Minnesota / MN State Academies

Agency file

MN State Academies

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

The MN State Academies operates a public higher-education institution — instruction, research, and student services.

In 2025, this agency had 254 employees with median total compensation of $46,488; the highest distinct record was $174,195.

Year: 2025
Total payroll: $12.5M
Employees: 254
Median total: $46,488
Highest record: $174,195

What the records show

Compensation analytics

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

Salary distribution

$211$123,750+

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

How 2025 total compensation is spread across the 254 employees. Each bar is a pay range; taller bars mean more people earn in that range. The amber line marks the median ($46,488) — half earn less, half more. The far-right bar collects the highest earners.

Average pay composition

Base — $47,209 (96%)
Overtime — $334 (1%)
Other — $1,768 (4%)
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

$6,065

$25,155

$46,488

$71,006

$91,247

The pay ladder for this department. Someone at the 90th percentile earns $91,247 — more than 90% of the department; the 10th percentile earns $6,065. The shaded band is the middle half of employees (25th–75th percentile).

Largest job titles

Special Education Program Assistant

75 · $39,642

Human Services Technician

37 · $30,511

Special Teacher: Ma/Ms/5Yr+Lic

20 · $83,737

Special Teacher:Ma/Ms+Lic+30Gr

13 · $98,349

Special Teacher:Ba/Bs+Lic+10

11 · $35,255

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	$11.5M —	246 —	$44,064 —
2025	$12.5M ▲ 8.7%	254 ▲ 3.3%	$46,488 ▲ 5.5%

Record list

Employees

Page 1

Sara Gerdts

Registered Nurse/MN State Academies

2025 total comp

$102,500

Sub-department: Health Services
Base pay: $100,556
Overtime: $242
Other pay: $1,702
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $102,500
Hire date: 2004-08-30
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 57
Union / bargaining unit: MN Nurses Association
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Rice

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: E44
Bargaining Unit Number: 205
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Sara Gerdts holds the role of Registered Nurse at MN State Academies within Health Services. Their tenure dates to 2004, about 21 years as a full-time employee. In 2025, their total compensation was $102,500. They are represented by MN Nurses Association.

Scott Berglund

Special Teacher:Ma/Ms+Lic+30Gr/MN State Academies

2025 total comp

$101,370

Sub-department: MSAB Teachers
Base pay: $100,370
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $1,000
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $101,370
Hire date: 1995-12-04
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 9
Union / bargaining unit: Residential Schools Education
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Rice

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: E44
Bargaining Unit Number: 215
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

At MN State Academies, Scott Berglund serves as a Special Teacher:Ma/Ms+Lic+30Gr within Msab Teachers. Hired in 1995, they have about 30 years of service, working full-time. Their 2025 pay totaled $101,370. Their bargaining unit is Residential Schools Education.

Ryan Smith-Hastings

Special Teacher:Ma/Ms+Lic+30Gr/MN State Academies

2025 total comp

$101,273

Sub-department: MSAD Teachers
Base pay: $86,341
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $14,932
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $101,273
Hire date: 2015-09-01
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 9
Union / bargaining unit: Residential Schools Education
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Rice

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: E44
Bargaining Unit Number: 215
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

At MN State Academies, Ryan Smith-Hastings serves as a Special Teacher:Ma/Ms+Lic+30Gr within Msad Teachers. They have served since 2015 (about 10 years), working full-time. Their 2025 pay totaled $101,273. They are represented by Residential Schools Education.

Meghan Needham

Special Teacher:Ma/Ms+Lic+30Gr/MN State Academies

2025 total comp

$99,482

Sub-department: MSAB Teachers
Base pay: $93,833
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $5,649
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $99,482
Hire date: 2003-05-14
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 9
Union / bargaining unit: Residential Schools Education
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Rice

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: E44
Bargaining Unit Number: 215
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Meghan Needham holds the role of Special Teacher:Ma/Ms+Lic+30Gr at MN State Academies within Msab Teachers. Their tenure dates to 2003, about 22 years as a full-time employee. In 2025, their total compensation was $99,482. They are represented by Residential Schools Education.

Kimberly Barron

Executive Aide/MN State Academies

2025 total comp

$98,455

Sub-department: MSA Administration
Base pay: $96,505
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $1,950
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $98,455
Hire date: 2014-02-20
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 9
Union / bargaining unit: Manager
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Rice

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: E44
Bargaining Unit Number: 220
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Unclassified
Classified Status: Unclassified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

At MN State Academies, Kimberly Barron serves as a Executive Aide within Msa Administration. They have served since 2014 (about 11 years), working full-time. Their 2025 pay totaled $98,455. Union affiliation: Manager.

Michele Heise

Special Teacher:Ma/Ms+Lic+30Gr/MN State Academies

2025 total comp

$98,349

Sub-department: MSAD Teachers
Base pay: $96,249
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $2,100
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $98,349
Hire date: 1994-09-06
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 9
Union / bargaining unit: Residential Schools Education
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Rice

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: E44
Bargaining Unit Number: 215
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Michele Heise is a Special Teacher:Ma/Ms+Lic+30Gr at MN State Academies within Msad Teachers. Their tenure dates to 1994, about 31 years, working full-time. 2025 total compensation came to $98,349. Their bargaining unit is Residential Schools Education.

Bridget Flier

Human Resources Director 1/MN State Academies

2025 total comp

$98,179

Sub-department: MSA Administration
Base pay: $76,665
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $21,514
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $98,179
Hire date: 2018-01-17
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 23
Union / bargaining unit: Confidential
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Rice

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: No
Agency Number: E44
Bargaining Unit Number: 217
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Bridget Flier is a Human Resources Director 1 at MN State Academies within Msa Administration. Their tenure dates to 2018, about 7 years, working full-time. 2025 total compensation came to $98,179. Their bargaining unit is Confidential.