Mayor Spencer supports pay range increases to address staffing challenges and improve competitiveness.
The City of St. Louis is taking significant steps to improve employee compensation, following the release of a comprehensive compensation and classification study. Mayor Cara Spencer has announced her support for the study’s recommendations, which include increasing pay range minimums for civil service positions. This move aims to make City salaries more competitive, addressing long-standing challenges in attracting and retaining talent.
Study Findings and Proposed Changes
The study revealed that while the City of St. Louis is competitive at the higher ends of its pay ranges, it lags behind the market in pay range minimums. To address this, the proposed changes would result in pay increases for approximately 600 non-uniformed civil service employees whose current salaries fall below 5% of the market minimum. Additionally, about 600 uniformed Fire Department employees would see adjustments to their pay matrix.
For the Police Department, which is under state control, the City has budgeted for similar adjustments. However, any changes would require approval from the governor-appointed Board of Police Commissioners.
The proposal aligns with the top priority expressed by City employees during the study: ensuring compensation is competitive with the external market. Mayor Spencer emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating, “City of St. Louis employees are driven by a desire to help their community, but that doesn’t mean the City shouldn’t pay them a salary that is good and attractive. Bringing our pay ranges in line with the market is what’s best for our employees, for the City, and for all St. Louisans.”
Addressing Staffing Challenges
The City has faced significant challenges in filling key roles, with high vacancy rates in positions such as utility workers (42%), tree trimmers (50%), and heavy equipment operators (20%). By making pay more competitive, the City hopes to reduce these vacancy rates and improve service delivery.
Next Steps and Budget
The Department of Personnel is targeting February 1, 2026, for the implementation of a new compensation ordinance. Union negotiations will begin soon, followed by recommendations to the Civil Service Commission and the Board of Aldermen. The City has allocated $10 million annually to fund these improvements.
“This proposal makes City of St. Louis salaries more competitive, which is crucial for delivering high-quality services,” said Mayor Spencer. “This is an ambitious yet fiscally responsible first step that we have the budget for, and the sooner we can put it into action, the better for our employees and for St. Louis.”
Looking Ahead
Improving pay range minimums is just the beginning. The City plans to implement additional recommendations from the study, including realigning the full pay range and adopting new, market-responsive compensation structures. While the study highlighted areas where salaries fall short, it also noted that the City’s benefits, particularly its retirement contributions, significantly outperform the market. The City contributes 17.15% of employees’ salaries to retirement plans—5.15 percentage points above the market average—without requiring employee contributions and with faster vesting.
By addressing pay disparities and leveraging its strong benefits, the City of St. Louis aims to create a more competitive and attractive environment for current and future employees.
For more information, contact:
Kathryn Jamboretz
Communications, City of St. Louis Mayor’s Office
Jamboretzk@stlouis-mo.gov | 314-484-9333
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