California's three highest paid state employees in 2025 are all UC head coaches
Updated public salary data confirms that football and basketball coaches at UCLA and Cal top the list of California’s highest-paid public employees.
In a state known for its world-class universities and powerhouse athletic programs, it’s the coaches who are taking home the biggest checks.
According to updated government data, which is public by law, the three highest-paid public employees in California as of June 2025 are all head coaches from UC campuses—two in football and one in men’s basketball.
California’s Top 3 Highest-Paid State Employees
1. DeShaun Foster – Head Coach, UCLA Football
Total Wages: $7,061,667
Foster, who took the reins of UCLA’s football program in 2024, quickly became the highest-paid public employee in the state. His multi-million dollar contract reflects the university’s ambition to remain competitive as it transitions to the Big Ten.
2. Justin Wilcox – Head Coach, Cal Football
Total Wages: $4,383,333
Now in his ninth season at the helm in Berkeley, Wilcox remains a central figure in Cal’s athletic identity, with compensation that underscores his longevity and importance to the program.
3. Mick Cronin – Head Coach, UCLA Men’s Basketball
Total Wages: $4,275,250
Cronin’s salary ranks just behind his football counterparts, earning $4.1 million annually as part of a six-year contract signed in 2022. His deal also includes a $2 million retention bonus due in April 2025. The contract made him the highest-paid basketball coach in the Pac-12 at the time, and it still stands out even as UCLA enters the Big Ten era.
4–10: High-Earning Clinical and Executive Roles
While athletics dominates the top of the list, the rest of California’s ten highest-paid state employees come from the University of California’s medical and academic arms—primarily at UCLA and UCSF.
4. HS Clin Prof–Hcomp – UCLA
Total Wages: $3,377,514
This title refers to a Health Sciences Clinical Professor in the Health Compensation Plan (Hcomp). These faculty members typically serve in UCLA's medical school and affiliated hospitals, combining patient care, teaching, and clinical research. The highest earners in this role often head major programs or bring in significant clinical revenue.
5. HS Clin Prof–Hcomp – UCLA
Total Wages: $3,146,000
Another high-level Health Sciences Clinical Professor, likely in a specialty with substantial procedural volume (e.g., surgery, oncology, or cardiology). Compensation in this role can include clinical income, bonuses, and leadership stipends.
6. HS Clin Prof–Hcomp – UCLA
Total Wages: $3,013,002
This role continues the trend of elite clinical professors with dual academic and hospital responsibilities. Salaries at this level often reflect leadership positions such as division chiefs or heads of major service lines.
7. HS Clin Prof–Hcomp – UCLA
Total Wages: $2,309,996
Still within the Health Sciences Clinical Professor track, this level of compensation may be tied to a physician with both significant clinical responsibilities and administrative leadership—possibly in a high-revenue specialty.
8. Prof–Hcomp – UCLA
Total Wages: $2,299,479
This is a Professor in the Hcomp track, typically indicating a senior academic with both research and clinical duties. Unlike “HS Clin Prof,” this title may reflect more research-focused work, though still in a medical or life sciences field.
9. CEO Med Center – UCLA
Total Wages: $2,189,181
This refers to the Chief Executive Officer of UCLA Health, overseeing operations at UCLA’s medical centers and clinics. The role includes managing a multibillion-dollar health system, strategic planning, clinical partnerships, and executive leadership.
10. CEO Med Center – UCSF
Total Wages: $2,129,004
This is the Chief Executive Officer of UCSF Health, one of California’s leading academic health centers. The CEO is responsible for clinical operations, hospital strategy, faculty group practices, and UCSF's integration with statewide and national health systems.
These roles reflect the specialized, high-stakes nature of academic medicine and hospital leadership in the UC system. Health Sciences faculty in particular often draw significant compensation due to clinical, research, and administrative duties.
Final Thoughts
As debates over public sector compensation continue, the UC system’s balance of athletics, medicine, and education ensures its highest earners come from very different fields—yet with equally high stakes.
