Texas / Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

Agency file

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

Source file: Texas — State Employee Salaries (Texas Tribune) / ingested Jun 18, 2026

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality protects natural resources and the environment — conservation, parks and wildlife, and environmental regulation.

In 2026, this agency had 3,041 employees with median total compensation of $75,376; the highest distinct record was $265,000.

Year: 2026
Total payroll: $247.1M
Employees: 3,041
Median total: $75,376
Highest record: $265,000

What the records show

Compensation analytics

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

Salary distribution

$8,699$152,293+

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

How 2026 total compensation is spread across the 3,041 employees. Each bar is a pay range; taller bars mean more people earn in that range. The amber line marks the median ($75,376) — half earn less, half more. The far-right bar collects the highest earners.

Average pay composition

Base — $81,256 (100%)
Overtime — $0 (0%)
Other — $0 (0%)
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

$58,212

$62,136

$75,376

$91,836

$113,278

The pay ladder for this department. Someone at the 90th percentile earns $113,278 — more than 90% of the department; the 10th percentile earns $58,212. The shaded band is the middle half of employees (25th–75th percentile).

Largest job titles

Natural Resources Specialist III

231 · $66,255

Natural Resources Specialist IV

230 · $75,376

Natural Resources Specialist II

218 · $58,288

Natural Resources Specialist V

155 · $88,445

Administrative Assistant V

83 · $54,029

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
2025	$224.3M —	2,991 —	$68,628 —
2026	$247.1M ▲ 10.2%	3,041 ▲ 1.7%	$75,376 ▲ 9.8%

Record list

Employees

Page 1

Barbara Watson

Attorney IV/Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

2026 total comp

$145,759

Base pay: $145,759
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $145,759
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: J

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 3505
Hire Date: Jun 1, 2015
Monthly Pay: $12,147
State Employee Number: 4471

At Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Barbara Watson serves as a Attorney IV. They work crf - classified regular full-time. Their 2026 pay totaled $145,759.

Kimberly Strong

Director IV/Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

2026 total comp

$144,472

Base pay: $144,472
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $144,472
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: D

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1623
Hire Date: Jun 18, 1997
Monthly Pay: $12,039
State Employee Number: 128159

Kimberly Strong holds the role of Director IV at Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Their status is crf - classified regular full-time. In 2026, their total compensation was $144,472.

Melissa Cordell

Project Manager V/Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

2026 total comp

$143,976

Base pay: $143,976
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $143,976
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: B

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1562
Hire Date: Jun 14, 1999
Monthly Pay: $11,998
State Employee Number: 145666

Melissa Cordell works as a Project Manager V for Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Their status is crf - classified regular full-time. Melissa earned $143,976 in 2026.

Guy Wilkins

Director V/Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

2026 total comp

$143,738

Base pay: $143,738
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $143,738
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: M

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1624
Hire Date: Nov 1, 1999
Monthly Pay: $11,978
State Employee Number: 138736

Guy Wilkins works as a Director V for Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Their status is crf - classified regular full-time. Guy earned $143,738 in 2026.

Janet Goss

Attorney V/Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

2025 total comp

$143,304

Base pay: $143,304
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $143,304
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: D

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 3506
Hire Date: May 15, 2006
Monthly Pay: $11,942
State Employee Number: 161321

At Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Janet Goss serves as a Attorney V. They work crf - classified regular full-time. Their 2025 pay totaled $143,304.

Trina Lancaster

Engineer VI/Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

2026 total comp

$142,374

Base pay: $142,374
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $142,374
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: M

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 2157
Hire Date: May 17, 2004
Monthly Pay: $11,865
State Employee Number: 29042

Trina Lancaster holds the role of Engineer VI at Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Their status is crf - classified regular full-time. In 2026, their total compensation was $142,374.

Stephen Sepulveda

Project Manager V/Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

2026 total comp

$141,741

Base pay: $141,741
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $141,741
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: A

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1562
Hire Date: May 1, 2023
Monthly Pay: $11,812
State Employee Number: 1636093

At Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Stephen Sepulveda serves as a Project Manager V. They work crf - classified regular full-time. Their 2026 pay totaled $141,741.

Tracy Chandler

Attorney IV/Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

2026 total comp

$141,731

Base pay: $141,731
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $141,731
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: L

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 3505
Hire Date: Jan 1, 2007
Monthly Pay: $11,811
State Employee Number: 31932

Tracy Chandler is a Attorney IV at Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. They work crf - classified regular full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $141,731.

William Shafford

Engineer VI/Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

2026 total comp

$141,469

Base pay: $141,469
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $141,469
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: J

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 2157
Hire Date: Dec 1, 1990
Monthly Pay: $11,789
State Employee Number: 122235

William Shafford works as a Engineer VI for Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Their status is crf - classified regular full-time. William earned $141,469 in 2026.

David Bower

Project Manager V/Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

2025 total comp

$140,486

Base pay: $140,486
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $140,486
Employment type: Crf - Classified Regular Full-Time
Full-time equivalent (FTE): 1
Middle name: W

Source-specific fields

Class Code: 1562
Hire Date: May 16, 1988
Monthly Pay: $11,707
State Employee Number: 141110

David Bower holds the role of Project Manager V at Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Their status is crf - classified regular full-time. In 2025, their total compensation was $140,486.