19 Series · SOC 19-1013
Soil and Plant Scientists Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $78,850
- Median / year
- $138,120
- Top 10% earn
- +5.4%
- Growth '23–'33
- 15,730
- US workers
Soil and Plant Scientists earn a median of $78,850 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $78,850, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $48,680 (10th percentile) to $138,120 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 15,730 US workers. District of Columbia pays the most ($107,140), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Soil and Plant Scientists earn a median of $78,850, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 72% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Life, Physical, and Social Science, it ranks #29 of 48 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 5.4% by 2033.
- $78,850
- Median annual wage
- Top 28%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #29 of 48
- in Life, Physical, and Social Science
- 2.8×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: District of Columbia at $107,140. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Soil and Plant Scientists (SOC 19-1013) pays a national median of $78,850 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $48,680 at the 10th percentile to $138,120 at the 90th, with a mean of $87,720 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 15,730 Americans work in this occupation across 47 reporting states and 112 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +5.4% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as about average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 1,700 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Bachelor's degree. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 1.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.7 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. District of Columbia pays the highest state median at $107,140, which is +36% above the national figure. The top metro is Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA at $132,290 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$78,850
per year
Median Hourly
$37.91/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$87,720
average
Employment
15,730
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Soil and Plant Scientists pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$78,850 Top 28% higher than 72% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 19-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Soil and Plant Scientists; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 19-series occupations with growth data, Soil and Plant Scientists sits on the faster-growing side at +5.4% growth and $78,850 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+5.4%
About average
Annual Openings
1,700
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Bachelor's degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
1.5/100K
Injury Rate
0.7/100
Danger Index
3.6/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Soil and Plant Scientists roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key 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.
- ▸ Develop new or improved methods or products for controlling or eliminating weeds, crop diseases, or insect pests.
- ▸ Provide advice regarding the development of regulatory standards for land reclamation or soil conservation.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$48,680
25th Percentile
$61,660
Median
$78,850
75th Percentile
$103,740
90th Percentile
$138,120
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 47 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $107,140 | +36% above national |
| 2 | Florida | $103,240 | +31% above national |
| 3 | Alaska | $100,320 | +27% above national |
| 4 | Iowa | $96,310 | +22% above national |
| 5 | Idaho | $95,150 | +21% above national |
| 6 | New Jersey | $91,970 | +17% above national |
| 7 | California | $91,930 | +17% above national |
| 8 | Oregon | $85,150 | +8% above national |
| 9 | Maryland | $85,020 | +8% above national |
| 10 | Hawaii | $84,390 | +7% above national |
| 11 | Arizona | $83,840 | +6% above national |
| 12 | Indiana | $80,030 | +1% above national |
| 13 | Washington | $79,970 | +1% above national |
| 14 | Minnesota | $79,610 | +1% above national |
| 15 | Illinois | $79,490 | +1% above national |
| 16 | South Carolina | $78,850 | same as national |
| 17 | Maine | $78,250 | 1% below national |
| 18 | New York | $77,800 | 1% below national |
| 19 | Nebraska | $77,500 | 2% below national |
| 20 | North Carolina | $76,330 | 3% below national |
| 21 | Missouri | $76,080 | 4% below national |
| 22 | Colorado | $75,430 | 4% below national |
| 23 | Montana | $73,920 | 6% below national |
| 24 | Virginia | $73,920 | 6% below national |
| 25 | South Dakota | $73,590 | 7% below national |
| 26 | Mississippi | $72,690 | 8% below national |
| 27 | Nevada | $71,450 | 9% below national |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $70,550 | 11% below national |
| 29 | Massachusetts | $69,880 | 11% below national |
| 30 | New Mexico | $69,480 | 12% below national |
| 31 | Connecticut | $67,630 | 14% below national |
| 32 | Kentucky | $67,340 | 15% below national |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $66,200 | 16% below national |
| 34 | Kansas | $65,670 | 17% below national |
| 35 | Michigan | $65,390 | 17% below national |
| 36 | North Dakota | $65,320 | 17% below national |
| 37 | Delaware | $65,310 | 17% below national |
| 38 | Georgia | $65,170 | 17% below national |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $63,910 | 19% below national |
| 40 | Alabama | $63,010 | 20% below national |
| 41 | Tennessee | $61,950 | 21% below national |
| 42 | Louisiana | $60,200 | 24% below national |
| 43 | Utah | $59,900 | 24% below national |
| 44 | Vermont | $58,220 | 26% below national |
| 45 | Ohio | $56,820 | 28% below national |
| 46 | Wyoming | $55,680 | 29% below national |
| 47 | Puerto Rico | $38,980 | 51% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 112 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $132,290 | +68% above national |
| 2 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $116,660 | +48% above national |
| 3 | Salinas, CA | $115,910 | +47% above national |
| 4 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $108,200 | +37% above national |
| 5 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $106,410 | +35% above national |
| 6 | Napa, CA | $104,120 | +32% above national |
| 7 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $103,740 | +32% above national |
| 8 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $101,660 | +29% above national |
| 9 | West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $101,520 | +29% above national |
| 10 | Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $100,490 | +27% above national |
| 11 | Fresno, CA | $100,050 | +27% above national |
| 12 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $99,110 | +26% above national |
| 13 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $98,340 | +25% above national |
| 14 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $96,480 | +22% above national |
| 15 | Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $96,100 | +22% above national |
| 16 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $95,870 | +22% above national |
| 17 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $94,980 | +20% above national |
| 18 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $94,940 | +20% above national |
| 19 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $94,900 | +20% above national |
| 20 | East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $94,090 | +19% above national |
| 21 | Salem, OR | $93,620 | +19% above national |
| 22 | North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $91,170 | +16% above national |
| 23 | Boise City, ID | $90,610 | +15% above national |
| 24 | New Haven, CT | $87,110 | +10% above national |
| 25 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $86,570 | +10% above national |
| 26 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $86,380 | +10% above national |
| 27 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $86,330 | +9% above national |
| 28 | Bismarck, ND | $86,110 | +9% above national |
| 29 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $84,740 | +7% above national |
| 30 | Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $84,540 | +7% above national |
| 31 | Iowa City, IA | $84,360 | +7% above national |
| 32 | Idaho Falls, ID | $83,780 | +6% above national |
| 33 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $83,390 | +6% above national |
| 34 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $83,370 | +6% above national |
| 35 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $82,510 | +5% above national |
| 36 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $82,490 | +5% above national |
| 37 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $82,490 | +5% above national |
| 38 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $82,200 | +4% above national |
| 39 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $82,110 | +4% above national |
| 40 | Modesto, CA | $81,570 | +3% above national |
| 41 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $81,570 | +3% above national |
| 42 | Corvallis, OR | $81,420 | +3% above national |
| 43 | Missoula, MT | $81,350 | +3% above national |
| 44 | Omaha, NE-IA | $81,300 | +3% above national |
| 45 | Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $80,810 | +2% above national |
| 46 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $80,550 | +2% above national |
| 47 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $80,360 | +2% above national |
| 48 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $80,030 | +1% above national |
| 49 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $79,610 | +1% above national |
| 50 | Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $79,560 | +1% above national |
| 51 | Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $78,880 | same as national |
| 52 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $78,870 | same as national |
| 53 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $78,020 | 1% below national |
| 54 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $77,740 | 1% below national |
| 55 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $77,670 | 1% below national |
| 56 | Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $77,600 | 2% below national |
| 57 | South Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $77,150 | 2% below national |
| 58 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $77,090 | 2% below national |
| 59 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $76,790 | 3% below national |
| 60 | Las Cruces, NM | $76,400 | 3% below national |
| 61 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $76,330 | 3% below national |
| 62 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $76,330 | 3% below national |
| 63 | Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $75,680 | 4% below national |
| 64 | Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $75,400 | 4% below national |
| 65 | Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $74,940 | 5% below national |
| 66 | Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $74,830 | 5% below national |
| 67 | Wichita, KS | $74,440 | 6% below national |
| 68 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $74,280 | 6% below national |
| 69 | Richmond, VA | $73,920 | 6% below national |
| 70 | East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area | $73,920 | 6% below national |
| 71 | Madison, WI | $73,510 | 7% below national |
| 72 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $73,320 | 7% below national |
| 73 | Rapid City, SD | $73,310 | 7% below national |
| 74 | West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $72,790 | 8% below national |
| 75 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $72,750 | 8% below national |
| 76 | Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $71,240 | 10% below national |
| 77 | Reno, NV | $70,450 | 11% below national |
| 78 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $69,880 | 11% below national |
| 79 | Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $69,030 | 12% below national |
| 80 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $67,340 | 15% below national |
| 81 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $67,330 | 15% below national |
| 82 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $66,460 | 16% below national |
| 83 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $66,450 | 16% below national |
| 84 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $66,200 | 16% below national |
| 85 | South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $66,170 | 16% below national |
| 86 | Manhattan, KS | $66,100 | 16% below national |
| 87 | Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $65,650 | 17% below national |
| 88 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $65,390 | 17% below national |
| 89 | Fargo, ND-MN | $65,320 | 17% below national |
| 90 | Appleton, WI | $65,290 | 17% below national |
| 91 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $65,190 | 17% below national |
| 92 | Ames, IA | $65,080 | 17% below national |
| 93 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $64,860 | 18% below national |
| 94 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $64,460 | 18% below national |
| 95 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $64,070 | 19% below national |
| 96 | Bozeman, MT | $64,010 | 19% below national |
| 97 | Lincoln, NE | $63,760 | 19% below national |
| 98 | Auburn-Opelika, AL | $61,840 | 22% below national |
| 99 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $61,610 | 22% below national |
| 100 | Columbus, OH | $60,970 | 23% below national |
| 101 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $59,900 | 24% below national |
| 102 | Cleveland, OH | $58,220 | 26% below national |
| 103 | Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $58,210 | 26% below national |
| 104 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $57,840 | 27% below national |
| 105 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $57,160 | 28% below national |
| 106 | Green Bay, WI | $56,770 | 28% below national |
| 107 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $56,470 | 28% below national |
| 108 | Knoxville, TN | $51,110 | 35% below national |
| 109 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $50,160 | 36% below national |
| 110 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $48,370 | 39% below national |
| 111 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $38,200 | 52% below national |
| 112 | Tulsa, OK | $37,830 | 52% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 19 (life physical and social science) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Soil and Plant Scientists make? ▼
What state pays Soil and Plant Scientists the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Soil and Plant Scientists? ▼
How dangerous is being a Soil and Plant Scientists? ▼
Is Soil and Plant Scientists a good career? ▼
How does Soil and Plant Scientists pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Soil and Plant Scientists? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Soil and Plant Scientists pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $103,740/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: District of Columbia leads at $107,140/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.