Varela, William Lee
Interpret Naturalist 1Natural Resources DeptFillmore CountyIntermittent
PAT-R3 Forestville CaveStaff 2. 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 2017 to FY 2026, pay went down 94% while consumer prices went up 35%. After inflation, pay is down 96% (it fell behind inflation).
| Year | Paid | Change | Prices (CPI) | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 | $629 | −55.3% | +3.1% | −56.6% |
| FY 2025 | $1,406 | −88.8% | +2.6% | −89.1% |
| FY 2024 | $12,542 | −18.4% | +3.3% | −21.0% |
| FY 2023 | $15,370 | −2.9% | +6.3% | −8.6% |
| FY 2022 | $15,829 | −22.9% | +7.2% | −28.1% |
| FY 2021 | $20,543 | +239.9% | +2.3% | +232.3% |
| FY 2020 | $6,044 | −42.4% | +1.6% | −43.3% |
| FY 2019 | $10,496 | +0.3% | +2.1% | −1.8% |
| FY 2018 | $10,468 | −4.0% | +2.3% | −6.1% |
| FY 2017 | $10,903 | — | — | — |
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 · Interpret Naturalist 1
Paid more than 1% of the 79 people with this job title that year. The median was $10,502.
Uses the amount paid in the year, so partial years and part-time positions read low.
See everyone with this job titleEvery record
13 records, newest first
| FY | Agency | Job title | County | Base pay | Overtime | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Natural Resources Dept PAT-R3 Forestville CaveStaff 2 | Interpret Naturalist 1 Intermittent | Fillmore | $27.35 /hr | — | $629 |
| 2025 | Natural Resources Dept PAT-R3 Forestville CaveStaff 2 | Interpret Naturalist 1 Intermittent | Fillmore | $26.04 /hr | — | $1,406 |
| 2024 | Natural Resources Dept PAT-R3 Forestville CaveStaff 2 | Interpret Naturalist 1 Intermittent | Fillmore | $24.20 /hr | $1,002 | $12,542 |
| 2024 | Pollution Control Agency EAO WM South Bio Monitor Unit | Environmental Specialist 1 Full-time · left during year | Ramsey | $23.37 /hr | — | — |
| 2023 | Pollution Control Agency EAO WM South Bio Monitor Unit | Environmental Specialist 1 Full-time | Ramsey | $22.15 /hr | $91 | $15,370 |
| 2023 | Natural Resources Dept PAT-R3 Forestville CaveStaff 2 | Interpret Naturalist 1 Intermittent | Fillmore | $22.15 /hr | — | — |
| 2022 | Natural Resources Dept PAT-R3 Forestville CaveStaff | Interpret Naturalist 1 Part-time | Fillmore | $20.91 /hr | $272 | $15,829 |
| 2022 | Natural Resources Dept PAT-R3 Forestville CaveStaff | Interpret Naturalist 1 Intermittent | Fillmore | $20.91 /hr | — | — |
| 2021 | Natural Resources Dept OSD OCO Info Ctr One Call | Customer Svcs Specialist Int Part-time | Ramsey | $18.92 /hr | $355 | $20,543 |
| 2020 | Natural Resources Dept PAT-R3 Frontenac Staff 2 | Parks & Trails Associate Part-time | Goodhue | $17.76 /hr | $51 | $6,044 |
| 2019 | Natural Resources Dept PAT-R3 Great River BluffsStaff | Buildings & Grounds Worker Part-time | — | $16.64 /hr | — | $10,496 |
| 2018 | Natural Resources Dept PAT-R3 Great River BluffsStaff | Buildings & Grounds Worker Part-time | — | $15.92 /hr | — | $10,468 |
| 2017 | Natural Resources Dept PAT-R1 Lake Bemidji Asst Staff | Buildings & Grounds Worker Part-time | Beltrami | $15.26 /hr | $62 | $10,903 |
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 Natural Resources Dept
FY 2026, amount paid
- Lais, Daniel R$215,649State Prog Admin Manager Sr
- Smith, Rodmen E$205,052NR Dir - Enforcement
- Naramore, Barbara Lynn$198,561Deputy Commr Natural Resources
- Strommen, Sarah$197,945Commissioner-Natural Resources
- Lotthammer, Shannon M$186,471Asst Commr NR Operations
- Richards, Jess W$185,409Asst Commr NR Operations
- Meier, Robert H$185,344Asst Commr NR Operations
- Gorecki, Robert Andrew$184,600NR Asst Dir - Enforcement
Highest paid as Interpret Naturalist 1
FY 2026, amount paid
- Tasa, Alexandria Z$76,008Minnesota Zoological Garden
- Mochinski, Laurel Lee$74,924Minnesota Zoological Garden
- Endert, Emily Beth$74,725Minnesota Zoological Garden
- Kluever, Michaela E$74,429Minnesota Zoological Garden
- Armstrong, Judy C$74,000Minnesota Zoological Garden
- Johnson Magle, Jean Momoe$66,116Minnesota Zoological Garden
- Swenson, Sara Christina$58,510Minnesota Zoological Garden
- Cocchiarella, Daniel Stephen$55,988Natural Resources Dept