Kern, Gretchen
Public Health Sanitarian 2Health DepartmentStearns CountyFull-time
EH DWP Non Comm SW Regn. 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 2022 to FY 2026, pay went up 93% while consumer prices went up 16%. After inflation, pay is up 67% (it beat inflation).
| Year | Paid | Change | Prices (CPI) | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 | $68,930 | +7.3% | +3.1% | +4.0% |
| FY 2025 | $64,267 | +6.1% | +2.6% | +3.4% |
| FY 2024 | $60,581 | +0.8% | +3.3% | −2.5% |
| FY 2023 | $60,128 | +68.8% | +6.3% | +58.8% |
| FY 2022 | $35,624 | — | — | — |
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 2026 · Public Health Sanitarian 2
Paid more than 34% of the 29 people with this job title that year. The median was $73,409.
Uses the amount paid in the year, so partial years and part-time positions read low.
See everyone with this job titleEvery record
5 records, newest first
| FY | Agency | Job title | County | Base pay | Overtime | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Health Department EH DWP Non Comm SW Regn | Public Health Sanitarian 2 Full-time | Stearns | $33.48 /hr | — | $68,930 |
| 2025 | Health Department EH DWP Non Comm SW Regn | Public Health Sanitarian 2 Full-time | Stearns | $31.92 /hr | — | $64,267 |
| 2024 | Health Department EH DWP Non Comm SW Regn | Public Health Sanitarian 2 Full-time | Stearns | $29.47 /hr | — | $60,581 |
| 2023 | Health Department EH DWP Non Comm NW Regn | Public Health Sanitarian 2 Full-time | Stearns | $27.01 /hr | — | $60,128 |
| 2022 | Health Department DWP Noncomm WC Region | Public Health Sanitarian 2 Full-time | Stearns | $25.50 /hr | — | $35,624 |
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 Health Department
FY 2026, amount paid
- Lynfield, Ruth$319,013Medical Specialist 4
- Lehnertz, Nicholas$273,587Medical Specialist 2
- Stadheim, Ruth$229,052State Prog Admin Coordinator
- Cunningham, Brooke$189,360Commissioner-Health
- Benson, Robin Christopher$188,266General Counsel 3
- Underwood, Wendy Lynne$187,354Deputy Commr Health
- Smith, Kirk E$185,409Epidemiologist Program Manager
- Desai, Jay$185,344Epidemiologist Program Manager
Highest paid as Public Health Sanitarian 2
FY 2026, amount paid
- Mariotti, Antonio R.$86,504Health Department
- Swenson, Ashley$86,324Health Department
- Distad, David Juleen$86,131Health Department
- Bradley, Kathryn C$86,130Health Department
- Lavigne, Clifford Raymond$86,130Health Department
- Hargiss, Michael John$85,841Health Department
- Hovanes, Michelle Lee$83,979Health Department
- Goodner, Aron Yelensky$82,432Health Department