These Are CA's Surprisingly Highest-Paid Mayors, Supervisors And City Officials

City government is big business, and a nice job if you can get it. Salaries for mayors, city managers and county supervisors across California vary wildly, and it's not always the biggest cities shelling out the big bucks.

Everyone may know the name of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, but her paycheck is just a fraction of the compensation paid to the city manager for Redding in Shasta County in 2025, according to the California State Controller's Office. The State Controller's Office released a report of the highest-paid government officials in its 2025 Government Compensation in California analysis. The report details how taxpayer funds were spent and who got paid the most in the previous year's public payroll.

The 2025 Government Compensation in California report showed 56 counties reported data, accounting for 407,389 county employees and more than $39.2 billion in total wages statewide.

Los Angeles County had the highest county government payroll in California, with more than $12.4 billion in total wages paid to 112,324 county employees, according to data from the California State Controller’s Office.

Amounts documented by the controller's office include base pay, overtime and lump sum disbursals, which are often tied to banked vacation and sick leave time that went unused, sometimes for years, then cashed out. Each county also lists its total retirement and health benefits contribution.

The full data is available at publicpay.ca.gov.

15 Highest-Paid City Managers

1. Redding, Shasta County, City Manager — $635,561
2. Rancho Cucamonga, San Bernardino County, City Manager — $606,169
3. Coachella, Riverside County, City Manager — $582,258
4. Pasadena, Los Angeles County, City Manager — $556,026
5. Cathedral City, Riverside County, 5011 City Manager — $524,749
6. Daly City, San Mateo County, City Manager — $513,037
7. Cypress, Orange County, City Manager — $508,509
8. Beverly Hills, Los Angeles County, City Manager — $503,443
9. Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, City Manager — $490,511
10. Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, City Administrative Officer — $489,916
11. Mountain View, Santa Clara County, City Manager — $489,200
12. San Jose, Santa Clara County, City Manager U — $478,664
13. San Carlos, San Mateo County, City Manager — $473,178
14. Sunnyvale, Santa Clara County, City Manager — $472,253
15. Cupertino, Santa Clara County, City Manager — $469,556

15 Highest-Paid County Supervisors

1. Los Angeles County, Supervisor — $302,904
2. Los Angeles County, Supervisor — $302,715
3. Los Angeles County, Supervisor — $302,035
4. Los Angeles County, Supervisor — $298,809
5. Los Angeles County, Supervisor — $296,308
6. Riverside County, Board Of Supervisors Member — $257,439
7. Riverside County, Board Of Supervisors Member — $256,314
8. Riverside County, Board Of Supervisors Member — $254,514
9. Riverside County, Board Of Supervisors Member — $254,514
10. San Bernardino County, Elective Board Of Supervisors — $244,343
11. San Bernardino County, Elective Board Of Supervisors — $243,227
12. San Bernardino County, Elective Board Of Supervisors — $242,662
13. San Diego County, County Supervisor — $234,347
14. San Diego County, County Supervisor — $234,000
15. San Diego County, County Supervisor — $233,614

15 Highest Paid Mayors By City Breakdown

1. San Francisco — Mayor — $370,802 salary; $455,234 total compensation
2. Los Angeles — Mayor — $313,269 salary; $361,241 total compensation
3. San Diego — Mayor — $245,251 salary; $340,624 total compensation
4. San Jose — Mayor — $234,005 salary; $259,065 total compensation
5. Long Beach — City Mayor — $194,530 salary; $276,058 total compensation
6. Fresno — Mayor — $189,181 salary; $201,781 total compensation
7. Chula Vista — Mayor — $180,444 salary; $214,795 total compensation
8. Sacramento — Mayor — $168,189 salary; $216,854 total compensation
9. Berkeley — 1137 Mayor — $140,486 salary; $204,646 total compensation
10. Oakland — Mayor — $132,826 salary; $184,546 total compensation
11. Inglewood — Mayor — $111,303 salary; $140,313 total compensation
12. Carson — 1020 Mayor — $108,214 salary; $142,772 total compensation
13. Riverside — Mayor — $98,713 salary; $112,119 total compensation
14. Santa Barbara — 0002 Mayor — $94,275 salary; $124,577 total compensation
15. Ontario — Mayor — $92,722 salary; $129,817 total compensation

15 Highest-Paid County Employees

1. San Joaquin County, Physician Manager — $1,280,433
2. San Joaquin County, Physician Manager — $1,247,381
3. Los Angeles County, Chief Physician I Surgery-Neurological — $1,202,355
4. Los Angeles County, Deputy Sheriff — $1,189,555
5. San Joaquin County, Physician — $1,177,975
6. Los Angeles County, Senior Physician Surgery-Neurological — $1,158,106
7. San Joaquin County, Physician — $1,154,636
8. San Joaquin County, Physician — $1,131,537
9. San Joaquin County, Physician — $1,086,002
10. Los Angeles County, Chief Investment Officer, LACERA UC — $1,080,992
11. Santa Clara County, Physician - VMC — $1,079,600
12. Santa Clara County, Physician - VMC — $1,069,984
13. San Joaquin County, Physician — $1,048,973
14. Los Angeles County, Senior Physician Surgery-Critical Care — $1,037,353
15. Santa Clara County, Physician - VMC — $1,007,633

15 California Counties With The Highest Total Wages In 2025

1. Los Angeles County — $12,477,487,462
2. Santa Clara County — $3,695,167,601
3. Riverside County — $2,367,882,611
4. San Bernardino County — $2,067,451,276
5. San Diego County — $2,029,989,715
6. Orange County — $1,898,038,799
7. Contra Costa County — $1,371,543,750
8. Sacramento County — $1,348,970,660
9. Alameda County — $1,268,989,472
10. Ventura County — $1,137,875,735
11. San Mateo County — $857,338,143
12. San Joaquin County — $786,205,820
13. Kern County — $741,001,484
14. Monterey County — $632,313,073
15. Fresno County — $590,251,951

County-By-County Breakdown

Among California's 58 counties, here are some notable government employee payouts.

#1 Los Angeles County

Los Angeles County ranked No. 1 statewide for total county wages in 2025, with $12,477,487,462 paid to 112,324 employees.

The highest-paid city manager listed in Los Angeles County was Pasadena’s City Manager, with $556,026 in total wages. The city of Los Angeles’ City Administrative Officer was also among the highest-paid city executives statewide, with $489,916 in total wages.

Los Angeles County had the five highest-paid county supervisors in the uploaded statewide Board of Supervisors data, with total wages ranging from $296,308 to $302,904.

Among county employees listed in the highest-paid employee data, Los Angeles County’s highest-paid entry was a Chief Physician I, Surgery-Neurological, at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, with $1,202,355 in total wages. A Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff was also listed near the top statewide, with $1,189,555 in total wages.

#3 Riverside County

Riverside County ranked No. 3 statewide for total county wages in 2025, with $2,367,882,611 paid to 28,630 employees.

The highest-paid city manager listed in Riverside County was Coachella’s City Manager, with $582,258 in total wages. Cathedral City’s City Manager was also among the highest-paid city executives statewide, with $524,749 in total wages.

Riverside County supervisors were among the highest-paid in the statewide Board of Supervisors data uploaded. The four Riverside County Board of Supervisors members listed near the top received total wages ranging from $254,514 to $257,439.

#5 San Diego County

San Diego County ranked No. 5 statewide for total county wages in 2025, with $2,029,989,715 paid to 22,803 employees.

The highest-paid city manager listed in San Diego County was Chula Vista’s City Manager, with $430,712 in total wages.

The highest-paid San Diego County supervisor listed in the Board of Supervisors export was a County Supervisor who also held the position of Local Agency Formation Commission member, with $234,347 in total wages.

#6 Orange County

Orange County ranked No. 6 statewide for total county wages in 2025, with $1,898,038,799 paid to 19,869 employees.

The highest-paid city manager listed in Orange County was Cypress’ City Manager, with $508,509 in total wages.

The highest-paid Orange County supervisor listed in the Board of Supervisors export was a Member, Board of Supervisors in the 4th District, with $218,741 in total wages.

#7 Contra Costa County

Contra Costa County ranked No. 7 statewide for total county wages in 2025, with $1,371,543,750 paid to 12,763 employees.

The highest-paid city manager listed in Contra Costa County was Richmond’s City Manager, with $432,127 in total wages.

The highest-paid Contra Costa County supervisor listed in the Board of Supervisors export was a Board of Supervisors Member, with $181,171 in total wages.

#9 Alameda County

Alameda County ranked No. 9 statewide for total county wages in 2025, with $1,268,989,472 paid to 11,077 employees.

The highest-paid city manager listed in Alameda County was Fremont’s City Manager, with $439,850 in total wages.

The highest-paid Alameda County supervisor listed in the Board of Supervisors was a supervisor in Supervisorial District No. 4, with $210,708 in total wages.

#11 San Mateo County

San Mateo County ranked No. 11 statewide for total county wages in 2025, with $857,338,143 paid to 7,777 employees.

The highest-paid city manager listed in San Mateo County was Daly City’s City Manager, with $513,037 in total wages. San Carlos’ City Manager was also among the 15 highest-paid city executives statewide, with $473,178 in total wages.

#16 Sonoma County

Sonoma County ranked No. 16 statewide for total county wages in 2025, with $533,056,929 paid to 5,465 employees.

The highest-paid city manager listed in Sonoma County was Santa Rosa’s City Manager, with $490,511 in total wages.

#21 Marin County

Marin County ranked No. 21 statewide for total county wages in 2025, with $324,272,293 paid to 3,409 employees.

The highest-paid city manager listed in Marin County was San Rafael’s City Manager, with $369,294 in total wages.

#25 Napa County

Napa County ranked No. 25 statewide for total county wages in 2025, with $192,580,951 paid to 2,030 employees.

The highest-paid city manager listed in Napa County was St. Helena’s City Manager, with $339,237 in total wages.

The highest-paid Napa County supervisor listed in the Board of Supervisors export was listed as Board Of Supervisors, with $167,618 in total wages.

For more information, visit: gcc.sco.ca.gov.