CA State Controller, Malia Cohen
California State Controller Malia M. Cohen on July 9 released updated payroll datashowing local governments paid more than $33.1 billion in wages to approximately 751,117 public employees during calendar year 2025, while launching an updated searchable database that allows the public to access compensation across cities and counties.
The annual Government Compensation in California report provides one of the state’s most comprehensive public records of local government payroll and compensation. The data show local governments paid nearly $26 billion in regular pay, $3.6 billion in overtime pay, about $675.8 million in lumpsum pay and nearly $2.9 billion in other pay, for total wages exceeding $33.1 billion. Employers also contributed nearly $9 billion toward employee retirement and health benefits, bringing total compensation to nearly $94.4 billion.
“Public trust starts with public information,” said Cohen. “Every Californian deserves easy access to reliable information about how taxpayer dollars are spent at the city and county level. By publishing this data each year, we’re giving the public the tools to explore, compare, and better understand compensation across local government.”
Among California cities, Hayward reported the highest average employee wage, followed by Atherton and San Francisco. Santa Clara County, Alameda County and Los Angeles County reported the highest average employee wages among counties.
The report also identified the state’s highest-paid local government employee. A deputy police chief in Redlands reported $1,203,370 in total wages during 2025. Several Los Angeles positions also ranked among the highest paid, including a fire battalion chief who earned $921,050, multiple transmission and distribution district supervisors earning more than $760,000, a chief port pilot with $777,990, an electric distribution mechanic with $760,684 and a general manager and chief engineer with $748,766.
State officials said 16 cities and one county either failed to submit required payroll information or submitted incomplete data, despite California law requiring local governments to report employee compensation annually to the Controller’s Office.
Since its launch in 2010, the Government Compensation in California database has expanded to include salary and benefit information for more than two million government positions reported each year. The searchable database allows users to compare compensation across agencies, search by job classification, explore interactive maps and download payroll data for independent analysis.
