Watkins, Christopher
Planning Dir StateCommerce DeptRamsey CountyFull-time
Emerging Energy Technologies. 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 109% while consumer prices went up 16%. After inflation, pay is up 80% (it beat inflation).
| Year | Paid | Change | Prices (CPI) | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 | $106,147 | +5.8% | +3.1% | +2.6% |
| FY 2025 | $100,351 | +9.4% | +2.6% | +6.6% |
| FY 2024 | $91,686 | +15.0% | +3.3% | +11.3% |
| FY 2023 | $79,744 | +57.3% | +6.3% | +48.0% |
| FY 2022 | $50,698 | — | — | — |
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 · Planning Dir State
Paid more than 39% of the 173 people with this job title that year. The median was $112,313.
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 | Commerce Dept Emerging Energy Technologies | Planning Dir State Full-time | Ramsey | $51.45 /hr | — | $106,147 |
| 2025 | Commerce Dept Reliability & Security | Planning Dir State Full-time | Ramsey | $48.93 /hr | — | $100,351 |
| 2024 | Commerce Dept Reliability & Security | Planning Dir State Full-time | Ramsey | $45.02 /hr | — | $91,686 |
| 2023 | Commerce Dept Energy Regulation & Planning | Pub Util Rates Analyst 3 Full-time | Ramsey | $37.02 /hr | — | $79,744 |
| 2022 | Commerce Dept Energy Regulation & Planning | Pub Util Rates Analyst 3 Full-time | Ramsey | $34.82 /hr | — | $50,698 |
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 Commerce Dept
FY 2026, amount paid
- Slutsker, Benjamin$231,138Dir Actuarial & Reg Plcy Analy
- Andersen, Frederick James$230,638Dir Actuarial & Reg Plcy Analy
- Vigliaturo, Philip$230,385Dir Actuarial & Reg Plcy Analy
- Jahnke, Timothy A$186,094Deputy Commr Commerce
- Dreier, Julia$185,659Deputy Commr Commerce
- Crow, Michael G$185,344Deputy Commr Commerce
- Wyckoff, Peter H$181,054Deputy Commr Commerce
- Arnold, Grace$180,829Commissioner-Commerce
Highest paid as Planning Dir State
FY 2026, amount paid
- Long, Michelle$163,082Human Services Dept
- Berkholtz, Karin R$124,221Mn Management & Budget
- $118,457
- Tranby, Cindy$116,905Natural Resources Dept
- Johnson, William H$116,537Natural Resources Dept
- Shoakena, Blen$116,268Health Department
- Arnold, Robert James$116,215Direct Care and Treatment
- Boen, Angela Renee$116,215Human Services Dept