The highest-paid state of Oregon employees continued to add to their households' bottom lines in 2017.
In particular, the state's 58 top-paid workers collected a little more than 2 percent more than they did during the last reporting period, according to Business Journal research. The unusual number of highest-paid employees stems from a colossal (26-way) tie at the No. 33 spot.
Those employees work as physician specialists for the Oregon Health Authority. Each one makes $227,064.
Overall, state workers earned 5.5 percent more in the 2016-17 pay period than in the 2017-18 pay period. The average salary for all executive-branch state workers is $64,053 while the median salary is $59,400.
Along with the higher pay rates, a few other changes have occurred since we published the same list last year.
For instance, last year's top earner collected $4,000-plus more than the person in last year's top slot. The 2017 top earner placed second in 2018.
State treasury investment managers comprised the top six slots, collecting a total of nearly $1.9 million, an average of $313,696. While such employees have caught heat in the past for their travel practices, many theorize now that such travel, and high salaries, are necessary to keep the investing experts performing at a high level.
All told, within the top 58 paid Oregon employees, Treasury workers filled eight spots while 16 Department of Corrections employees made the list. The Oregon Health Authority dwarfed both figures, placing a total of 33 workers in the top 58.
The only worker on the highest-paid list not in one of those three departments was Marcia Adams, a supervising physician with the Oregon Youth Authority. Adams made $235,356 during the pay period.
While only four departments are represented in the gallery, the Business Journal received data on employees from dozens of agencies. The figures are based on the workers' annualized monthly salaries as of Aug. 1.
The figures excludes the state's judicial branch, legislative branch, Oregon lottery, Oregon University System, semi-independent state agencies, board members, temporary and contract workers, elected officials.
Click here to learn who Oregon's top-paid state workers were during the past year.
The Portland Business Journal is a KGW News partner.
