California state employees earn high compensation in pension and prison sectors

Public records reveal that California’s highest-paid state employees are primarily concentrated within pension management systems, law enforcement, and correctional departments. Approximately 250 state workers earned more than $600,000 last year.

Stephen Gilmore, the chief investment officer at the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS), was the state’s highest-earning employee, receiving $2.36 million in total compensation. This included a $720,608 salary and $1.5 million in ‘other pay.’ Other high-earning CalPERS officials include managing director Arnold B. Phillips, who earned $1.73 million, and Daniel Bienvenue and Marcie Frost, who each earned $1.6 million.

In the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, staff psychiatrists also appeared among the top earners. Samita Gandhi, a staff psychiatrist, received $873,872 in total compensation, followed by Olivia Del Pilar and Damon Walcott, who both earned over $841,000.