SOC 19-1013 · Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
Soil and Plant Scientists wages by metro
National median annual wage
$78,850
- 10th percentile
- $48,680
- 25th percentile
- $61,660
- Median
- $78,850
- 75th percentile
- $103,740
- 90th percentile
- $138,120
- Mean
- $87,720
Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.
National employment in May 2025: 15,730.
That median is 54.7% higher than the all-occupations national median of $50,980.
The metro and state figures below are the same May 2025 release. A blank wage means BLS did not publish it. See when a wage is not published.
Highest published medians
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 430 | $74,250 | $132,290 | $171,530 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 70 | $58,050 | $116,660 | $179,120 |
| Salinas, CA | 30 | $52,850 | $115,910 | $168,110 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 140 | $77,130 | $108,200 | $170,710 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 30 | $44,440 | $106,410 | $125,250 |
| Napa, CA | 70 | $48,590 | $104,120 | $131,340 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 100 | $58,360 | $103,740 | $103,740 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 50 | $44,520 | $101,660 | $139,240 |
| Fresno, CA | 90 | $47,710 | $100,050 | $141,840 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | 40 | $71,290 | $99,110 | $149,430 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 190 | $66,570 | $98,340 | $148,140 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | Not available | $57,310 | $96,480 | $147,740 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 230 | $63,250 | $95,870 | $170,980 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 40 | $33,200 | $94,980 | $171,320 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 250 | $63,490 | $94,940 | $133,560 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 70 | $43,830 | $94,900 | $144,760 |
| Salem, OR | 110 | $59,780 | $93,620 | $113,350 |
| Boise City, ID | 290 | $59,460 | $90,610 | $163,220 |
| New Haven, CT | 90 | $55,120 | $87,110 | $132,670 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 70 | $39,990 | $86,570 | $134,320 |
Where employment is largest
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 430 | $74,250 | $132,290 | $171,530 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 400 | $50,490 | $79,610 | $126,600 |
| Boise City, ID | 290 | $59,460 | $90,610 | $163,220 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 250 | $63,490 | $94,940 | $133,560 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 240 | $44,700 | $80,360 | $135,250 |
| Fargo, ND-MN | 230 | $53,590 | $65,320 | $104,400 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 230 | $63,250 | $95,870 | $170,980 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | 220 | $52,420 | $67,330 | $289,660 |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | 220 | $57,360 | $65,390 | $82,870 |
| Madison, WI | 220 | $53,760 | $73,510 | $98,070 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 200 | $49,820 | $82,490 | $124,180 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 190 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 190 | $66,570 | $98,340 | $148,140 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 180 | $40,250 | $82,510 | $124,900 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 170 | $60,170 | $84,740 | $134,230 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | 160 | $54,920 | $78,020 | $132,970 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 150 | $41,070 | $64,070 | $107,620 |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | 150 | $51,980 | $73,320 | $141,230 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 140 | $49,920 | $86,330 | $133,190 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 140 | $77,130 | $108,200 | $170,710 |
States and territories
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 60 | $79,230 | $107,140 | $156,750 |
| Florida | 270 | $48,940 | $103,240 | $125,250 |
| Alaska | 30 | $73,690 | $100,320 | $167,160 |
| Iowa | 960 | $56,270 | $96,310 | $170,820 |
| Idaho | 540 | $58,440 | $95,150 | $167,960 |
| New Jersey | 130 | $51,420 | $91,970 | $128,920 |
| California | 1,440 | $49,350 | $91,930 | $154,830 |
| Oregon | 620 | $63,960 | $85,150 | $117,000 |
| Maryland | 200 | $53,630 | $85,020 | $173,440 |
| Hawaii | 60 | $57,000 | $84,390 | $117,350 |
| Arizona | 270 | $40,250 | $83,840 | $124,900 |
| Indiana | 440 | $57,000 | $80,030 | $154,990 |
| Washington | 520 | $63,210 | $79,970 | $131,220 |
| Minnesota | 750 | $50,490 | $79,610 | $136,160 |
| Illinois | 820 | $48,160 | $79,490 | $141,510 |
| South Carolina | 90 | $37,900 | $78,850 | $108,890 |
| Maine | 30 | $49,480 | $78,250 | $128,760 |
| New York | 260 | $58,610 | $77,800 | $134,230 |
| Nebraska | 640 | $40,030 | $77,500 | $121,060 |
| North Carolina | 570 | $47,430 | $76,330 | $136,830 |
| Missouri | 220 | $46,710 | $76,080 | $135,760 |
| Colorado | 460 | $52,420 | $75,430 | $288,300 |
| Montana | 230 | $58,290 | $73,920 | $105,580 |
| Virginia | 140 | $51,040 | $73,920 | $113,860 |
| South Dakota | 480 | $51,980 | $73,590 | $120,970 |
| Mississippi | 100 | $45,880 | $72,690 | $153,570 |
| Nevada | 90 | $50,000 | $71,450 | $114,990 |
| Pennsylvania | 200 | $46,750 | $70,550 | $124,560 |
| Massachusetts | Not available | $63,110 | $69,880 | $89,830 |
| New Mexico | 90 | $52,240 | $69,480 | $102,860 |
| Connecticut | 200 | $56,970 | $67,630 | $130,820 |
| Kentucky | 140 | $57,090 | $67,340 | $107,010 |
| Wisconsin | 680 | $44,620 | $66,200 | $89,190 |
| Kansas | 380 | $35,220 | $65,670 | $129,130 |
| Michigan | 570 | $50,640 | $65,390 | $130,100 |
| North Dakota | 410 | $53,590 | $65,320 | $117,010 |
| Delaware | 60 | $59,500 | $65,310 | $107,620 |
| Georgia | 210 | $46,630 | $65,170 | $123,040 |
| Oklahoma | 100 | $35,550 | $63,910 | $106,380 |
| Alabama | 110 | $27,270 | $63,010 | $146,810 |
| Tennessee | 370 | $45,510 | $61,950 | $103,620 |
| Louisiana | 170 | $35,360 | $60,200 | $106,150 |
| Utah | 90 | $39,480 | $59,900 | $100,420 |
| Vermont | Not available | $58,190 | $58,220 | $78,690 |
| Ohio | 320 | $39,150 | $56,820 | $103,400 |
| Wyoming | 50 | $49,150 | $55,680 | $103,380 |
| Puerto Rico | 140 | $38,020 | $38,980 | $53,300 |
| Arkansas | 110 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Texas | 500 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
Other life, physical, and social science occupations
- Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
- Chemists
- Clinical and Counseling Psychologists
- Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other
- Biological Technicians
- School Psychologists
Questions this page answers
What is the national median wage for Soil and Plant Scientists?
In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, the national median annual wage for Soil and Plant Scientists is $78,850. Employment is 15,730.
How does Soil and Plant Scientists pay compare with all occupations?
The national median for Soil and Plant Scientists is 54.7% higher than the all-occupations median of $50,980.
Which metro has the highest published median for Soil and Plant Scientists?
Among metros with a published annual median in the May 2025 tables, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is highest on this page's list at $132,290.