Class Code 9101 applies to private colleges and private schools in California not separately classified elsewhere; it covers instructional, administrative and campus support operations. The WCIRB pure premium for this class is $4.609 per $100 of payroll — a baseline measure that matters for budgeting and for evaluating claims exposure.
This classification covers private degree-granting colleges, private K–12 schools and other nonpublic academic institutions whose operations are not listed under a more specific WCIRB code. Typical operations include classroom instruction, campus administration and admissions, student services offices, campus libraries and bookstores, on-site cafeterias, custodial and maintenance, groundskeeping, and campus events. It also includes paid student employees, lab instructors conducting demonstrations, residential life staff at boarding schools, and campus security provided directly by the school or school-employed staff. Activities specifically excluded or coded elsewhere include private medical clinics, commercial contracting work, and state-run schools.
The pure premium rate of $4.609 per $100 of payroll represents the WCIRB's estimated expected loss cost (what carriers expect to pay in claims per $100 of payroll) for this class. Insurers use that pure premium as the starting point for your premium calculation, then apply expense provisions, insurer rates, your payroll, and experience modification factors; your final premium can be affected by claims history, mix of employee types, payroll reporting accuracy, safety programs, and whether you participate in retrospective rating or group programs.
Private schools in California must comply with Cal/OSHA standards that commonly apply on campus: Injury and Illness Prevention Program (Title 8 §3203), Hazard Communication (§5194) for chemicals in labs and janitorial supplies, Bloodborne Pathogens (§5193) for health-office exposures, and Heat Illness Prevention (§3395) for outdoor grounds and athletics staff. Employers must maintain OSHA 300 logs, provide job-specific training, enforce PPE use, and document exposure-control and emergency-response plans tailored to classroom, lab, food service and maintenance hazards.
A PEO like Key HR can centralize claims management, deliver California-specific safety templates (IIPP, lab and kitchen SOPs), administer return-to-work programs, and ensure accurate payroll classification reporting to reduce misclassification risk. Key HR also provides targeted training, compliance assistance with Cal/OSHA rules, and claims advocacy that can help lower your experience modification and overall workers' comp spend.
Get a QuoteYes—paid student workers, work-study employees, and paid teaching assistants who are on your payroll typically fall under Class Code 9101 if their duties align with the school's operations. Unpaid volunteers and unpaid interns are not covered payroll for workers' compensation premium calculations.
Campus security staff employed directly by a private school generally are included in 9101, but sworn peace officers or contracted security firms can require a different classification. Review job duties and whether staff are armed or sworn to determine the correct code.
Implement and document an IIPP, provide targeted training for labs, kitchens and grounds crews, establish a formal light-duty return-to-work program, ensure accurate payroll and job coding, and respond promptly to incidents. Partnering with a PEO for claims management and OSHA-focused training can accelerate results.
Key HR provides pay-as-you-go workers' comp for California employers — no large deposits, no audits, better rates.
Get a Quoteor call (800) 922-4133Key HR provides California employers with pay-as-you-go workers' comp, HR compliance support, and payroll — all through one PEO partnership.