Careers / Soil and Plant Scientists
Soil and Plant Scientists — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
Opens your browser print dialog — choose “Save as PDF”.
Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$78,850
United States, 2025
Employment
15,730
United States, 2025
Typical education
Master's Degree
Job Zone 5
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
Conduct research in breeding, physiology, production, yield, and management of crops and agricultural plants or trees, shrubs, and nursery stock, their growth in soils, and control of pests; or study the chemical, physical, biological, and mineralogical composition of soils as they relate to plant or crop growth. May classify and map soils and investigate effects of alternative practices on soil and crop productivity.
- O*NET code
- 19-1013.00
- Job zone
- 5
- Experience required
- Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
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.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$48,680
25th percentile
$61,660
75th percentile
$103,740
90th percentile
$138,120
Most important skills
- Science4.0
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Active Learning4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Writing3.9
- Complex Problem Solving3.9
- Active Listening3.9
- Judgment and Decision Making3.8
- Systems Evaluation3.5
- Systems Analysis3.5
- Monitoring3.3
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 19 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
19
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 | 5.0 | Not selected | 5.0 |
| Science | 4.0 | 4.9 | Not selected | 4.9 |
| Speaking | 4.0 | 4.6 | Not selected | 4.6 |
| Active Learning | 4.0 | 4.5 | Not selected | 4.5 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 | 4.4 | Not selected | 4.4 |
| Writing | 3.9 | 4.4 | Not selected | 4.4 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.9 | 4.3 | Not selected | 4.3 |
| Active Listening | 3.9 | 4.1 | Not selected | 4.1 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.8 | 4.3 | Not selected | 4.3 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.5 | 3.9 | Not selected | 3.9 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.5 | 3.9 | Not selected | 3.9 |
| Monitoring | 3.3 | 4.1 | Not selected | 4.1 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.3 | 3.9 | Not selected | 3.9 |
| Mathematics | 3.3 | 3.9 | Not selected | 3.9 |
| Operations Analysis | 3.0 | 3.8 | Not selected | 3.8 |
| Instructing | 3.1 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
Related careers
Supplemental
National median $88,720
Compare with Soil and Plant ScientistsSupplemental
National median $55,090
Compare with Soil and Plant ScientistsSupplemental
National median $82,220
Compare with Soil and Plant ScientistsSupplemental
National median $89,900
Compare with Soil and Plant ScientistsSupplemental
National median $54,560
Compare with Soil and Plant ScientistsSupplemental
National median $35,660
Compare with Soil and Plant ScientistsHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines, IA | $132,290 | 430 | 2025 |
| San Jose, CA | $116,660 | 70 | 2025 |
| Salinas, CA | $115,910 | 30 | 2025 |
| San Francisco, CA | $108,200 | 140 | 2025 |
| DC | $107,140 | 60 | 2025 |
| Orlando, FL | $106,410 | 30 | 2025 |
| Napa, CA | $104,120 | 70 | 2025 |
| Miami, FL | $103,740 | 100 | 2025 |
| FL | $103,240 | 270 | 2025 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $101,660 | 50 | 2025 |
| AK | $100,320 | 30 | 2025 |
| Fresno, CA | $100,050 | 90 | 2025 |
| Kennewick, WA | $99,110 | 40 | 2025 |
| Sacramento, CA | $98,340 | 190 | 2025 |
| Oxnard, CA | $96,480 | — | 2025 |
| IA | $96,310 | 960 | 2025 |
| Washington, DC | $95,870 | 230 | 2025 |
| ID | $95,150 | 540 | 2025 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $94,980 | 40 | 2025 |
| Portland, OR | $94,940 | 250 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Soil and Plant Scientists to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.