California’s public higher-education institutions reported more than $40 billion in total compensation in 2025, including wages and employer contributions for retirement and health benefits, according to data released by state controller Malia Cohen.
The payroll data, covering 451,244 positions at University of California (UC) institutions and California Community College Districts, showed more than $34 billion in wages and over $6 billion in retirement and health contributions, the California State Controller’s Office said.
All 10 UC campuses and the Office of the President submitted complete reports, covering 357,167 positions. The system reported more than $29.2 billion in wages and nearly $4.5 billion in retirement and health contributions, bringing total compensation to more than $33.7 billion.
UC institutions have reported fully since joining the state program as voluntary participants in 2013.
“Our public colleges and universities open doors to opportunity, and Californians deserve to know how public dollars support that work,” said Cohen. “I appreciate the University of California’s continued commitment to complete reporting and encourage every community college district to do the same. When every institution participates, the public can see the full investment in the people who keep our campuses running and help our students succeed.”
Community college reporting was less complete. Only 36 of California’s 73 community college districts submitted full reports, covering 94,077 positions, more than $4.8 billion in wages and over $1.5 billion in retirement and health contributions. Total compensation exceeded $6.3 billion.
Twenty-six districts did not file reports, while 11 submitted incomplete data.
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) had the largest workforce among UC campuses, with 74,519 reported positions, followed by UC San Diego with 54,598. Among districts that published data, Los Angeles Community College District had the most positions at 11,182, followed by Los Rios Community College District with 7,154.
The data also highlights the concentration of top-paid UC employees in medicine and athletics. Forty-two of the 50 highest-paid employees worked in medical fields, while nine of the 15 highest-paid employees were in medicine and six were in athletics.
Average wages among the 10 highest-paid UC employees increased more than 17% over five years, rising from $3.14 million in 2021 to $3.69 million in 2025.
California law requires cities, counties, and special districts to report compensation data annually to the California State Controller’s Office. The agency also publishes payroll information for state departments and California State University and accepts voluntary reports from public entities including UC institutions and community college districts.
The Government Compensation in California database allows users to search compensation and benefits by employer and job title, compare results by region and export customized reports.
Follow PHILIPPINES TODAY on Facebook and Instagram, and subscribe on YouTube for the latest updates.