City of Columbia's highest paid employees
The city of Columbia’s top earners receive $242,000 to $335,000 in total compensation, far exceeding the city average of $64,400. Pay structures vary significantly among the highest paid. Benefits account for nearly 44% of total compensation for John Ambra and John Metz, but only 23% for City Manager De’Carlon Seewood.
A stacked bar chart showing the top 10 highest-paid employees in the City of Columbia for 2025. Total compensation is divided into base pay (the largest portion), employer-paid benefits, and other pay (the smallest portion). City Manager De'Carlon Seewood is the highest earner at $335,128.34, followed by Brian Schaeffer at $331,497.43. The 10th highest earner, John Metz, earns $242,178.80. This highlights a gap of over $90,000 between the 1st and 10th earners, and all top 10 earners significantly exceed the city’s average salary of approximately $64,400.
