California Payroll Data Exposes Massive Government Wages
California Controller Malia M. Cohen released the 2025 state payroll report, revealing that local governments paid nearly $94.4 billion in total compensation to approximately 751,117 employees. The data exposes massive public sector wage bills across the Greater Sacramento region, with city managers averaging nearly $300,000, highlighting the heavy financial burden placed on taxpayers by government bureaucracy.
What does the California government payroll data reveal for 2025?
The numbers paint a stark picture of public sector expansion. Across California, cities and counties reported approximately 751,117 filled positions, costing taxpayers nearly $94.4 billion in total compensation for the 2025 calendar year. In the Greater Sacramento region alone, the wage bills are staggering. Sacramento County leads the pack, employing 8,410 city workers with a total wage payout of $647,109,638. That figure nearly doubles the county that follows, Solano County, which paid out $331,870,147 to 3,458 employees.
When analyzing average wages by major city, the disparities are telling. Fairfield boasts the highest average wage at $115,615, while Placerville sits at the bottom with $42,034. Sacramento, the state capital, employs 5,827 city workers with an average wage of $81,228, resulting in a total wage bill of $473,317,838. To put this bureaucratic bloat into perspective, Sacramento employs 52 times more government workers than Marysville, and its total wage bill is roughly 62 times higher.
How much are city managers earning in the Sacramento region?
For advocates of fiscal restraint, the compensation packages for city managers will raise eyebrows. The average total wage for city managers across the listed cities is a hefty $290,491. Lodi takes the top spot, paying its city manager $437,425. Tracy follows closely at $414,351, and Roseville at $396,772. Modesto paid its manager $371,171, while Elk Grove handed over $366,887. Even in smaller municipalities like Grass Valley, the city manager collected $257,456. These figures underscore a system where bureaucratic administrators consistently outearn the private sector workers who fund their salaries.
City manager total wages:
- Lodi: $437,425
- Tracy: $414,351
- Roseville: $396,772
- Modesto: $371,171
- Elk Grove: $366,887
- Sacramento: $363,620
- Fairfield: $343,759
- Manteca: $338,282
- Rancho Cordova: $331,871
- Woodland: $326,217
- West Sacramento: $302,092
- Citrus Heights: $296,782
- Rocklin: $277,319
- South Lake Tahoe: $261,657
- Grass Valley: $257,456
- Folsom: $257,227
- Marysville: $224,497
- Placerville: $185,345
- Davis: $144,491
- Turlock: $109,320
What is the compensation for mayors and K-12 employees?
Mayoral compensation varies wildly, averaging $23,882 across the region. However, Sacramento's mayor takes home $168,189, a sum that dwarfs the part-time stipends seen in smaller towns like Marysville, where the mayor earns just $3,600, or Woodland at $3,000. Modesto pays its mayor $52,875, while Elk Grove offers $31,800.
In K-12 education, the average wage among employees at the listed school districts is $48,410. Sacramento City Unified School District employs 7,689 people with an average wage of $59,606. Twin Rivers Unified follows with 4,624 employees averaging $55,035. At the lower end, Grass Valley Elementary School District pays its 482 employees an average of $33,246.
Are cities fully transparent with their payroll data?
Transparency is the bedrock of accountability, yet some cities still fail to comply. Stockton and Yuba City are notably absent from this report because they failed to submit the required information or provided incomplete data. When governments hide their payroll, taxpayers are left in the dark. Citizens deserve full disclosure on how their money is spent, and non-compliance should carry severe penalties.
Furthermore, the burden extends beyond base salaries. Retirement and health contributions add thousands per employee. Folsom City has the highest average retirement and health contribution at $30,845 per employee annually, while Marysville has the lowest at $13,733. These hidden costs inflate the true price of government, making it even more imperative to scrutinize public spending.