Soil and plant scientists salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $48,680 | $23.41 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $78,850 | $37.91 |
| Mean (average) | $87,720 | $42.17 |
| 90th percentile | $138,120 | $66.40 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Soil and plant scientists pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 49 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $63,010 | $27,270 | $146,810 | 110 | 0.52 |
| Alaska | $100,320 | $73,690 | $167,160 | 30 | 0.92 |
| Arizona | $83,840 | $40,250 | $124,900 | 270 | 0.83 |
| Arkansas | Data unavailable | 110 | 0.85 | ||
| California | $91,930 | $49,350 | $154,830 | 1,440 | 0.78 |
| Colorado | $75,430 | $52,420 | $288,300 | 460 | 1.57 |
| Connecticut | $67,630 | $56,970 | $130,820 | 200 | 1.17 |
| Delaware | $65,310 | $59,500 | $107,620 | 60 | 1.21 |
| District of Columbia | $107,140 | $79,230 | $156,750 | 60 | 0.79 |
| Florida | $103,240 | $48,940 | $125,250 | 270 | 0.27 |
| Georgia | $65,170 | $46,630 | $123,040 | 210 | 0.43 |
| Hawaii | $84,390 | $57,000 | $117,350 | 60 | 0.99 |
| Idaho | $95,150 | $58,440 | $167,960 | 540 | 6.19 |
| Illinois | $79,490 | $48,160 | $141,510 | 820 | 1.33 |
| Indiana | $80,030 | $57,000 | $154,990 | 440 | 1.36 |
| Iowa | $96,310 | $56,270 | $170,820 | 960 | 6.07 |
| Kansas | $65,670 | $35,220 | $129,130 | 380 | 2.64 |
| Kentucky | $67,340 | $57,090 | $107,010 | 140 | 0.67 |
| Louisiana | $60,200 | $35,360 | $106,150 | 170 | 0.88 |
| Maine | $78,250 | $49,480 | $128,760 | 30 | 0.51 |
| Maryland | $85,020 | $53,630 | $173,440 | 200 | 0.7 |
| Massachusetts | $69,880 | $63,110 | $89,830 | ||
| Michigan | $65,390 | $50,640 | $130,100 | 570 | 1.28 |
| Minnesota | $79,610 | $50,490 | $136,160 | 750 | 2.5 |
| Mississippi | $72,690 | $45,880 | $153,570 | 100 | 0.81 |
| Missouri | $76,080 | $46,710 | $135,760 | 220 | 0.74 |
| Montana | $73,920 | $58,290 | $105,580 | 230 | 4.43 |
| Nebraska | $77,500 | $40,030 | $121,060 | 640 | 6.18 |
| Nevada | $71,450 | $50,000 | $114,990 | 90 | 0.56 |
| New Jersey | $91,970 | $51,420 | $128,920 | 130 | 0.3 |
| New Mexico | $69,480 | $52,240 | $102,860 | 90 | 1.01 |
| New York | $77,800 | $58,610 | $134,230 | 260 | 0.26 |
| North Carolina | $76,330 | $47,430 | $136,830 | 570 | 1.14 |
| North Dakota | $65,320 | $53,590 | $117,010 | 410 | 9.5 |
| Ohio | $56,820 | $39,150 | $103,400 | 320 | 0.58 |
| Oklahoma | $63,910 | $35,550 | $106,380 | 100 | 0.6 |
| Oregon | $85,150 | $63,960 | $117,000 | 620 | 3.12 |
| Pennsylvania | $70,550 | $46,750 | $124,560 | 200 | 0.33 |
| Puerto Rico | $38,980 | $38,020 | $53,300 | 140 | 1.51 |
| South Carolina | $78,850 | $37,900 | $108,890 | 90 | 0.4 |
| South Dakota | $73,590 | $51,980 | $120,970 | 480 | 10.32 |
| Tennessee | $61,950 | $45,510 | $103,620 | 370 | 1.13 |
| Texas | Data unavailable | 500 | 0.35 | ||
| Utah | $59,900 | $39,480 | $100,420 | 90 | 0.5 |
| Vermont | $58,220 | $58,190 | $78,690 | ||
| Virginia | $73,920 | $51,040 | $113,860 | 140 | 0.33 |
| Washington | $79,970 | $63,210 | $131,220 | 520 | 1.43 |
| Wisconsin | $66,200 | $44,620 | $89,190 | 680 | 2.27 |
| Wyoming | $55,680 | $49,150 | $103,380 | 50 | 1.82 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for soil and plant scientists
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 1,400. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 3.5%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for soil and plant scientists
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Agriculture, General CIP 01.0000
- Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture CIP 01.0308
- Viticulture and Enology CIP 01.1004
- Plant Sciences, General CIP 01.1101
- Agronomy and Crop Science CIP 01.1102
- Horticultural Science CIP 01.1103
- Agricultural and Horticultural Plant Breeding CIP 01.1104
- Plant Protection and Integrated Pest Management CIP 01.1105
- Range Science and Management CIP 01.1106
- Plant Sciences, Other CIP 01.1199
- Soil Science and Agronomy, General CIP 01.1201
- Soil Chemistry and Physics CIP 01.1202
- Soil Microbiology CIP 01.1203
- Soil Sciences, Other CIP 01.1299
- Botany/Plant Biology CIP 26.0301
- Plant Pathology/Phytopathology CIP 26.0305
- Plant Physiology CIP 26.0307
- Plant Molecular Biology CIP 26.0308
- Botany/Plant Biology, Other CIP 26.0399
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Communicate research or project results to other professionals or the public or teach related courses, seminars, or workshops.
- Develop methods of conserving or managing soil that can be applied by farmers or forestry companies.
- Provide information or recommendations to farmers or other landowners regarding ways in which they can best use land, promote plant growth, or avoid or correct problems such as erosion.
- Conduct experiments to develop new or improved varieties of field crops, focusing on characteristics such as yield, quality, disease resistance, nutritional value, or adaptation to specific soils or climates.
- Investigate soil problems or poor water quality to determine sources and effects.
- Investigate responses of soils to specific management practices to determine the use capabilities of soils and the effects of alternative practices on soil productivity.
- Conduct experiments to investigate the underlying mechanisms of plant growth and response to the environment.
- Identify degraded or contaminated soils and develop plans to improve their chemical, biological, or physical characteristics.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- ESRI ArcGIS software (hot technology)
- IBM SPSS Statistics (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- R (hot technology)
- SAS (hot technology)
- 3dMapper
- Erosion Productivity Impact Calculator EPIC
- European Soil Erosion Model EUROSEM
- GAEA Technologies WinSieve
- GEOEAS
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Systems Analysis, Systems Evaluation, Instructing, Social Perceptiveness.
Common job titles: Agronomist, Arboriculture Researcher, Crop Nutrition Scientist, Forage Physiologist, Horticulture Specialist, Plant Physiologist, Plant Research Geneticist, Research Scientist, Research Soil Scientist, Scientist.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do soil and plant scientists make?
The national median annual wage for soil and plant scientists was $78,850 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $48,680 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $138,120. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do soil and plant scientists need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is soil and plant scientists a growing career?
BLS projects employment of soil and plant scientists to change +6.7% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 1,400 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay soil and plant scientists the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($107,140), Florida ($103,240), Alaska ($100,320). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.