California Controller Publishes 2025 Higher Education Payroll Data

California State Controller Malia M. Cohen has officially published the 2025 payroll data for higher education institutions. The released figures cover the University of California (UC) system and 36 California Community College Districts (CCD). This data encompasses 451,244 positions, with reported wages exceeding $34 billion and contributions for retirement and health benefits surpassing $6 billion, leading to a total compensation of over $40.1 billion.

All 10 UC campuses and their Office of the President submitted complete reports, detailing 357,167 positions and over $33.7 billion in total compensation. UC institutions have maintained a 100 percent reporting rate since voluntarily joining the program in 2013. In contrast, 36 out of 73 CCDs submitted complete reports, covering 94,077 positions and over $6.3 billion in total compensation. Controller Cohen noted that 26 districts failed to file reports, and 11 submitted incomplete information.

Controller Cohen emphasized the importance of transparency in understanding public fund allocation. "Our public colleges and universities open doors to opportunity, and Californians deserve to know how public dollars support that work," she stated. She commended the UC system for its consistent commitment to full reporting and urged community college districts to achieve the same level of participation.

The UC data indicates that a significant portion of high earners were in the medical field, with 42 of the top 50 highest-paid employees working in medicine. Furthermore, the average wages for the top 10 highest-paid UC employees saw an increase of over 17 percent in five years, rising from $3.14 million in 2021 to $3.69 million in 2025. The public can access and search this compensation information on the Government Compensation in California website.