Minnesota / Minnesota Zoological Garden

Agency file

Minnesota Zoological Garden

Source file: Minnesota — State Employee Payroll / ingested Jun 18, 2026

The Minnesota Zoological Garden is a government agency that delivers public services and programs within its jurisdiction.

In 2025, this agency had 487 employees with median total compensation of $46,651; the highest distinct record was $405,933.

Year: 2025
Total payroll: $21.6M
Employees: 487
Median total: $46,651
Highest record: $405,933

What the records show

Compensation analytics

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

Salary distribution

$389$129,641+

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

How 2025 total compensation is spread across the 487 employees. Each bar is a pay range; taller bars mean more people earn in that range. The amber line marks the median ($46,651) — half earn less, half more. The far-right bar collects the highest earners.

Average pay composition

Base — $42,388 (96%)
Overtime — $1,212 (3%)
Other — $716 (2%)
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

$3,509

$7,460

$46,651

$69,092

$89,050

The pay ladder for this department. Someone at the 90th percentile earns $89,050 — more than 90% of the department; the 10th percentile earns $3,509. The shaded band is the middle half of employees (25th–75th percentile).

Largest job titles

Student Worker Clerical

78 · $4,293

Zoo Keeper

66 · $59,763

Interpret Naturalist 1

51 · $10,022

Customer Services Specialist

35 · $23,323

General Maintenance Worker

19 · $25,372

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 2 published years.

Year	Total payroll	Employees	Median pay
2024	$19.6M —	500 —	$31,947 —
2025	$21.6M ▲ 10.1%	487 ▼ 2.6%	$46,651 ▲ 46.0%

Record list

Employees

Page 1

Andrew Jansma

Planning Director State/Minnesota Zoological Garden

2025 total comp

$112,927

Sub-department: Planning,Construction&Exhibits
Base pay: $112,927
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $112,927
Hire date: 2019-07-24
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 18
Union / bargaining unit: MN Assoc of Professional Empl
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Dakota

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: E77
Bargaining Unit Number: 214
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Andrew Jansma works as a Planning Director State for Minnesota Zoological Garden within Planning,Construction&Exhibits. Hired in 2019, they have about 6 years of service as a full-time employee. Andrew earned $112,927 in 2025. Their bargaining unit is MN Assoc of Professional Empl.

Michelle Clabaugh

Administrative Management Director 1/Minnesota Zoological Garden

2025 total comp

$111,591

Sub-department: Deputy Director Office
Base pay: $111,591
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $111,591
Hire date: 2021-12-08
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 13
Union / bargaining unit: Manager
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Dakota

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: E77
Bargaining Unit Number: 220
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Michelle Clabaugh works as a Administrative Management Director 1 for Minnesota Zoological Garden within Deputy Director Office. Their tenure dates to 2021, about 4 years as a full-time employee. Michelle earned $111,591 in 2025. Union affiliation: Manager.

Elizabeth Gilles

State Program Administrative Director/Minnesota Zoological Garden

2025 total comp

$110,229

Sub-department: Learning & Engagement
Base pay: $110,229
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $110,229
Hire date: 2017-04-24
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 21
Union / bargaining unit: Middle Management Association
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Dakota

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: E77
Bargaining Unit Number: 216
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Elizabeth Gilles works as a State Program Administrative Director for Minnesota Zoological Garden within Learning & Engagement. Their tenure dates to 2017, about 8 years as a full-time employee. Elizabeth earned $110,229 in 2025. Union affiliation: Middle Management Association.

Matthew Mclaughlin

State Program Administrative Senior/Minnesota Zoological Garden

2025 total comp

$109,995

Sub-department: Aquatics
Base pay: $86,412
Overtime: $16,992
Other pay: $6,591
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $109,995
Hire date: 2006-06-11
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 10
Union / bargaining unit: MN Assoc of Professional Empl
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Dakota

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: E77
Bargaining Unit Number: 214
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Matthew Mclaughlin holds the role of State Program Administrative Senior at Minnesota Zoological Garden within Aquatics. They have served since 2006 (about 19 years) as a full-time employee. In 2025, their total compensation was $109,995. Their bargaining unit is MN Assoc of Professional Empl.

Jennifer Starkson

Accounting Director/Minnesota Zoological Garden

2025 total comp

$108,721

Sub-department: Financial Services
Base pay: $106,195
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $2,526
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $108,721
Hire date: 1991-02-25
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 21
Union / bargaining unit: Middle Management Association
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Dakota

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: E77
Bargaining Unit Number: 216
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

At Minnesota Zoological Garden, Jennifer Starkson serves as a Accounting Director within Financial Services. They have served since 1991 (about 34 years), working full-time. Their 2025 pay totaled $108,721. Union affiliation: Middle Management Association.