California · 2025 pay · 265,680 people
How much are state government employees paid in California?
$86,684typical pay for state government employees, 2025
$57,155 – $121,613what most people earned
Counts everyone paid during the year, including part-year workers, at the 152 employers listed below.
✓ Official data from California State Controller's Office · Matches the agency's latest release · sco.ca.gov ↗
Pay by employer
Typical pay counts everyone paid during each employer's latest year. Short, seasonal roles (typical pay under $5,000) are listed last.
- Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation52,841 people$103,991
- Department of Transportation24,944 people$90,526
- Department of Forestry & Fire Protection13,161 people$108,849
- Department of State Hospitals12,867 people$87,877
- California Highway Patrol11,808 people$156,964
- Employment Development Department9,950 people$71,097
- Department of Motor Vehicles8,896 people$61,859
- California State Parks7,501 people$27,950
- Franchise Tax Board6,848 people$70,159
- California Correctional Health Care Services6,280 people$95,431
- Department of Social Services6,153 people$79,696
- Department of Justice (Attorney General)5,932 people$89,298
- Department of Public Health5,387 people$88,315
- Department of Health Care Services4,899 people$86,803
- Department of General Services4,256 people$66,234
- State Compensation Insurance Fund4,255 people$94,868
- Department of Water Resources3,959 people$110,498
- Department of Tax and Fee Administration3,950 people$83,838
- Department of Consumer Affairs3,727 people$71,684
- Department of Industrial Relations3,654 people$80,775
- California Conservation Corps3,611 people$21,746
- Department of Fish and Wildlife3,564 people$80,451
- Department of Veterans Affairs3,481 people$57,946
- Water Resources Control Board2,829 people$106,409
- California Public Employees' Retirement System2,758 people$85,617
- Department of Education2,681 people$81,859
- Department of Developmental Services2,671 people$72,972
- Department of Rehabilitation2,166 people$64,861
- Department of Food & Agriculture2,137 people$60,866
- Air Resources Board2,046 people$112,211
- Office of Emergency Services1,884 people$86,138
- California Public Utilities Commission1,730 people$105,270
- California State Controller's Office1,622 people$86,483
- California Teachers' Retirement System1,518 people$89,971
- Covered California1,514 people$68,434
- California Correctional Training and Rehabilitation Authority1,349 people$65,811
- Department of Housing & Community Development1,344 people$84,067
- Department of Insurance1,342 people$96,076
- Department of Toxic Substances Control1,307 people$97,479
- Military Department (California National Guard)1,250 people$84,952
- Lottery Commission1,086 people$71,339
- Department of Technology1,033 people$115,527
- California Energy Commission993 people$104,349
- Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery950 people$85,611
- Department of Financial Protection and Innovation846 people$104,627
- Department of Conservation812 people$108,575
- Department of Health Care Access and Information738 people$88,457
- Secretary of State734 people$69,164
- Department of Managed Health Care716 people$97,426
- Department of Child Support Services635 people$98,929
- Department of Cannabis Control622 people$86,931
- Legislative Counsel Bureau615 people$115,523
- Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control574 people$85,266
- Department of Pesticide Regulation528 people$87,158
- Office of the Governor475 people$83,327
- Department of Finance450 people$111,499
- High-Speed Rail Authority448 people$95,669
- Office of Technology and Solutions Integration444 people$108,895
- Department of Human Resources436 people$92,969
- Financial Information System for California399 people$95,831
- California Civil Rights Department384 people$83,373
- Department of Real Estate348 people$90,926
- Department of Aging295 people$84,268
- Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board278 people$72,557
- Commission on Peace Officer Standards & Training263 people$80,243
- State Treasurer's Office259 people$84,542
- California Coastal Commission236 people$86,491
- Governor's Office of Business & Economic Development231 people$84,473
- Housing Finance Agency230 people$78,394
- Board of Governors of Community Colleges225 people$92,669
- California State Lands Commission223 people$87,274
- Office of the Inspector General219 people$133,131
- California State Auditor's Office213 people$95,096
- Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety207 people$78,882
- Commission on Teacher Credentialing189 people$88,119
- Board of Equalization185 people$88,414
- Emergency Medical Services Authority172 people$74,029
- California State Library166 people$77,619
- Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment164 people$106,320
- Health and Human Services Agency154 people$90,679
- Student Aid Commission152 people$79,645
- Board of State and Community Corrections145 people$92,525
- California Science Center133 people$68,504
- Department of Community Services & Development132 people$80,316
- Fair Political Practices Commission119 people$86,904
- Office of Tax Appeals116 people$103,522
- California Natural Resources Agency112 people$87,983
- Office of the State Public Defender109 people$109,515
- Secretary for Environmental Protection105 people$100,518
- San Francisco Bay Conservation & Development Commission102 people$58,883
- California Institute for Regenerative Medicine100 people$132,694
- State Council on Developmental Disabilities99 people$69,806
- California Public Employment Relations Board86 people$127,772
- State Coastal Conservancy83 people$85,286
- California State Assembly81 people$130,459
- Delta Stewardship Council81 people$89,709
- Agricultural Labor Relations Board77 people$85,103
- California Earthquake Authority75 people$91,065
- California Mortgage Bond and Tax Credit Allocation Commission74 people$75,613
- State Personnel Board71 people$91,988
- Transportation Commission69 people$80,630
- Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission65 people$88,801
- Sierra Nevada Conservancy64 people$70,584
- Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency62 people$100,597
- California Horse Racing Board62 people$78,937
- Office of Data and Innovation62 people$134,757
- California Tahoe Conservancy60 people$93,604
- California Privacy Protection Agency56 people$85,343
- Arts Council49 people$70,281
- California African American Museum48 people$18,768
- Cradle to Career48 people$59,083
- Labor and Workforce Development Agency47 people$124,481
- Wildlife Conservation Board45 people$116,497
- Gambling Control Commission41 people$100,618
- California Children & Families Commission40 people$86,562
- California State Senate40 people$128,943
- California Alternative Energy Authority Fund38 people$64,087
- California Pollution Control Financing Authority37 people$68,473
- California Government Operations Agency35 people$120,310
- Osteopathic Medical Board of California35 people$55,282
- Office of Administrative Law28 people$139,700
- San Gabriel & Lower Los Angeles Rivers & Mountains Conservancy25 people$31,688
- California Health Facilities Financing Authority21 people$57,844
- California Debt Limit Allocation Committee20 people$75,421
- California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission Fund18 people$76,959
- California School Finance Authority18 people$73,965
- Commission on State Mandates18 people$82,425
- Commission on Status of Women15 people$72,099
- ScholarShare Investment Board15 people$95,704
- Native American Heritage Commission14 people$75,707
- Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy14 people$87,187
- Office of Lieutenant Governor13 people$94,894
- Office of the Inspector General, High-Speed Rail Authority13 people$92,164
- Delta Protection Commission11 people$75,326
- Colorado River Board of California10 people$81,983
- Alcoholic Beverage Control Appeals Board9 people$61,961
- Board of Pilot Commissioners9 people$69,640
- Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy8 people$34,976
- Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs8 people$42,371
- Commission on California State Government Organization and Economy8 people$85,551
- Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy7 people$68,562
- Commission on Aging6 people$68,733
- San Joaquin River Conservancy6 people$78,955
- California State Independent Living Council5 people$82,496
- Education Audit Appeals Plan4 people$212,603
- California Educational Facilities Authority3 people$85,731
- San Diego River Conservancy3 people$104,549
- California Senior Legislature1 person$106,917
- California Law Revision Commission20 people$500
- Citizens Redistricting Commission14 people$3,969
- Baldwin Hills Conservancy13 people$600
- California Citizens Compensation Commission1 person$300
No employers match.
Other types of employer in California
- Colleges and universities570,629 people$43,529
- Counties399,217 people$82,156
- Cities and towns350,494 people$82,188
- State prisons and corrections60,834 people$102,127
- Hospitals and health51,611 people$60,534
- Transit and transportation39,254 people$84,247
- State transportation agencies34,370 people$81,318
- Water, sewer and power utilities31,327 people$117,365
- State environment and natural resources agencies31,162 people$71,734
- State police and public safety28,644 people$113,678
- State health agencies26,796 people$86,734
- Courts21,892 people$80,684
- State labor and workforce agencies20,235 people$74,935
- State revenue and finance agencies19,133 people$81,267
- Natural resources and agriculture12,134 people$73,399
- Parks, libraries and recreation12,049 people$8,740
- Fire and EMS11,002 people$85,158
- State regulation and licensing agencies10,110 people$85,824
- State social services agencies9,938 people$79,932
- State administration and technology agencies6,736 people$83,687
- State courts and legal offices6,069 people$89,784
- State education agencies3,486 people$82,359
- Airports and ports2,339 people$82,953
- State economic development and housing agencies1,916 people$83,265
- Governor's and statewide elected offices1,222 people$74,938
- Housing and community development959 people$69,080
- State legislature756 people$122,696
- Schools257 people$19,004
- Police and sheriffs95 people$110,196
Each employer is placed in one type, following the US Census Bureau's types of government; state agencies are also grouped by what they do. This page: State government. Employers we could not place with confidence are left out. "Typical pay" is the median; "most earned" is the middle half. How we calculate this