SOC 19-1013 · Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations

Soil and Plant Scientists

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries

U.S. median annual wage$78,850

U.S. median hourly wage$37.91

U.S. employment15,730

Nationally, soil and plant scientists earned a median of $78,850 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 15,730 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.

National pay distribution

Pay by state

Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.

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Soil and Plant Scientists: pay and employment by state
State
District of Columbia	$107,140	$51.51	60	0.1
Florida	$103,240	$49.64	270	0.0
Alaska	$100,320	$48.23	30	0.1
Iowa	$96,310	$46.30	960	0.6
Idaho	$95,150	$45.75	540	0.6
New Jersey	$91,970	$44.22	130	0.0
California	$91,930	$44.20	1,440	0.1
Oregon	$85,150	$40.94	620	0.3
Maryland	$85,020	$40.87	200	0.1
Hawaii	$84,390	$40.57	60	0.1
Arizona	$83,840	$40.31	270	0.1
Indiana	$80,030	$38.48	440	0.1
Washington	$79,970	$38.45	520	0.1
Minnesota	$79,610	$38.28	750	0.3
Illinois	$79,490	$38.21	820	0.1
South Carolina	$78,850	$37.91	90	0.0
Maine	$78,250	$37.62	30	0.1
New York	$77,800	$37.41	260	0.0
Nebraska	$77,500	$37.26	640	0.6
North Carolina	$76,330	$36.70	570	0.1
Missouri	$76,080	$36.58	220	0.1
Colorado	$75,430	$36.26	460	0.2
Montana	$73,920	$35.54	230	0.4
Virginia	$73,920	$35.54	140	0.0
South Dakota	$73,590	$35.38	480	1.0
Mississippi	$72,690	$34.95	100	0.1
Nevada	$71,450	$34.35	90	0.1
Pennsylvania	$70,550	$33.92	200	0.0
Massachusetts	$69,880	$33.59	Not published	Not published
New Mexico	$69,480	$33.41	90	0.1
Connecticut	$67,630	$32.52	200	0.1
Kentucky	$67,340	$32.38	140	0.1
Wisconsin	$66,200	$31.83	680	0.2
Kansas	$65,670	$31.57	380	0.3
Michigan	$65,390	$31.44	570	0.1
North Dakota	$65,320	$31.41	410	1.0
Delaware	$65,310	$31.40	60	0.1
Georgia	$65,170	$31.33	210	0.0
Oklahoma	$63,910	$30.72	100	0.1
Alabama	$63,010	$30.29	110	0.1
Tennessee	$61,950	$29.78	370	0.1
Louisiana	$60,200	$28.94	170	0.1
Utah	$59,900	$28.80	90	0.1
Vermont	$58,220	$27.99	Not published	Not published
Ohio	$56,820	$27.32	320	0.1
Wyoming	$55,680	$26.77	50	0.2
Puerto Rico	$38,980	$18.74	140	0.2
Arkansas	Not published	Not published	110	0.1
Texas	Not published	Not published	500	0.0

Pay by metro area

All 87 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.

Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.

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Soil and Plant Scientists: pay and employment by metro area
Metro area
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA	$132,290	$63.60	430	1.1
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$116,660	$56.09	70	0.1
Salinas, CA	$115,910	$55.73	30	0.2
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$108,200	$52.02	140	0.1
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	$106,410	$51.16	30	0.0
Napa, CA	$104,120	$50.06	70	0.9
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$103,740	$49.88	100	0.0
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	$101,660	$48.88	50	0.2
Fresno, CA	$100,050	$48.10	90	0.2
Kennewick-Richland, WA	$99,110	$47.65	40	0.3
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	$98,340	$47.28	190	0.2
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	$96,480	$46.38	Not published	Not published
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$95,870	$46.09	230	0.1
Cedar Rapids, IA	$94,980	$45.66	40	0.3
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	$94,940	$45.64	250	0.2
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	$94,900	$45.62	70	0.0
Salem, OR	$93,620	$45.01	110	0.6
Boise City, ID	$90,610	$43.56	290	0.7
New Haven, CT	$87,110	$41.88	90	0.3
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	$86,570	$41.62	70	0.2
Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN	$86,380	$41.53	30	0.3
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$86,330	$41.51	140	0.1
Bismarck, ND	$86,110	$41.40	40	0.5
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$84,740	$40.74	170	0.0
Iowa City, IA	$84,360	$40.56	30	0.4
Idaho Falls, ID	$83,780	$40.28	30	0.4
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$83,390	$40.09	Not published	Not published
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	$83,370	$40.08	80	0.0
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	$82,510	$39.67	180	0.1
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV	$82,490	$39.66	40	0.0
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$82,490	$39.66	200	0.0
Urban Honolulu, HI	$82,110	$39.48	40	0.1
Modesto, CA	$81,570	$39.22	30	0.2
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA	$81,570	$39.22	30	0.3
Corvallis, OR	$81,420	$39.15	80	2.0
Missoula, MT	$81,350	$39.11	30	0.4
Omaha, NE-IA	$81,300	$39.09	120	0.2
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	$80,360	$38.64	240	0.1
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN	$80,030	$38.48	110	0.1
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	$79,610	$38.28	400	0.2
New Orleans-Metairie, LA	$78,870	$37.92	50	0.1
Raleigh-Cary, NC	$78,020	$37.51	160	0.2
Charleston-North Charleston, SC	$77,090	$37.06	40	0.1
St. Louis, MO-IL	$76,790	$36.92	110	0.1
Las Cruces, NM	$76,400	$36.73	50	0.7
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	$76,330	$36.70	100	0.1
Wichita, KS	$74,440	$35.79	40	0.1
Greensboro-High Point, NC	$74,280	$35.71	30	0.1
Richmond, VA	$73,920	$35.54	40	0.1
Madison, WI	$73,510	$35.34	220	0.5
Sioux Falls, SD-MN	$73,320	$35.25	150	0.8
Rapid City, SD	$73,310	$35.25	50	0.6
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT	$72,750	$34.98	60	0.1
Reno, NV	$70,450	$33.87	30	0.1
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$69,880	$33.60	Not published	Not published
Lexington-Fayette, KY	$67,340	$32.38	80	0.3
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO	$67,330	$32.37	220	1.3
Memphis, TN-MS-AR	$66,450	$31.95	30	0.1
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI	$66,200	$31.83	130	0.2
Manhattan, KS	$66,100	$31.78	60	1.2
Lansing-East Lansing, MI	$65,390	$31.44	220	1.0
Fargo, ND-MN	$65,320	$31.41	230	1.5
Appleton, WI	$65,290	$31.39	30	0.3
Kansas City, MO-KS	$65,190	$31.34	120	0.1
Ames, IA	$65,080	$31.29	130	2.4
Champaign-Urbana, IL	$64,460	$30.99	90	0.9
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$64,070	$30.80	150	0.1
Bozeman, MT	$64,010	$30.78	60	0.8
Lincoln, NE	$63,760	$30.65	100	0.5
Auburn-Opelika, AL	$61,840	$29.73	40	0.5
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$61,610	$29.62	120	0.0
Columbus, OH	$60,970	$29.31	50	0.0
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT	$59,900	$28.80	50	0.1
Cleveland, OH	$58,220	$27.99	80	0.1
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	$57,840	$27.81	40	0.0
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI	$57,160	$27.48	50	0.1
Green Bay, WI	$56,770	$27.29	30	0.2
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	$56,470	$27.15	30	0.0
Knoxville, TN	$51,110	$24.57	120	0.3
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	$50,160	$24.12	60	0.1
San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR	$38,200	$18.36	130	0.2
Tulsa, OK	$37,830	$18.19	40	0.1
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX	Not published	Not published	190	0.1
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	Not published	Not published	130	0.0
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	Not published	Not published	120	0.1
Toledo, OH	Not published	Not published	40	0.1
Twin Falls, ID	Not published	Not published	40	0.7

About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.