous 3
—
Previous 4
—
Occupation
Lawyer
State
New York
23
23
President
23
President
President
Benjamin Harrison
Previous 1
Out of office
Previous 2
U . senator
Previous 3
Out of office
Previous 4
Military
Occupation
Court reporter
State
Indiana
24
24
President
24
President
President
Grover Cleveland
Previous 1
Out of office
Previous 2
President
Previous 3
State governor
Previous 4
Local office
Occupation
Lawyer
State
New York
25
25
President
25
President
President
William McKinley
Previous 1
State governor
Previous 2
U . representative
Previous 3
Military
Previous 4
—
Occupation
Lawyer
State
Ohio
26
26
President
26
President
President
Theodore Roosevelt
Previous 1
Vice President
Previous 2
State governor
Previous 3
Military
Previous 4
Federal office
Occupation
Historian, public servant, naturalist, military officer, policeman, rancher
State
New York
27
27
President
27
President
President
William Howard Taft
Previous 1
Secretary of War
Previous 2
Territorial governor
Previous 3
Judicial
Previous 4
Federal office
Occupation
Lawyer, dean
State
Ohio
28
28
President
28
President
President
Woodrow Wilson
Previous 1
State governor
Previous 2
—
Previous 3
—
Previous 4
—
Occupation
Academic
State
New Jersey
29
29
President
29
President
President
Warren G. Harding
Previous 1
U . Senator
Previous 2
Out of office
Previous 3
State legislator
Previous 4
—
Occupation
Journalist, publisher
State
Ohio
30
30
President
30
President
President
Calvin Coolidge
Previous 1
Vice President
Previous 2
State governor
Previous 3
State office
Previous 4
State legislator
Occupation
Lawyer
State
Massachusetts
31
31
President
31
President
President
Herbert Hoover
Previous 1
Secretary of Commerce
Previous 2
Out of office
Previous 3
Federal office
Previous 4
—
Occupation
Businessman, mining engineer
State
California
32
32
President
32
President
President
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Previous 1
State governor
Previous 2
Out of office
Previous 3
Federal office
Previous 4
State legislator
Occupation
Lawyer
State
New York
33
33
President
33
President
President
Harry S. Truman
Previous 1
Vice President
Previous 2
U . senator
Previous 3
County commissioner (county court)
Previous 4
Military
Occupation
Farmer
State
Missouri
34
34
President
34
President
President
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Previous 1
Military
Previous 2
—
Previous 3
—
Previous 4
—
Occupation
Military officer, President of Columbia University
State
Kansas
35
35
President
35
President
President
John F. Kennedy
Previous 1
U . senator
Previous 2
U . representative
Previous 3
Military
Previous 4
—
Occupation
Journalist, naval officer
State
Massachusetts
36
36
President
36
President
President
Lyndon B. Johnson
Previous 1
Vice President
Previous 2
U . senator
Previous 3
U . representative
Previous 4
Federal office
Occupation
Teacher, naval officer, rancher
State
Texas
37
37
President
37
President
President
Richard Nixon
Previous 1
Out of office
Previous 2
Vice President
Previous 3
U . senator
Previous 4
U . representative
Occupation
Lawyer, naval officer
State
California
38
38
President
38
President
President
Gerald Ford
Previous 1
Vice President
Previous 2
U . representative
Previous 3
Military
Previous 4
—
Occupation
Lawyer, naval officer
State
Michigan
39
39
President
39
President
President
Jimmy Carter
Previous 1
Out of office
Previous 2
State governor
Previous 3
State legislator
Previous 4
Military
Occupation
Farmer, naval officer
State
Georgia
40
40
President
40
President
President
Ronald Reagan
Previous 1
Out of office
Previous 2
State governor
Previous 3
—
Previous 4
Military
Occupation
Actor, Screen Actors Guild president
State
California
41
41
President
41
President
President
George H. W. Bush
Previous 1
Vice President
Previous 2
Out of office
Previous 3
Federal office
Previous 4
Foreign service
Occupation
Businessman, naval aviator
State
Texas
42
42
President
42
President
President
Bill Clinton
Previous 1
State governor
Previous 2
State attorney general
Previous 3
—
Previous 4
—
Occupation
Lawyer, law professor at the University of Arkansas
State
Arkansas
43
43
President
43
President
President
George W. Bush
Previous 1
State governor
Previous 2
Out of office
Previous 3
Military
Previous 4
—
Occupation
Businessman, Air National Guard pilot
State
Texas
44
44
President
44
President
President
Barack Obama
Previous 1
U . senator
Previous 2
State legislator
Previous 3
—
Previous 4
—
Occupation
Lawyer, law professor at the University of Chicago
State
Illinois
45
45
President
45
President
President
Donald Trump
Previous 1
—
Previous 2
—
Previous 3
—
Previous 4
—
Occupation
Businessman, real estate developer, reality television personality
State
New York
46
46
President
46
President
President
Joe Biden
Previous 1
Out of office
Previous 2
Vice President
Previous 3
U . senator
Previous 4
Local office
Occupation
Lawyer
State
Delaware
47
47
President
47
President
President
Donald Trump
Previous 1
Out of office
Previous 2
President
Previous 3
—
Previous 4
—
Occupation
Businessman, real estate developer, reality television personality
State
Florida
| President | Previous 1 | Previous 2 | Previous 3 | Previous 4 | Occupation | State | ||
| 1 | | George Washington | Out of office | Constitutional Convention | Out of office | Military | Planter, land surveyor | Virginia |
| 2 | | John Adams | Vice President | Foreign service | Continental Congress | State legislator | Lawyer, farmer | Massachusetts |
| 3 | | Thomas Jefferson | Vice President | Secretary of State | Foreign service | Congressman | Planter, lawyer, land surveyor, architect | Virginia |
| 4 | | James Madison | Secretary of State | U . representative | Constitutional Convention | State legislator | Planter | Virginia |
| 5 | | James Monroe | Secretary of State | Foreign service | State governor | U . senator | Planter, lawyer | Virginia |
| 6 | | John Quincy Adams | Secretary of State | Foreign service | U . senator | State legislator | Lawyer | Massachusetts |
| 7 | | Andrew Jackson | Out of office | U . senator | Military | U . senator | Lawyer, military officer | Tennessee |
| 8 | | Martin Van Buren | Vice President | Secretary of State | State governor | U . senator | Lawyer | New York |
| 9 | | William Henry Harrison | Out of office | Foreign service | U . senator/U . representative | Territorial governor | Military | Ohio |
| 10 | | John Tyler | Vice President | U . senator | State governor | U . representative | Lawyer | Virginia |
| 11 | | James K. Polk | Out of office | State governor | Speaker of the House | U . representative | Lawyer, planter | Tennessee |
| 12 | | Zachary Taylor | Military | — | — | — | Military | Kentucky |
| 13 | | Millard Fillmore | Vice President | State office | Out of office | U . representative | Lawyer | New York |
| 14 | | Franklin Pierce | Out of office | Military | U . senator | U . representative | Lawyer | New Hampshire |
| 15 | | James Buchanan | Foreign service | Out of office | Secretary of State | U . senator | Lawyer | Pennsylvania |
| 16 | | Abraham Lincoln | Out of office | U . representative | State legislator | Military | Lawyer, land surveyor | Illinois |
| 17 | | Andrew Johnson | Vice President | Military governor | U . senator | State governor | Tailor | Tennessee |
| 18 | | Ulysses S. Grant | Military | — | — | — | Military | Illinois |
| 19 | | Rutherford B. Hayes | State governor | Out of office | State governor | U . representative | Lawyer | Ohio |
| 20 | | James A. Garfield | U . representative | Military | State legislator | — | Ordained minister, lawyer, teacher | Ohio |
| 21 | | Chester A. Arthur | Vice President | Out of office | Federal office | Out of office | Lawyer, teacher, tariff collector | New York |
| 22 | | Grover Cleveland | State governor | Local office | — | — | Lawyer | New York |
| 23 | | Benjamin Harrison | Out of office | U . senator | Out of office | Military | Court reporter | Indiana |
| 24 | | Grover Cleveland | Out of office | President | State governor | Local office | Lawyer | New York |
| 25 | | William McKinley | State governor | U . representative | Military | — | Lawyer | Ohio |
| 26 | | Theodore Roosevelt | Vice President | State governor | Military | Federal office | Historian, public servant, naturalist, military officer, policeman, rancher | New York |
| 27 | | William Howard Taft | Secretary of War | Territorial governor | Judicial | Federal office | Lawyer, dean | Ohio |
| 28 | | Woodrow Wilson | State governor | — | — | — | Academic | New Jersey |
| 29 | | Warren G. Harding | U . Senator | Out of office | State legislator | — | Journalist, publisher | Ohio |
| 30 | | Calvin Coolidge | Vice President | State governor | State office | State legislator | Lawyer | Massachusetts |
| 31 | | Herbert Hoover | Secretary of Commerce | Out of office | Federal office | — | Businessman, mining engineer | California |
| 32 | | Franklin D. Roosevelt | State governor | Out of office | Federal office | State legislator | Lawyer | New York |
| 33 | | Harry S. Truman | Vice President | U . senator | County commissioner (county court) | Military | Farmer | Missouri |
| 34 | | Dwight D. Eisenhower | Military | — | — | — | Military officer, President of Columbia University | Kansas |
| 35 | | John F. Kennedy | U . senator | U . representative | Military | — | Journalist, naval officer | Massachusetts |
| 36 | | Lyndon B. Johnson | Vice President | U . senator | U . representative | Federal office | Teacher, naval officer, rancher | Texas |
| 37 | | Richard Nixon | Out of office | Vice President | U . senator | U . representative | Lawyer, naval officer | California |
| 38 | | Gerald Ford | Vice President | U . representative | Military | — | Lawyer, naval officer | Michigan |
| 39 | | Jimmy Carter | Out of office | State governor | State legislator | Military | Farmer, naval officer | Georgia |
| 40 | | Ronald Reagan | Out of office | State governor | — | Military | Actor, Screen Actors Guild president | California |
| 41 | | George H. W. Bush | Vice President | Out of office | Federal office | Foreign service | Businessman, naval aviator | Texas |
| 42 | | Bill Clinton | State governor | State attorney general | — | — | Lawyer, law professor at the University of Arkansas | Arkansas |
| 43 | | George W. Bush | State governor | Out of office | Military | — | Businessman, Air National Guard pilot | Texas |
| 44 | | Barack Obama | U . senator | State legislator | — | — | Lawyer, law professor at the University of Chicago | Illinois |
| 45 | | Donald Trump | — | — | — | — | Businessman, real estate developer, reality television personality | New York |
| 46 | | Joe Biden | Out of office | Vice President | U . senator | Local office | Lawyer | Delaware |
| 47 | | Donald Trump | Out of office | President | — | — | Businessman, real estate developer, reality television personality | Florida |
References
- There have been 47 presidencies, as Grover Cleveland and Donald Trump served nonconsecutive terms.
- George Washington was commanding general of the Continental Army, the pre-independence equivalent of the US Army. The 9
- Martin van Buren's brief foreign service is not counted since, although he was appointed Ambassador to the United Kingdo
- "State" refers to the state generally considered "home", not necessarily the state where the president was born
- This designation is used whenever the subject was out of public office for more than one year
- Washington was first chosen by the Virginia State Legislature to be a delegate to the Constitutional Convention. Then he
- Commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War
- This is a general designation for any appointive position representing the United States to a foreign government
- This is a general designation for any elected state legislator
- Van Buren served just over two months of his term as governor of New York before President Jackson appointed him Secreta
- Tyler succeeded President Harrison, who died in office. He was not elected.
- Fillmore succeeded President Taylor, who died in office. He was not elected.
- Lincoln was born in Kentucky, but moved to Indiana, then Illinois at an early age
- Johnson succeeded President Lincoln, who was assassinated. He was not elected.
- President Lincoln appointed Johnson military governor of Tennessee during the Civil War
- Grant was born and raised in Ohio. He rose to prominence as a Civil War general from Illinois and Illinois was his resid
- Arthur succeeded President Garfield, who was assassinated. He was not elected.
- This is a general designation for appointive domestic Federal offices below cabinet level
- This is a general designation for local elective offices
- Roosevelt succeeded President McKinley, who was assassinated. He was elected to a full term in 1904, chose not to run ag