Spending on University of California salaries has climbed nearly 29 percent over the past six years, even as the public system grapples with ballooning retiree expenses that have created a long-term $24.6 billion shortfall.

The 10-campus system paid $10.6 billion for 259,043 jobs last year, up from $8.2 billion in 2006, according to an Orange County Register analysis of the latest UC pay data. Staff numbers grew by about 6 percent over the same period, and student enrollment increased by about 10 percent.

UC's retiree pension fund had a projected $10 billion unfunded liability as of last year, and its retiree health care fund had a $14.6 billion unfunded liability – two gaping deficits UC officials began to address in recent years.

Read more at the OC Register