You’ve probably heard the rumors or seen the viral headlines about a "firefighter who made $900,000" or some high-level bureaucrat taking home a paycheck that rivals a Silicon Valley CEO. It makes for great water cooler talk. Honestly, though, the reality of city of los angeles salaries is way more nuanced than a few extreme outliers. Most people think working for the city is just a slow-motion cruise to a gold-plated pension, but if you look at the actual payroll data for 2025 and 2026, the picture is a lot more complex.
L.A. is expensive. Like, "rent is a mortgage payment" expensive. Because of that, the city has had to get aggressive with pay just to keep the lights on—literally. If they don't pay well, the talent just hops over to the private sector or moves to Vegas.
The High Earners and the Overtime Trap
Let's address the elephant in the room first. Yes, some people are making absolute bank. According to recent data from the California Controller’s Office and the city's own Payroll Explorer, the top earners aren't always the ones in suits. While Mayor Karen Bass earns roughly $328,395, she isn't even close to the top of the list.
The real money is often in the Department of Water and Power (DWP) or the Fire Department (LAFD). For instance, Janisse Quiñones, the head of the DWP, was brought on with a salary of $750,000. Why? Because managing the largest municipal utility in the country is a massive, high-stakes job that requires competing with private energy giants.
But here is the thing: the highest individual payouts usually come from overtime.
We see cases like a Fire Battalion Chief clearing over $900,000 in a single year. That sounds insane until you realize about $650,000 of that was pure overtime. These folks are essentially living at the station, working grueling shifts during wildfire seasons or staffing shortages. It’s not "free money." It’s a trade-off of life for a paycheck.
👉 See also: Facebook Business Support Chat: Why You Can't Find It and How to Actually Get Help
What a "Normal" Job Actually Pays
If you aren't fighting fires or running a utility grid, what do you actually make?
Most city of los angeles salaries fall into much more modest ranges. The city employs over 50,000 people across dozens of departments, from the Library to Public Works.
- Accounting Clerks: Usually hover between $41,000 and $73,000.
- City Planners: A mid-career planner averages about $90,206.
- Civil Engineers: Generally start around $58,000 but can scale up to $98,000 depending on their specialty.
- Minimum Wage Workers: As of July 1, 2025, the city’s minimum wage hit $17.87 per hour.
These numbers matter because they represent the "rank and file" who keep the city moving. For a lot of these roles, the pay is "okay" but the benefits are the real draw.
The Benefits Are the Secret Sauce
You can't talk about city of los angeles salaries without talking about the LAwell program. This is the civilian benefits package, and it’s arguably one of the best in the public sector.
Full-time and half-time employees get access to medical, dental, and vision insurance that often has much lower premiums than what you’d find at a typical tech startup. Then there’s the retirement side. Most civilian employees belong to LACERS (Los Angeles City Employees' Retirement System). It’s a defined benefit plan—a pension. In a world where 401(k)s are the norm, a guaranteed check for life is a massive incentive.
✨ Don't miss: Why 444 West Lake Chicago Actually Changed the Riverfront Skyline
There's also the Deferred Compensation Plan. It’s basically a 457(b) that lets you stack extra cash away for retirement on top of your pension.
The 2025-2026 Outlook and Union Power
Labor unions have a lot of pull in L.A.
Lately, there’s been a lot of movement with SEIU Local 721 and other bargaining units. They’ve been pushing for cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) to keep up with inflation. In late 2025, we saw major contracts ratified that included roughly 7% increases in pay over the life of the deals.
For "non-represented" employees—the folks not in a union—the city actually publishes specific salary adjustment schedules. If you’re a Student Professional Worker or a Network Support Assistant, your raises are often pre-scheduled through 2028. For example, some non-represented classes were bumped to a minimum of $21.50 per hour at the start of 2025.
Is the Pay Competitive?
Honestly, it depends on the department.
🔗 Read more: Panamanian Balboa to US Dollar Explained: Why Panama Doesn’t Use Its Own Paper Money
If you're in IT, the city might struggle to match a Google or a Meta. But if you're a heavy equipment operator or a sanitation worker, the city of los angeles salaries are often significantly better than the private sector. Plus, you have job security. It is very hard to get fired from a city job once you’re past your probationary period.
But don't expect a quick hiring process. Getting one of these salaries usually involves a civil service exam, a background check, and a wait time that can last six months to a year.
How to Check the Math Yourself
If you’re curious about a specific person or role, everything is public. California law makes public employee pay transparent. You can go to the "Payroll Explorer" on the L.A. City Controller’s website and search by name or job title.
It’s all there. The base pay, the overtime, the "other" pay (like bonuses or uniform allowances).
Transparency is great, but it can also be misleading if you don't look at the hours worked. A high salary might look like a "taxpayer burden," but it's often cheaper for the city to pay one person overtime than to hire a second person and pay for a whole new set of healthcare and pension benefits.
Actionable Next Steps for Job Seekers
- Check the MOU: Every job belongs to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Find yours on the CAO website to see exactly when your next raise is coming.
- Monitor the Civil Service Exams: Most high-paying city roles require an exam. Sign up for alerts on the Personnel Department website so you don't miss the filing window.
- Factor in the Total Comp: Don't just look at the hourly rate. Calculate the value of the LACERS pension and the LAwell healthcare—it usually adds 30-40% to your "real" income.
- Watch the Overtime: If you're looking at a role in the LAFD or DWP, ask about the "mandatory" vs "voluntary" overtime expectations, as this will drastically change your lifestyle and your take-home pay.