Sacramento city council members earn a base salary of $111,324 a year, and the mayor earns $184,464. Those figures are set by an independent Compensation Commission, not by the council voting on its own pay, and they are reviewed at least once a year against what comparable cities pay their elected officials.
Current Base Pay
The eight council members each receive $111,324 annually. The mayor receives $184,464, a higher figure that reflects the position’s full-time status under the city charter. When voters approved Measure S in 2002, the amendment required the mayor to “devote his or her full time and attention to the duties of the office” in exchange for compensation set by the new commission.1California Secretary of State. City Ballot Measures Report 2002 Council members hold positions that blend legislative work with district-level constituent duties, and the lower pay reflects that difference in scope.
The current numbers are a raise from the prior levels of $164,205 for the mayor and $102,793 for each council member.2City of Sacramento. Compensation Commission Report The city’s salary schedule lists an effective date of May 19, 2026 for current pay classifications.3City of Sacramento. Salary Schedule/Classification Listing These base amounts are taxable income paid from the general fund and do not include the benefits below.
Benefits and Allowances on Top of Salary
Elected officials receive medical, dental, and vision insurance comparable to what other city employees get. Retirement is provided through two defined-benefit pension plans: the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) and the Sacramento City Employees’ Retirement System (SCERS).4City of Sacramento. Pension Funding Policy
The city also pays a vehicle allowance to offset travel costs for officials who use personal cars for city business. Executive-level positions receive up to $500 a month under the Vehicle Allowance Policy, with lower tiers getting less; the exact figure for council members is not broken out separately in the publicly available policy.5City of Sacramento. Vehicle Allowance Policy Modest reimbursements for technology and communication tools are also available.
Who Sets the Pay
Before 2002, Sacramento council members voted on their own salaries. Measure S changed that by amending the city charter to make the Compensation Commission the sole authority over elected official pay.1California Secretary of State. City Ballot Measures Report 2002
Under Sacramento City Charter Section 29, the commission has five members serving staggered four-year terms. All must be city residents, and the chair must be a retired judicial officer. Members serve without pay and meet at least once a year. The charter directs that compensation for the mayor and council be “reasonable and consistent with other cities similar in size and structure.”6American Legal Publishing Code Library. Sacramento City Charter Section 29 Compensation The council itself has no vote in the process.
To meet that “similar in size and structure” test, the commission runs a total compensation survey against a list of peer cities that reaches beyond California. The survey agencies include San Francisco, Fresno, Long Beach, Oakland, and San Jose, along with Denver, Portland, San Diego, and Seattle.2City of Sacramento. Compensation Commission Report Total compensation covers salary, additional pay or allowances, and health and welfare benefits, so the comparison isn’t limited to base pay.
Raises Are Not Automatic
The commission adopted a formal process in 2004 calling for annual salary reviews, the idea being to avoid large catch-up adjustments every few years.2City of Sacramento. Compensation Commission Report Reviewing pay each year is not the same as raising it each year. In March 2024, the commission met and chose not to increase salaries for the mayor or council members for fiscal year 2024–25.
The city’s financial condition factors in. When Sacramento faced a $44 million deficit, the commission’s decision to approve raises in a subsequent year drew public scrutiny. The commission weighs budget health alongside the survey data before finalizing any recommendation.
How Residents Can Weigh In
The Compensation Commission meets annually and is listed among the city’s official legislative bodies.7City of Sacramento. Legislative Bodies and Agendas Meetings are open to the public, with live video and archived recordings available through the city’s meeting portal. You can submit written comments through the city’s eComment system or by emailing publiccomment@cityofsacramento.org, and eComment stays open throughout the meeting for real-time input.
If you need a disability-related accommodation to participate, contact the Office of the City Clerk at 916-808-7200 or clerk@cityofsacramento.org at least 72 hours before the meeting.7City of Sacramento. Legislative Bodies and Agendas Because the council has no say in the final number, showing up at the annual review or submitting comments to the commission is the most direct way to influence what elected officials in Sacramento are paid.