Minnesota / Office of Higher Education

Agency file

Office of Higher Education

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

The Office of Higher Education operates a public higher-education institution — instruction, research, and student services.

In 2025, this agency had 96 employees with median total compensation of $86,650; the highest distinct record was $178,451.

Year: 2025
Total payroll: $8.4M
Employees: 96
Median total: $86,650
Highest record: $178,451

What the records show

Compensation analytics

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

Salary distribution

$9,428$155,540+

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

How 2025 total compensation is spread across the 96 employees. Each bar is a pay range; taller bars mean more people earn in that range. The amber line marks the median ($86,650) — half earn less, half more. The far-right bar collects the highest earners.

Average pay composition

Base — $85,574 (98%)
Overtime — $409 (0%)
Other — $1,207 (1%)
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

$49,356

$67,161

$86,650

$106,598

$127,141

The pay ladder for this department. Someone at the 90th percentile earns $127,141 — more than 90% of the department; the 10th percentile earns $49,356. The shaded band is the middle half of employees (25th–75th percentile).

Largest job titles

State Program Administrative Principal

13 · $87,892

12 · $66,604

10 · $118,174

8 · $98,900

6 · $130,842

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	$7.3M —	98 —	$75,795 —
2025	$8.4M ▲ 14.7%	96 ▼ 2.0%	$86,650 ▲ 14.3%

Record list

Employees

Page 1

Nicole Tommerdahl Whelan

Ohe Manager/Office of Higher Education

2025 total comp

$99,065

Sub-department: Research and Policy
Base pay: $99,065
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $99,065
Hire date: 2018-08-22
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 4
Union / bargaining unit: Manager
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Ramsey

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: E60
Bargaining Unit Number: 220
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Unclassified
Classified Status: Unclassified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Nicole Tommerdahl Whelan is a Ohe Manager at Office of Higher Education within Research and Policy. They have served since 2018 (about 7 years), working full-time. 2025 total compensation came to $99,065. Union affiliation: Manager.

Sarah Linehan

Ohe Manager/Office of Higher Education

2025 total comp

$98,734

Sub-department: Self Loan Management
Base pay: $92,481
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $6,254
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $98,734
Hire date: 2016-07-18
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 4
Union / bargaining unit: Manager
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Ramsey

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: E60
Bargaining Unit Number: 220
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Unclassified
Classified Status: Unclassified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Sarah Linehan is a Ohe Manager at Office of Higher Education within Self Loan Management. Hired in 2016, they have about 9 years of service, working full-time. 2025 total compensation came to $98,734. They are represented by Manager.

Laura Benson

State Program Administrative Principal/Office of Higher Education

2025 total comp

$98,204

Sub-department: Dual Trng MN GI Bill Ind Schd
Base pay: $98,204
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $98,204
Hire date: 2022-07-20
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 14
Union / bargaining unit: MN Assoc of Professional Empl
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Ramsey

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: E60
Bargaining Unit Number: 214
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Laura Benson works as a State Program Administrative Principal for Office of Higher Education within Dual Training MN Gi Bill Ind Schd. Hired in 2022, they have about 3 years of service as a full-time employee. Laura earned $98,204 in 2025. They are represented by MN Assoc of Professional Empl.

Adam Johnson

State Program Administrative Principal/Office of Higher Education

2025 total comp

$97,734

Sub-department: Sg Ws Cc So
Base pay: $97,734
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $97,734
Hire date: 2007-11-08
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 14
Union / bargaining unit: MN Assoc of Professional Empl
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Ramsey

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: E60
Bargaining Unit Number: 214
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Adam Johnson holds the role of State Program Administrative Principal at Office of Higher Education within Sg Ws Cc So. Hired in 2007, they have about 18 years of service as a full-time employee. In 2025, their total compensation was $97,734. Union affiliation: MN Assoc of Professional Empl.

Shawn Reynolds

State Program Administrative Principal/Office of Higher Education

2025 total comp

$97,734

Sub-department: Sg Ws Cc So
Base pay: $97,734
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $97,734
Hire date: 2007-01-02
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 14
Union / bargaining unit: MN Assoc of Professional Empl
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Ramsey

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: E60
Bargaining Unit Number: 214
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Shawn Reynolds holds the role of State Program Administrative Principal at Office of Higher Education within Sg Ws Cc So. Hired in 2007, they have about 18 years of service as a full-time employee. In 2025, their total compensation was $97,734. They are represented by MN Assoc of Professional Empl.

Catherine Mccartan

Education Consultant 3/Office of Higher Education

2025 total comp

$97,533

Sub-department: Licensure &Consumer Protection
Base pay: $94,579
Overtime: $955
Other pay: $2,000
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $97,533
Hire date: 2017-01-09
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 19
Union / bargaining unit: MN Assoc of Professional Empl
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Ramsey

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: E60
Bargaining Unit Number: 214
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Catherine Mccartan holds the role of Education Consultant 3 at Office of Higher Education within Licensure &Consumer Protection. Hired in 2017, they have about 8 years of service as a full-time employee. In 2025, their total compensation was $97,533. Their bargaining unit is MN Assoc of Professional Empl.

Aaron Salasek

State Program Administrative Principal/Office of Higher Education

2025 total comp

$96,802

Sub-department: AC - Prog - Policy - Grants
Base pay: $95,802
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $1,000
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $96,802
Hire date: 2009-07-30
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 14
Union / bargaining unit: MN Assoc of Professional Empl
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Ramsey

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: E60
Bargaining Unit Number: 214
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Aaron Salasek holds the role of State Program Administrative Principal at Office of Higher Education within Ac - Program - Policy - Grants. Their tenure dates to 2009, about 16 years as a full-time employee. In 2025, their total compensation was $96,802. Their bargaining unit is MN Assoc of Professional Empl.

Tara Winchester

State Program Administrative Principal/Office of Higher Education

2025 total comp

$96,475

Sub-department: Sg Ws Cc So
Base pay: $96,475
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $96,475
Hire date: 2013-06-10
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 14
Union / bargaining unit: MN Assoc of Professional Empl
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Ramsey

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: E60
Bargaining Unit Number: 214
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Tara Winchester is a State Program Administrative Principal at Office of Higher Education within Sg Ws Cc So. Hired in 2013, they have about 12 years of service, working full-time. 2025 total compensation came to $96,475. Union affiliation: MN Assoc of Professional Empl.

Matthew Gutsch

Ohe Manager/Office of Higher Education

2025 total comp

$95,150

Sub-department: Get Ready Program
Base pay: $95,150
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $95,150
Hire date: 2022-11-28
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 4
Union / bargaining unit: Manager
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Ramsey

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: E60
Bargaining Unit Number: 220
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Unclassified
Classified Status: Unclassified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Matthew Gutsch works as a Ohe Manager for Office of Higher Education within Get Ready Program. Their tenure dates to 2022, about 3 years as a full-time employee. Matthew earned $95,150 in 2025. Union affiliation: Manager.

Erin Poster

Auditor Principal/Office of Higher Education

2025 total comp

$95,084

Sub-department: Auditing
Base pay: $95,084
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $95,084
Hire date: 2013-06-05
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay grade: 15
Union / bargaining unit: MN Assoc of Professional Empl
Pay basis: Hourly
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Work county: Ramsey

Source-specific fields

Active on June 30, 2025: Yes
Agency Number: E60
Bargaining Unit Number: 214
Branch: Executive
Branch Code: Executive
Classified Code: Classified
Classified Status: Classified
Compensation Frequency Code: Hourly

Erin Poster holds the role of Auditor Principal at Office of Higher Education within Auditing. Their tenure dates to 2013, about 12 years as a full-time employee. In 2025, their total compensation was $95,084. Union affiliation: MN Assoc of Professional Empl.