California’s top-paid state worker took home over $2.3 million, much of it from a bonus-like payout tied to the state pension fund.
Story Highlights
- CalPERS investment chief Stephen Gilmore led state pay with about $2.36 million last year.
- State records show about $1.5 million counted as “other pay,” confirmed as an incentive award.
- High earners also include a prison psychiatrist and the head of the State Compensation Insurance Fund.
- The State Controller publishes pay data for millions of public positions each year.
Who Earned the Most and Why It Matters
San Francisco Chronicle reporting identified Stephen Gilmore, chief investment officer for the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, as the highest-paid state employee last year. New York Post coverage detailed his total near $2.36 million, including a base salary of about $720,600, benefits near $100,000, and roughly $1.5 million in “other pay”. The California State Controller’s Office confirmed the top slot by position, listing the chief investment officer with similar regular and “other pay” amounts in its summary.
California’s Government Compensation in California portal explains that public employers report pay annually to the State Controller’s Office, which publishes employee compensation across thousands of agencies. The Chronicle reported that CalPERS said Gilmore’s “other pay” was an incentive award for the 2024–25 fiscal year, clarifying that the large figure was not base salary. This distinction matters because “other pay” can include bonuses, incentive awards, or lump sums that do not repeat every year.
Beyond One Name: Other High Earners Across Agencies
The New York Post listed several other top earners to show this is not only an investment story. The paper named a Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation staff psychiatrist, Samita Gandhi, with total earnings of about $873,900, and State Compensation Insurance Fund chief executive Vernon Steiner, with around $1.2 million. These examples underscore how specialized medical roles, insurance leadership, and pension investment jobs often cluster near the top due to market pay, overtime, and performance-based awards.
State Controller materials and related releases show this is part of a routine disclosure cycle, not a one-off dump. The State Controller’s Office posts compensation data batches for state and local agencies and highlights top positions by pay. Those releases often break out regular pay and “other pay,” which include items like incentive awards and lump sums. That structure helps explain why rankings that use total earnings can look different from lists that show base salary alone.
How “Other Pay” Shapes Rankings and Public Debate
Media and public databases sometimes use different yardsticks, which can shift who appears “highest-paid.” The Chronicle’s methodology and the State Controller’s categories both treat incentive awards and lump sums as “other pay,” which are included in total earnings. When a single-year incentive is large, it can push one name to the top even if base salary is much lower. That is why clear labels and consistent definitions are vital for honest comparisons across jobs and years.
PART 1
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF DELAWARE
CIVIL ACTION NO.: ______________
[YOUR NAME], Individually as a Founder, Investor,
and Settlor, and on Behalf of a Proposed Class of
Similarly Situated Open-Source Contributors,
Developers, and Beneficiaries,…— WORLD-FREEDOM (@WORLDFREED54675) August 21, 2026
For taxpayers and retirees, the stakes are simple: transparency and discipline. The pension fund’s investment results affect long-term costs. Incentive pay that rewards real gains can protect retirees and reduce burdens on school districts, cities, and families. But unclear labels or inconsistent metrics can fuel anger and mask trends. The State Controller’s portal gives the public a needed window into pay practices across two million positions statewide, year after year.
Sources:
nypost.com, sfchronicle.com, kwine.com, calcivilrights.ca.gov
