Illinois / Environmental Protect Agency

Agency file

Environmental Protect Agency

Source file: Illinois — State Employee Pay / ingested Jun 18, 2026

The Environmental Protect Agency protects natural resources and the environment — conservation, parks and wildlife, and environmental regulation.

In 2025, this agency had 612 employees with median total compensation of $70,750; the highest distinct record was $187,900.

Year: 2025
Total payroll: $44M
Employees: 612
Median total: $70,750
Highest record: $187,900

What the records show

Compensation analytics

These summaries compare pay within the agency before listing individual records.

Salary distribution

$0$150,800+

Hover a bar for its range; click to filter the list below.

How 2025 total compensation is spread across the 612 employees. Each bar is a pay range; taller bars mean more people earn in that range. The amber line marks the median ($70,750) — half earn less, half more. The far-right bar collects the highest earners.

Average pay composition

Base — $0 (0%)
Overtime — $0 (0%)
Other — $71,855 (100%)
Benefits — $0 (0%)

What an average paycheck here is made of — base salary versus overtime, other pay (bonuses, allowances), and benefits. A large overtime or other-pay share means take-home often exceeds base salary.

Pay percentiles

10th

25th

Median

75th

90th

$23,700

$50,800

$70,750

$93,500

$112,400

The pay ladder for this department. Someone at the 90th percentile earns $112,400 — more than 90% of the department; the 10th percentile earns $23,700. The shaded band is the middle half of employees (25th–75th percentile).

Largest job titles

Environmental Prot Engineer III

81 · $98,400

Environmental Prot Specialist III

80 · $72,000

Environmental Protection Specialist I

39 · $31,000

Environmental Prot Specialist II

38 · $61,100

Senior Public Service Administrative

37 · $143,800

The most common job titles in this department by headcount, with the median total compensation for each. Click a title to see everyone who holds it.

Trend

Year over year

How this department's total payroll, headcount, and median pay changed across the 3 published years.

Year	Total payroll	Employees	Median pay
2023	$34.3M —	646 —	$51,750 —
2024	$41.8M ▲ 21.9%	689 ▲ 6.7%	$58,800 ▲ 13.6%
2025	$44M ▲ 5.2%	612 ▼ 11.2%	$70,750 ▲ 20.3%

Record list

Employees

Page 2

Karsten Lesko

Environmental Protection Engineer III/Environmental Protect Agency

2024 total comp

$95,400

Sub-department: Caap Program
Base pay: $0
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $95,400
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $95,400
Union / bargaining unit: Collective Bargaining
Work county: Sangamon

Source-specific fields

4-D Exempt: Yes
Employment Status: CERTIFIED
Period Pay Rate: $4,200
Rutan Exempt: No

Karsten Lesko holds the role of Environmental Protection Engineer III at Environmental Protect Agency within Caap Program. In 2024, their total compensation was $95,400. Union affiliation: Collective Bargaining.

Jeffrey Edstrom

Environmental Prot Specialist IV/Environmental Protect Agency

2025 total comp

$95,200

Sub-department: Water Pollution Control-Federal
Base pay: $0
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $95,200
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $95,200
Union / bargaining unit: Collective Bargaining
Work county: Sangamon

Source-specific fields

4-D Exempt: Yes
Employment Status: CERTIFIED
Period Pay Rate: $4,100
Rutan Exempt: No

Jeffrey Edstrom works as a Environmental Prot Specialist IV for Environmental Protect Agency within Water Pollution Control-Federal. Jeffrey earned $95,200 in 2025. Their bargaining unit is Collective Bargaining.

Paula Stine

Environmental Protection Geol III/Environmental Protect Agency

2024 total comp

$95,100

Sub-department: Solid Waste Management Fund
Base pay: $0
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $95,100
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $95,100
Union / bargaining unit: Collective Bargaining
Work county: Sangamon

Source-specific fields

4-D Exempt: Yes
Employment Status: CERTIFIED
Period Pay Rate: $4,300
Rutan Exempt: No

At Environmental Protect Agency, Paula Stine serves as a Environmental Protection Geol III within Solid Waste Management Fund. Their 2024 pay totaled $95,100. They are represented by Collective Bargaining.

Cassandra Joyce

Environmental Protection Engineer III/Environmental Protect Agency

2024 total comp

$95,000

Sub-department: Caap Program
Base pay: $0
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $95,000
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $95,000
Union / bargaining unit: Collective Bargaining
Work county: Madison

Source-specific fields

4-D Exempt: Yes
Employment Status: CERTIFIED
Period Pay Rate: $4,200
Rutan Exempt: No

At Environmental Protect Agency, Cassandra Joyce serves as a Environmental Protection Engineer III within Caap Program. Their 2024 pay totaled $95,000. Their bargaining unit is Collective Bargaining.

Lauren Hunt

Environmental Prot Geologist III/Environmental Protect Agency

2025 total comp

$95,000

Sub-department: Clean Water
Base pay: $0
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $95,000
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $95,000
Union / bargaining unit: Collective Bargaining
Work county: Sangamon

Source-specific fields

4-D Exempt: Yes
Employment Status: CERTIFIED
Period Pay Rate: $4,100
Rutan Exempt: No

Lauren Hunt is a Environmental Prot Geologist III at Environmental Protect Agency within Clean Water. 2025 total compensation came to $95,000. They are represented by Collective Bargaining.

Webert Deslien

Environmental Prot Engineer III/Environmental Protect Agency

2025 total comp

$94,800

Sub-department: Wpc/Permit & Inspection
Base pay: $0
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $94,800
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $94,800
Union / bargaining unit: Collective Bargaining
Work county: Sangamon

Source-specific fields

4-D Exempt: Yes
Employment Status: CERTIFIED
Period Pay Rate: $4,100
Rutan Exempt: No

Webert Deslien is a Environmental Prot Engineer III at Environmental Protect Agency within Wpc/Permit & Inspection. 2025 total compensation came to $94,800. They are represented by Collective Bargaining.