California / Student Aid Commission

Agency file

Student Aid Commission

Source file: California — State Employee Compensation (SCO Payroll Data Warehouse, CPRA) / ingested Jul 4, 2026

The Student Aid Commission administers public education — funding, academic standards, and the operation of schools.

In 2025, this agency had 156 employees with median total compensation of $80,460; the highest distinct record was $202,354.

Year: 2025
Total payroll: $12.2M
Employees: 156
Median total: $80,460
Highest record: $202,354

What the records show

Compensation analytics

These summaries compare pay within the agency before listing individual records.

Salary distribution

$300$166,740+

Hover a bar for its range; click to filter the list below.

How 2025 total compensation is spread across the 156 employees. Each bar is a pay range; taller bars mean more people earn in that range. The amber line marks the median ($80,460) — half earn less, half more. The far-right bar collects the highest earners.

Average pay composition

Base — $75,992 (97%)
Overtime — $197 (0%)
Other — $1,800 (2%)
Benefits — $0 (0%)

What an average paycheck here is made of — base salary versus overtime, other pay (bonuses, allowances), and benefits. A large overtime or other-pay share means take-home often exceeds base salary.

Pay percentiles

10th

25th

Median

75th

90th

$1,376

$55,801

$80,460

$102,482

$126,076

The pay ladder for this department. Someone at the 90th percentile earns $126,076 — more than 90% of the department; the 10th percentile earns $1,376. The shaded band is the middle half of employees (25th–75th percentile).

Largest job titles

Associate Governmental Program Analyst

36 · $78,038

Member, Student Aid Commission/Student Aid Commission

16 · $800

Information Technology Specialist I

12 · $112,746

Staff Services Analyst

11 · $64,034

Program Technician II

11 · $51,632

The most common job titles in this department by headcount, with the median total compensation for each. Click a title to see everyone who holds it.

Trend

Year over year

How this department's total payroll, headcount, and median pay changed across the 3 published years.

Year	Total payroll	Employees	Median pay
2023	$12.1M —	173 —	$73,180 —
2024	$13.3M ▲ 9.5%	168 ▼ 2.9%	$79,092 ▲ 8.1%
2025	$12.2M ▼ 8.5%	156 ▼ 7.1%	$80,460 ▲ 1.7%

Record list

Employees

Page 1

Sandra Melching

Staff Services Manager II (Supervisory)/Student Aid Commission

2025 total comp

$118,130

Base pay: $113,910
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $4,220
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $118,130
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: S01
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: A

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $9,781
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 2707344801006
Salary Total: $9,488
Total Pay: $118,130

Sandra Melching is a Staff Services Manager II (Supervisory) at Student Aid Commission. They work full-time. 2025 total compensation came to $118,130. They are represented by S01.

Justin Watkins

Information Technology Specialist II/Student Aid Commission

2025 total comp

$118,011

Base pay: $117,511
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $500
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $118,011
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R01
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: R

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $10,582
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 2707011414901
Salary Total: $10,265
Total Pay: $118,011

Justin Watkins works as a Information Technology Specialist II for Student Aid Commission. Their status is full-time. Justin earned $118,011 in 2025. They are represented by R01.

Libertad Avalos

Staff Services Manager II (Supervisory)/Student Aid Commission

2025 total comp

$117,630

Base pay: $113,910
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $3,720
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $117,630
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: S01
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: P

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $9,781
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 2707304801002
Salary Total: $9,488
Total Pay: $117,630

Libertad Avalos works as a Staff Services Manager II (Supervisory) for Student Aid Commission. Their status is full-time. Libertad earned $117,630 in 2025. Union affiliation: S01.

Nancy Finnigan

Staff Services Manager II (Supervisory)/Student Aid Commission

2025 total comp

$117,630

Base pay: $113,910
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $3,720
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $117,630
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: S01
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: K

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $9,781
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 2707044801004
Salary Total: $9,488
Total Pay: $117,630

Nancy Finnigan works as a Staff Services Manager II (Supervisory) for Student Aid Commission. Their status is full-time. Nancy earned $117,630 in 2025. Union affiliation: S01.

Deena Sena

Staff Services Manager II (Supervisory)/Student Aid Commission

2025 total comp

$117,630

Base pay: $113,910
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $3,720
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $117,630
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: S01
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: S

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $9,781
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 2707344801005
Salary Total: $9,488
Total Pay: $117,630

At Student Aid Commission, Deena Sena serves as a Staff Services Manager II (Supervisory). They work full-time. Their 2025 pay totaled $117,630. Union affiliation: S01.

Alexander Chen

Information Technology Specialist I/Student Aid Commission

2025 total comp

$115,234

Base pay: $114,934
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $300
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $115,234
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R01
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: H

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $10,537
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 2707011402008
Salary Total: $10,221
Total Pay: $115,234

Alexander Chen is a Information Technology Specialist I at Student Aid Commission. They work full-time. 2025 total compensation came to $115,234. Their bargaining unit is R01.

Terry Artica

Staff Services Manager II (Supervisory)/Student Aid Commission

2025 total comp

$115,195

Base pay: $111,475
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $3,720
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $115,195
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: S01
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: L

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $9,781
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 2707044801003
Salary Total: $9,488
Total Pay: $115,195

Terry Artica holds the role of Staff Services Manager II (Supervisory) at Student Aid Commission. Their status is full-time. In 2025, their total compensation was $115,195. They are represented by S01.

Mario Arguello

Staff Services Manager II (Supervisory)/Student Aid Commission

2025 total comp

$114,581

Base pay: $110,861
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $3,720
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $114,581
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: S01
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: J

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $9,634
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 2707044801002
Salary Total: $9,345
Total Pay: $114,581

Mario Arguello works as a Staff Services Manager II (Supervisory) for Student Aid Commission. Their status is full-time. Mario earned $114,581 in 2025. They are represented by S01.

Emilio Martinez

Staff Services Manager II (Supervisory)/Student Aid Commission

2024 total comp

$114,301

Base pay: $110,581
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $3,720
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $114,301
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: S01
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: A

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $9,496
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 2707344801004
Salary Total: $9,496
Total Pay: $114,301

At Student Aid Commission, Emilio Martinez serves as a Staff Services Manager II (Supervisory). They work full-time. Their 2024 pay totaled $114,301. Union affiliation: S01.

Adrian Felix

Research Data Specialist II/Student Aid Commission

2025 total comp

$111,952

Base pay: $111,352
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $600
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $111,952
Employment type: Full-Time
Union / bargaining unit: R01
Work county: Sacramento
Middle name: R

Source-specific fields

Base Pay: $9,561
Cs/csu: Cs
Position Number: 2707325758003
Salary Total: $9,274
Total Pay: $111,952

Adrian Felix works as a Research Data Specialist II for Student Aid Commission. Their status is full-time. Adrian earned $111,952 in 2025. Union affiliation: R01.