San Joaquin County Supervisor Compensation
San Joaquin County supervisors currently earn $171,309 annually (as of 2025), ranking them above the median when compared to similar counties in California. The county recently implemented a significant compensation restructuring, transitioning from a fixed salary system to one tied to 70% of the salaries of California Superior Court judges.
Current Compensation Structure
San Joaquin County supervisors receive their compensation through a formula-based approach that sets their annual salary at 70% of the regular annual salary of California Superior Court judges[1]. This methodology, adopted in 2024, represents a shift from the previous system and includes automatic adjustments whenever judges receive pay increases.
The current breakdown shows:
Regular board members: $171,309 annually
Board Chairman: $191,866 annually (receives additional compensation)
Compensation increases: Tied to judicial salary adjustments rather than cost-of-living adjustments[2]
Comparison with Similar Counties
County Supervisor Salary Comparison
When compared to counties with similar populations and characteristics, San Joaquin County's compensation is competitive but not excessive. Among counties in the San Joaquin Valley and similar demographic profiles:
| County | Population | Annual Salary | Methodology |
| San Joaquin | 787,416 | $171,309 | 70% of judge salary |
| Fresno | 1,017,162 | $115,000 | Board determination |
| Stanislaus | 551,430 | $125,070 | Fixed rate |
| Kern | 913,820 | $134,389 | Board determination |
| Merced | 291,920 | $126,119 | 54.2% of judge salary |
| Tulare | 479,468 | $102,106 | Board determination |
San Joaquin County ranks higher than most similar counties, with salaries that are approximately 4.9% above the statewide average and 7.7% above the median among the counties analyzed[2].
Methodology Trends
A growing trend among California counties involves tying supervisor salaries to judicial compensation rather than arbitrary board determinations. Counties using this approach include:
Orange County: 100% of judge salary ($244,000)[4]
San Diego County: 85% of judge salary ($165,000 estimated)[6]
Riverside County: 80% of judge salary ($175,000 estimated)[7]
Sacramento County: 75% of judge salary ($178,879)[8]
San Joaquin County: 70% of judge salary ($171,309)[1]
Santa Barbara County: 70% of judge salary ($171,000)[10]
Merced County: 54.2% of judge salary ($126,119)[11]
Context and Justification
The 70% formula places San Joaquin County supervisors at the same percentage level as Santa Barbara County and represents a moderate approach compared to other counties using judicial benchmarks[1]. This methodology provides several advantages:
Objectivity: Removes the need for supervisors to vote on their own salary increases, addressing potential conflicts of interest[1].
Automatic Adjustments: Salaries adjust automatically when judges receive increases, eliminating the need for separate salary discussions[2].
Comparable Responsibilities: Acknowledges that county supervisors manage complex governmental operations, oversee substantial budgets, and make decisions affecting hundreds of thousands of residents[1].
Regional and Statewide Context
San Joaquin County's approach aligns with recommendations from various grand jury reports across California, which have consistently suggested tying supervisor compensation to external benchmarks rather than self-determined amounts[12]. The 70% figure represents a middle-ground approach that acknowledges the significant responsibilities of county governance while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
Compared to the highest-paid supervisors in the state:
Los Angeles County: $361,699 average[13]
Orange County: $244,000[4]
Sacramento County: $178,879[8]
San Joaquin County: $171,309[1]
San Joaquin County's compensation structure appears reasonable and well-justified when considering its population of nearly 800,000 residents, its $ 1.5 billion-plus annual budget, and the complex challenges facing the region. The 70% judicial benchmark provides transparency, removes political considerations from salary decisions, and ensures competitive compensation to attract qualified candidates for these demanding elected positions.
Sources
[1] San Joaquin County supes vote to raise their salaries by ... https://localnewsmatters.org/2024/05/22/san-joaquin-county-supes-vote-to-raise-their-salaries-by-approximately-22000-annually/
[2] County Supervisor Salary in California: Hourly Rate (Jul 25) https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/County-Supervisor-Salary--in-California
[3] San Joaquin County, CA - Data USA https://datausa.io/profile/geo/san-joaquin-county-ca
[4] San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors votes itself a pay raise https://stocktonia.org/news/local-government/2025/07/31/san-joaquin-county-board-of-supervisors-votes-itself-a-pay-raise/
[5] County Supervisor Salary in Sacramento, CA (Hourly) - ZipRecruiter https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/County-Supervisor-Salary-in-Sacramento,CA
[6] San Joaquin County, CA population by year, race, & more | USAFacts https://usafacts.org/data/topics/people-society/population-and-demographics/our-changing-population/state/california/county/san-joaquin-county/
[7] SJ County Supervisors vote to raise their salaries by approximately ... https://stocktonia.org/news/local-government/2024/05/22/sj-county-supervisors-vote-to-raise-their-salaries-by-approximately-22k/
[8] What do County Supervisors Make in Nearby and Comparable ... https://shastascout.org/fact-check-what-do-county-supervisors-make-in-nearby-and-comparable-counties/
[9] San Joaquin Valley from space - College of Social Sciences https://socialsciences.fresnostate.edu/geography/crpc/scope.html
[10] Supervisor Salary: Hourly Rate August 2025 United States - ZipRecruiter https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Supervisor-Salary
[11] County Supervisors Association Of California Average Salaries https://www.salary.com/research/company/county-supervisors-association-of-california-salary
[12] California Counties by Population (2025) https://www.california-demographics.com/counties_by_population
[13] [PDF] Court-Salary-Table-1.1.2024.pdf https://www.sjcourts.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Court-Salary-Table-1.1.2024.pdf
[14] Supervisor Salaries in California for Contra Costa County | Indeed.com https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Contra-Costa-County/salaries/Supervisor/California
[15] 2020 Census: Counting the San Joaquin Valley https://www.ppic.org/blog/2020-census-counting-the-san-joaquin-valley/
[16] [PDF] salary-grade-by-classification.pdf - San Joaquin County https://www.sjgov.org/docs/default-source/human-resources-documents/employment-information-job-opportunities/documents/salary-grade-by-classification.pdf?sfvrsn=7c86d7d2_6
[17] Sacramento County supervisors OK 36% salary increase for ... https://www.capradio.org/articles/2023/05/23/sacramento-county-supervisors-ok-36-salary-increase-for-themselves/
[18] California Counties by Population (2025) - World Population Review https://worldpopulationreview.com/us-counties/california
[19] Positions - County Board of Supervisors (2024) - GCC https://publicpay.ca.gov/Reports/PositionRpts.aspx?rpt=CountyBoardOfSupervisors
[20] Elected Officials' Compensation | County of Riverside, CA https://rivco.org/elected-officials-compensation
[21] [PDF] (080) 2024-2025 Salary Exhibit B.pdf - Labor Relations https://laborrelations.saccounty.gov/LaborAgreements/Documents/(080)%202024-2025%20Salary%20Exhibit%20B.pdf
[22] [PDF] Fresno County Salary Resolution https://www.fresnocountyca.gov/files/sharedassets/county/v/5/human-resources/references/salary-resolution-updated-as-of-5.26.25.pdf
[23] [PDF] Stanislaus County Position Allocation Report as of 07.12.2025 https://www.stancounty.com/personnel/pdf/salaryandpositionallocation.pdf
[24] [PDF] BOARD OF SUPERVISORS' PAY RAISE: Mistakes Have ... https://sacgrandjury.org/docs/reports/23-24/gj-ama-final-report-062824.pdf
[25] Salary Resolution - County of Fresno https://www.fresnocountyca.gov/Departments/Human-Resources/Salary-Resolution
[26] [PDF] class-salary-report.pdf - Stanislaus County https://www.stancounty.com/personnel/pdf/class-salary-report.pdf
[27] Math error led to 36% raise for Sacramento County supervisors ... https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/math-error-led-to-36-raise-for-sacramento-county-supervisors-grand-jury-says/
[28] [PDF] Annual Salaries for Current County Employees as of 07/06/25 https://www.fresnocountyca.gov/files/sharedassets/county/v/8/human-resources/references/cof-job-title-salary-list-as-of-ppe-07-06-25-final.pdf
[29] Team Supervisor Salaries in California for Stanislaus County - Indeed https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Stanislaus-County-1/salaries/Team-Supervisor/California?period=hourly
[30] [PDF] Elected Officials Salary for 2025 https://personnel.saccounty.net/Documents/ElectedOfficialsSalaries.pdf
[31] Board Of Supervisors << Fresno County (2020) << Counties - GCC https://publicpay.ca.gov/Reports/Department.aspx?departmentid=298&year=2020
[32] Senior Supervisor Salaries in the United States for Stanislaus County https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Stanislaus-County-1/salaries/Senior-Supervisor
[33] Fresno County Superintendent of Schools - Area Supervisor - Indeed https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Fresno-County-Superintendent-of-Schools-1/salaries/Area+Supervisor
[34] 2011–2023 salaries for Stanislaus County | Transparent California https://transparentcalifornia.com/salaries/stanislaus-county/?page=2
[35] How much do Fresno County Board of Supervisors employees make? https://www.salary.com/research/company/hourly-wage-for-fresno-county-board-of-supervisors
[36] [PDF] Parks Supervisor 2025 - Stanislaus County Job Opportunities https://www.stanjobs.org/pdf/4724-25%20Parks%20Supervisor.pdf
[37] [PDF] Alpha Class Table - Personnel Services https://personnel.saccounty.net/Documents/alphaclass.pdf
[38] Social Work Supervisor yearly salaries in California at Fresno County https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Fresno-County/salaries/Social+Work+Supervisor/CA
[39] How much do Kern County Supervisor Board employees make? https://www.salary.com/research/company/kern-county-supervisor-board-salary
[40] Job Descriptions & Salary Schedules - TCOE https://www.tcoe.org/HR/JobSeekers/JobDescSalarySched
[41] FAQs • How are Board members compensated? - Merced County https://www.countyofmerced.com/FAQ.aspx?QID=450
[42] Supervisor Salaries in the United States for Kern County, CA - Indeed https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Kern-County,-CA/salaries/Supervisor
[43] Supervisor Salaries in Visalia, CA for Tulare County, CA | Indeed.com https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Tulare-County,-Ca/salaries/Supervisor/Visalia-CA
[44] Merced County - Government Compensation in California https://publicpay.ca.gov/Reports/Counties/County.aspx?entityid=24&year=2023&rpt=5
[45] 2013–2023 salaries for Tulare County | Transparent California https://transparentcalifornia.com/salaries/tulare-county/?page=41
[46] Employment Classification and Compensation | Merced County, CA https://www.countyofmerced.com/564/Employment-Classification-and-Compensati
[47] [PDF] AS OF 07/24/25 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS - TABLE AND INDEX (A ... https://itsapps.kerncounty.com/PDF/salschd.pdf
[48] Program Supervisor Salaries in California for Tulare County, CA ... https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Tulare-County,-Ca/salaries/Program-Supervisor/California
[49] Merced County - Class Specification Bulletin - GovernmentJobs.com https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/merced/classspecs/newprint/799145
[50] 2013–2023 salaries for Tulare County | Transparent California https://transparentcalifornia.com/salaries/tulare-county/?page=13&s=-ual
[51] 2011–2024 salaries for Merced County - Transparent California https://transparentcalifornia.com/salaries/merced-county/?page=49&s=title
[52] Kern County - Government Compensation in California https://publicpay.ca.gov/Reports/Counties/County.aspx?entityid=15&year=2019&rpt=5
[53] Supervisor Salary in Tulare, CA - GovSalaries https://govsalaries.com/salaries/supervisor-salary/tulare-ca
[54] District Supervisor Salaries in the United States for Merced County, CA https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Merced-County,-Ca/salaries/District-Supervisor
[55] Kern County - Job Descriptions & Salaries - GovernmentJobs.com https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/kernco/classspecs/1056849
[56] Administrative Supervisor Salaries in the United States for Merced ... https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Merced-County,-Ca/salaries/Administrative-Supervisor
[57] Salary Ranges Jump Up For These 47 Riverside County Job Titles https://patch.com/california/murrieta/salary-ranges-jump-these-47-riverside-county-job-titles
[58] [PDF] Contra Costa County https://www.cc-courts.org/civil/docs/grandjury/0702rpt.pdf
[59] Mendocino County's Board of Supervisors Vote Themselves a Pay ... https://kymkemp.com/2024/07/26/mendocino-countys-board-of-supervisors-vote-themselves-a-pay-raise-amid-public-outcry/
[60] Report reveals highest-paid on Riverside County government payroll https://kesq.com/news/2025/06/25/report-reveals-highest-paid-on-riverside-county-government-payroll/
[61] Supervisor Salary in Contra Costa County, CA (Hourly) - ZipRecruiter https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Supervisor-Salary-in-Contra-Costa-County,CA
[62] SLO County Supervisors Get a 26% Pay Raise — SLOCEA https://www.slocea.org/blog/slo-county-supervisors-get-a-26-pay-raise
[63] Santa Barbara County Supervisors Approve $56000 Pay Increase ... https://www.independent.com/2025/02/26/santa-barbara-county-supervisors-approve-56000-pay-increase-for-themselves/
[64] Classification and Compensation | County of Riverside Human ... https://rc-hr.com/classification-and-compensation
[65] County of Contra Costa - Class Specification Bulletin https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/contracosta/classspecs/newprint/4061
[66] County Supervisor Salary in Riverside, CA (Hourly) - ZipRecruiter https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/County-Supervisor-Salary-in-Riverside,CA
[67] Job Classifications | Contra Costa County, CA Official Website https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/1338/Job-Descriptions
[68] [PDF] Riverside Superior Court Job Titles and Salaries https://www.riverside.courts.ca.gov/system/files/general/rsc-job-titles-and-salaries.pdf
[69] [PDF] Superior Court of California, Contra Costa County Salary Schedule ... https://cc-courts.org/opportunities/docs/CurrentAnnualSalarySchedule.pdf
[70] Salaries & Compensation - CalHR Website - CA.gov https://www.calhr.ca.gov/about-calhr/divisions-programs/personnel-management/salaries-compensation/
[71] Supervisor hourly salaries in the United States at County of Riverside https://www.indeed.com/cmp/County-of-Riverside/salaries/Supervisor
[72] OC Supervisors Set to Quietly Give Themselves a 25% Raise https://voiceofoc.org/2025/06/oc-supervisors-set-to-quietly-give-themselves-a-25-raise/
[73] County Supervisor Salary in Los Angeles, CA (Hourly) - ZipRecruiter https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/County-Supervisor-Salary-in-Los-Angeles,CA
[74] Supervisor hourly salaries in the United States at Alameda County, CA https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Alameda-County,-Ca/salaries/Supervisor
[75] Orange County Supervisors Now Make More Than California's ... https://voiceofoc.org/2025/06/orange-county-supervisors-now-make-more-than-californias-governor/
[76] 6.10.070. Additional compensation for supervisors. http://lacounty-ca.elaws.us/code/coor_title6_div1_ch6.10_sec6.10.070
[77] [PDF] July 23, 2024 Honorable Board of Supervisors County of Alameda ... http://www.acgov.org/board/bos_calendar/documents/DocsAgendaReg_07_23_24/GENERAL%20ADMINISTRATION/Regular%20Calendar/Human%20Resource%20Services_372169.pdf
[78] OC supervisors approve budget, raises for themselves https://www.foxla.com/news/oc-supervisors-approve-budget-raises-themselves
[79] Supervisor yearly salaries in Los Angeles, CA at County of ... - Indeed https://www.indeed.com/cmp/County-of-Los-Angeles/salaries/Supervisor/Los-Angeles-CA
[80] About - Alameda County Board of Supervisors https://bos.acgov.org/about/
[81] Supervisor Salary in Orange County, CA: Hourly Rate (Jul 25) https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Supervisor-Salary-in-Orange-County,CA
[82] Los Angeles County supervisor salary - GovSalaries https://govsalaries.com/salaries/CA/los-angeles-county/j/supervisor
[83] Salary Ordinance - Classification and ... - Alameda County https://salaryordinance.alamedacountyca.gov
[84] [PDF] Salary and Tenure Data Elected Officials of the County of Los Angeles https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/lac/1044065_ElectedOfficialsSalaries.pdf
[85] [PDF] SALARY SCHEDULE - Alameda Superior Court https://www.alameda.courts.ca.gov/system/files/general/salary-schedule.pdf
[86] [PDF] DEPARTMENT HEAD SALARIES - (Revised 12/02/2024) - Lacounty https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/lac/1042360_DepartmentHeadSalaries.pdf
[87] Supervisor Salaries in the United States for Alameda County, CA https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Alameda-County,-Ca/salaries/Supervisor?period=MONTHLY
[88] Board Of Supervisors << Los Angeles County (2020 ... - GCC https://publicpay.ca.gov/Reports/Department.aspx?departmentid=622&year=2020
[89] [PDF] State Bar Court Judges Pay Schedule https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/documents/humanResources/Judges-Pay-Schedule.pdf
[90] [PDF] BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SALARY METHODOLOGY https://www.ocgrandjury.org/sites/jury/files/2023-08/GJSalary.pdf
[91] [PDF] Judicial Council of Georgia Ad Hoc Committee on Judicial Salaries ... https://jcaoc.georgiacourts.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/JC-S-S-FINAL-REPORT-8-11-23-reduced-size.pdf
[92] California court salaries and budgets - Ballotpedia https://ballotpedia.org/California_court_salaries_and_budgets
[93] [PDF] Compensation and Benefits Review - Nevada County Superior Court https://www.nevada.courts.ca.gov/system/files/0708-cog-compensationandbenef.pdf
[94] 22-125 - Justice of the peace compensation; judicial productivity ... https://www.azleg.gov/ars/22/00125.htm
[95] Judicial Compensation - U.S. Courts https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/about-federal-judges/judicial-compensation
[96] [PDF] Compensation of San Diego County Board of Supervisors https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/dam/sdc/grandjury/reports/2018-2019/BoardofSupervisorsCompensationReport.pdf
[97] [PDF] A Guide to Your - Judges' Retirement System - CalPERS https://www.calpers.ca.gov/documents/jrs-benefits/download
[98] California judges are underpaid, lawsuit claims - Daily Journal https://www.dailyjournal.com/articles/380825-california-judges-are-underpaid-lawsuit-claims
[99] [PDF] A Guide to Your - Judges' Retirement System II - CalPERS https://www.calpers.ca.gov/documents/jrs-ii-benefits/download
[100] [PDF] Superior Court of California, Contra Costa County Salary Schedule ... https://www.cc-courts.org/opportunities/docs/CurrentAnnualSalarySchedule.pdf
[101] retirement calculator - California Judges Association https://caljudges.org/calculator.asp
[102] Job Titles & Salaries | Superior Court of California | County of Orange https://www.occourts.org/general-information/employment/job-titles-salaries
[103] [PDF] CAOAC County Administrator Compensation Guidelines https://www.ca-ilg.org/sites/main/files/file-attachments/county_compensation_guidelines.pdf?1355447846
[104] [PDF] how much should judges be paid? an empirical study on the effect of ... http://www.stanfordlawreview.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2012/06/Anderson-Helland-64-Stan-L-Rev-1277.pdf
[105] GCC : Judiciary (2024) - Government Compensation in California https://publicpay.ca.gov/Reports/Judicial.aspx
[106] 2.04.070 Supervisors' salaries - Sierra County Code https://sierra.county.codes/SCC/2.04.070