He might be head of state, but the governor is not Minnesota's highest paid government employee. A state law caps local government pay at about $145,000, or 10 percent higher than the governor, while some jobs (and all U positions), are exempt from the cap.

Tubby Smith
Head Coach
University of Minnesota
$1,009,616

Robert Bruininks
President
University of Minnesota
$423,000

Janis Amatuzio
Medical Examiner
Anoka County
$196,154

Richard Johnson
County Administrator
Hennepin County
$159,033

Lee Ehmke
Director
Minnesota Zoo
$155,792

Susan Gaertner
County Attorney
Ramsey County
$137,730

John Harrington
Chief Of Police
City of St. Paul
$126,926

Tim Pawlenty
Governor
State of Minnesota
$119,850

  Organization Employees Percent
full time
Median
base pay
Overtime
pay
Percent
overtime pay
Total pay
Examine data State of Minnesota 32861 84.7 47,195 37,086,700 2.4 1,539,340,032
Examine data Anoka County 2489 68.3 44,904 2,399,960 2.4 99,847,200
Examine data Carver County 868 69.9 45,739 823,258 2.4 34,005,800
Examine data Dakota County 1965 79.4 52,985 1,024,900 1.1 94,870,800
Examine data Hennepin County 9746 71.8 52,266 6,520,450 1.6 409,056,000
Examine data Ramsey County 4357 77.8 50,598 4,338,410 2.2 199,270,000
Examine data Washington County 1455 87.2 44,491 1,173,340 2.1 56,001,700
Examine data City of Minneapolis 7171 68.1 45,024 10,153,000 3.8 266,744,992
Examine data City of St. Paul 4751 64.2 44,308     180,458,000
Examine data Metropolitan Council 3523 87.3 48,256     183,124,992
Examine data University of Minnesota-Twin Cities 17046 85.5 48,919 5,641,530 0.6 1,021,820,032
Examine data University of Minnesota-Crookston 255 81.6 39,603 68,621 0.6 11,011,800
Examine data University of Minnesota-Duluth 1540 81.0 47,382 346,590 0.4 81,370,096
Examine data University of Minnesota-Morris 426 79.1 42,702 25,500 0.1 18,573,600
Examine data Minnesota State Colleges and Universities 19164 64.1 48,378 16,991,000 2.0 850,788,992