Cotter, Jordan
Laborer GeneralMinnesota Zoological GardenDakota CountyFull-time
Tropics & MN Trail. Minnesota state employee pay history, from State of Minnesota salary data.
Pay by fiscal year
Total paid across all records in each year, overtime included, compared with consumer prices.
From FY 2023 to FY 2025, pay went down 76% while consumer prices went up 6%. After inflation, pay is down 77% (it fell behind inflation).
| Year | Paid | Change | Prices (CPI) | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2025 | $6,309 | −85.1% | +2.6% | −85.5% |
| FY 2024 | $42,422 | +62.7% | +3.3% | +57.5% |
| FY 2023 | $26,069 | — | — | — |
Each change compares a year with the one before. Large swings usually come from a partial year, extra hours or a change of job rather than a raise. Prices: Consumer Price Index (CPI-U, U.S. city average) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, averaged July to June; FY 2026 uses 11 months because October 2025 was not published.
Compared with the same job title
FY 2025 · Laborer General
Paid more than 49% of the 194 people with this job title that year. The median was $6,376.
Uses the amount paid in the year, so partial years and part-time positions read low.
See everyone with this job titleEvery record
3 records, newest first
| FY | Agency | Job title | County | Base pay | Overtime | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Minnesota Zoological Garden Tropics & MN Trail | Laborer General Full-time · left during year | Dakota | $20.76 /hr | $488 | $6,309 |
| 2024 | Minnesota Zoological Garden Tropics & MN Trail | Laborer General Full-time | Dakota | $19.87 /hr | $977 | $42,422 |
| 2023 | Minnesota Zoological Garden Indoor Animals | Laborer General Full-time | Dakota | $18.43 /hr | $548 | $26,069 |
The state reports one pay total per person per year, covering all of their positions, so it appears on one of that year’s lines and the others show no separate pay.
Highest paid in Minnesota Zoological Garden
FY 2025, amount paid
- Frawley, John$405,933Dir Zoological Gardens
- Cowen, Amy Ritter$164,824Zoo Deputy Director
- Mosher, Abigail E$160,488Agency Div Director Sr
- Kromschroeder, Sherry$157,059Agency Chief Financial Officer
- Tillery, Otha$145,022Plant Mgmt Dir
- Pearson, Dawn Renee$144,327Human Resources Director 3
- Garity, Susan C$142,651Veterinarian
- Berlin, Erin Rachel$134,053Veterinarian
Highest paid as Laborer General
FY 2025, amount paid
- Christensen, Priscilla$48,610Minnesota Zoological Garden
- Johannsen, Erik$47,271Minnesota Zoological Garden
- Magnuson, Mark L$44,416Natural Resources Dept
- Morris, Nancy M$42,928Natural Resources Dept
- Lubrant, Travis James$39,471Natural Resources Dept
- Sommers, Mitchell$38,591Natural Resources Dept
- Hagen, Lacey L$38,472Natural Resources Dept
- Erdmann, Ronald Grant$37,275Natural Resources Dept