Minnesota / Natural Resources Department

Agency file

Natural Resources Department

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

The Natural Resources Department protects natural resources and the environment — conservation, parks and wildlife, and environmental regulation.

In 2025, this agency had 3,514 employees with median total compensation of $66,596; the highest distinct record was $240,971.

Year: 2025
Total payroll: $226.7M
Employees: 3,514
Median total: $66,596
Highest record: $240,971

What the records show

Compensation analytics

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

Salary distribution

$13$144,593+

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

How 2025 total compensation is spread across the 3,514 employees. Each bar is a pay range; taller bars mean more people earn in that range. The amber line marks the median ($66,596) — half earn less, half more. The far-right bar collects the highest earners.

Average pay composition

Base — $60,301 (93%)
Overtime — $2,673 (4%)
Other — $1,533 (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

$7,694

$27,483

$66,596

$95,167

$115,594

The pay ladder for this department. Someone at the 90th percentile earns $115,594 — more than 90% of the department; the 10th percentile earns $7,694. The shaded band is the middle half of employees (25th–75th percentile).

Largest job titles

Buildings & Grounds Worker

260 · $17,987

Parks & Trails Associate

198 · $14,362

Nr Specialist 2 Co

150 · $116,115

Laborer Trades & Equipment

90 · $46,497

Office & Administrative Specialist Int

82 · $51,468

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	$201.6M —	3,353 —	$62,927 —
2025	$226.7M ▲ 12.4%	3,514 ▲ 4.8%	$66,596 ▲ 5.8%

Record list

Employees

Page 51

Karin Nilsen

Interpret Naturalist 1/Natural Resources Department

2025 total comp

$27,650

Sub-department: PAT-R3 Forestville CaveStaff
Base pay: $27,234
Overtime: $411
Other pay: $5
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $27,650
Hire date: 2021-08-05
Employment type: Intermittent
Pay grade: 5
Union / bargaining unit: MN Assoc of Professional Empl
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 0.1
Work county: Fillmore

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: No
Agency Number: R29
Bargaining Unit Number: 214
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Karin Nilsen is a Interpret Naturalist 1 at Natural Resources Department within Pat-R3 Forestville Cavestaff. Hired in 2021, they have about 4 years of service, working intermittent, 0.1 FTE. 2025 total compensation came to $27,650. Their bargaining unit is MN Assoc of Professional Empl.

Margery Gronseth

Parks & Trails Associate/Natural Resources Department

2025 total comp

$27,597

Sub-department: PAT-R4 Sibley Staff 2
Base pay: $23,028
Overtime: $618
Other pay: $3,951
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $27,597
Hire date: 2006-05-25
Employment type: Part-Time
Pay grade: 60
Union / bargaining unit: Service
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 0.9
Work county: Kandiyohi

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: R29
Bargaining Unit Number: 203
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Margery Gronseth works as a Parks & Trails Associate for Natural Resources Department within Pat-R4 Sibley Staff 2. Hired in 2006, they have about 19 years of service as a part-time, 0.9 FTE employee. Margery earned $27,597 in 2025. Their bargaining unit is Service.

Stephanie Ouren

Engineering Aide Senior/Natural Resources Department

2024 total comp

$27,540

Sub-department: L&M Survey 1 - Brainerd
Base pay: $27,245
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $295
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $27,540
Hire date: 1988-05-11
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 69
Union / bargaining unit: Technical
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Crow Wing

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2024: No
Agency Number: R29
Bargaining Unit Number: 207
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

At Natural Resources Department, Stephanie Ouren serves as a Engineering Aide Senior within L&M Survey 1 - Brainerd. They have served since 1988 (about 36 years), working full-time. Their 2024 pay totaled $27,540. Their bargaining unit is Technical.

Jenna Anderson

Parks & Trails Associate/Natural Resources Department

2025 total comp

$27,504

Sub-department: PAT-R2TettegoucheMaintenance
Base pay: $26,546
Overtime: $953
Other pay: $5
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $27,504
Hire date: 2017-07-03
Employment type: Part-Time
Pay grade: 60
Union / bargaining unit: Service
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 0.9
Work county: Lake

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: R29
Bargaining Unit Number: 203
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Jenna Anderson is a Parks & Trails Associate at Natural Resources Department within Pat-R2Tettegouchemaintenance. Their tenure dates to 2017, about 8 years, working part-time, 0.9 FTE. 2025 total compensation came to $27,504. Their bargaining unit is Service.

Tyler Richter

Law Compliance Representative 1/Natural Resources Department

2025 total comp

$27,483

Sub-department: ECO Waters R1 Watercraft Insp
Base pay: $26,276
Overtime: $1,208
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $27,483
Hire date: 2010-04-22
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 59
Union / bargaining unit: Technical
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Otter Tail

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: R29
Bargaining Unit Number: 207
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

At Natural Resources Department, Tyler Richter serves as a Law Compliance Representative 1 within Eco Waters R1 Watercraft Inspector. Hired in 2010, they have about 15 years of service, working full-time. Their 2025 pay totaled $27,483. They are represented by Technical.