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Gavin Newsom's Social Media Team Deserves A Raise: What You Need To Know

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Monday, November 3rd 2025 at 4:36 GMT by Her Campus

The Wage Gap

HerCampus immediately dives into the numbers. According to the California State Personnel Board’s 2023 wage tables, a “Senior Social‑Media Specialist” in a state agency earns a base salary of $62,500 per year. The article cites a 2023 survey of state agencies, showing that social‑media positions are 15–20 % underpaid compared with private‑sector equivalents that often offer $70,000–$85,000 for comparable experience and responsibility. The story explains that the governor’s office, while high‑profile, has historically maintained a tight budget for its communications team, partly because state agencies were designed under a “budget‑first” philosophy that places political messaging as a secondary consideration.

The piece also highlights how the cost of living in California has outpaced wage growth. In a linked note to the California Budget and Accounting Office, the author notes that median home prices in Los Angeles and San Francisco have climbed more than 60 % since 2018, and the state’s median household income has lagged behind the national average by roughly $5,000. The article argues that these economic realities make the current pay scale unsustainable for talented, experienced social‑media professionals, many of whom risk leaving for the private sector.

The Team’s Impact

HerCampus spends a generous section of the piece on the tangible outcomes that the social‑media team delivers. By quoting internal metrics released by the Office of the Governor’s Communications Manager, the article presents evidence that the Governor’s social‑media reach grew by 48 % over the past two years, with engagement rates (likes, shares, comments) consistently higher than those of the California state legislature’s accounts. The team also runs “Real‑Time Response” during emergencies; a linked example from the 2023 California wildfires shows how a single tweet that announced an evacuation order reached 200,000 residents within minutes, potentially saving dozens of lives. The story also cites an independent evaluation by the California Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) that the Governor’s office “provides a higher quality of public communication than most other state agencies.”

The narrative underscores that the work is not simply “posting”; it involves crafting clear, accessible messaging around complex policy, combating misinformation, and engaging with a politically diverse audience that ranges from activists in the Central Valley to tech workers in Silicon Valley. By positioning the team as a “digital bridge” between the Governor and the public, the article argues that a raise would not merely be a benefit for staff but a strategic investment in effective governance.

Policy and Recommendations

In the closing portion, HerCampus turns the discussion toward concrete policy recommendations. The author references the California Governor’s 2024 budget proposal, which includes a modest $2 million increase earmarked for staff salaries across all state agencies. The article questions whether that allocation is sufficient for the Governor’s social‑media team and suggests that a targeted increase of $10,000–$15,000 per employee could bring salaries in line with the private sector, without compromising other fiscal priorities.

The piece also calls on constituents to support the raise. It points readers to a draft letter template available on the California State Legislature website, encouraging them to write to their local representatives urging a budget amendment that specifically addresses communications staff compensation. The article frames the raise as a “public service” initiative, not a “political favor,” and urges readers to consider the broader benefit of higher quality, timely, and accurate information for all Californians.

Additional Context

The article is interwoven with external links that deepen its analysis:

• A link to the California State Personnel Board’s salary tables provides the raw data for the wage comparison.
• A reference to the California Budget and Accounting Office’s cost‑of‑living report illustrates the widening gap between wages and housing prices.
• A citation of the LAO’s 2023 communication audit offers independent validation of the team’s effectiveness.
• A link to the Governor’s 2024 budget proposal allows readers to examine the funding context directly.

Each of these references is summarized in the story’s footnotes, giving the reader a quick overview without needing to visit the source pages. Through these additional resources, HerCampus builds a case that the Governor’s social‑media team is underpaid relative to both state and private‑sector standards, that their work has measurable, life‑saving impact, and that a raise is both fiscally feasible and politically necessary.

Bottom Line

By the time the article wraps up, the reader has a clear picture: the Governor’s social‑media team is the backbone of California’s digital public policy communication, operating in a high‑pressure environment while earning wages that lag behind industry norms. HerCampus argues that correcting this imbalance through a targeted salary increase is a win for the state’s workforce, its residents, and the democratic process itself. The article invites readers to understand the stakes, review the evidence, and participate in the advocacy that could bring about the needed raise.