Soil and Plant Scientists Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for soil and plant scientists is $78,850, or $37.91 per hour. About 15,730 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $107,140 in District of Columbia to $55,680 in Wyoming.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 46 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $107,140 | $51.51 | 60 | 0.79 |
| 2 | Florida | $103,240 | $49.64 | 270 | 0.27 |
| 3 | Alaska | $100,320 | $48.23 | 30 | 0.92 |
| 4 | Iowa | $96,310 | $46.30 | 960 | 6.07 |
| 5 | Idaho | $95,150 | $45.75 | 540 | 6.19 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $91,970 | $44.22 | 130 | 0.30 |
| 7 | California | $91,930 | $44.20 | 1,440 | 0.78 |
| 8 | Oregon | $85,150 | $40.94 | 620 | 3.12 |
| 9 | Maryland | $85,020 | $40.87 | 200 | 0.70 |
| 10 | Hawaii | $84,390 | $40.57 | 60 | 0.99 |
| 11 | Arizona | $83,840 | $40.31 | 270 | 0.83 |
| 12 | Indiana | $80,030 | $38.48 | 440 | 1.36 |
| 13 | Washington | $79,970 | $38.45 | 520 | 1.43 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $79,610 | $38.28 | 750 | 2.50 |
| 15 | Illinois | $79,490 | $38.21 | 820 | 1.33 |
| 16 | South Carolina | $78,850 | $37.91 | 90 | 0.40 |
| 17 | Maine | $78,250 | $37.62 | 30 | 0.51 |
| 18 | New York | $77,800 | $37.41 | 260 | 0.26 |
| 19 | Nebraska | $77,500 | $37.26 | 640 | 6.18 |
| 20 | North Carolina | $76,330 | $36.70 | 570 | 1.14 |
| 21 | Missouri | $76,080 | $36.58 | 220 | 0.74 |
| 22 | Colorado | $75,430 | $36.26 | 460 | 1.57 |
| 23 | Virginia | $73,920 | $35.54 | 140 | 0.33 |
| 24 | Montana | $73,920 | $35.54 | 230 | 4.43 |
| 25 | South Dakota | $73,590 | $35.38 | 480 | 10.32 |
| 26 | Mississippi | $72,690 | $34.95 | 100 | 0.81 |
| 27 | Nevada | $71,450 | $34.35 | 90 | 0.56 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $70,550 | $33.92 | 200 | 0.33 |
| 29 | Massachusetts | $69,880 | $33.59 | — | — |
| 30 | New Mexico | $69,480 | $33.41 | 90 | 1.01 |
| 31 | Connecticut | $67,630 | $32.52 | 200 | 1.17 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $67,340 | $32.38 | 140 | 0.67 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $66,200 | $31.83 | 680 | 2.27 |
| 34 | Kansas | $65,670 | $31.57 | 380 | 2.64 |
| 35 | Michigan | $65,390 | $31.44 | 570 | 1.28 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $65,320 | $31.41 | 410 | 9.50 |
| 37 | Delaware | $65,310 | $31.40 | 60 | 1.21 |
| 38 | Georgia | $65,170 | $31.33 | 210 | 0.43 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $63,910 | $30.72 | 100 | 0.60 |
| 40 | Alabama | $63,010 | $30.29 | 110 | 0.52 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $61,950 | $29.78 | 370 | 1.13 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $60,200 | $28.94 | 170 | 0.88 |
| 43 | Utah | $59,900 | $28.80 | 90 | 0.50 |
| 44 | Vermont | $58,220 | $27.99 | — | — |
| 45 | Ohio | $56,820 | $27.32 | 320 | 0.58 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $55,680 | $26.77 | 50 | 1.82 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do soil and plant scientists make?
The median annual wage for soil and plant scientists in the United States is $78,850, or $37.91 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $48,680, and the top 10% earn $138,120.
How many soil and plant scientists are employed in the U.S.?
About 15,730 people work as soil and plant scientists nationwide.
Which state pays soil and plant scientists the most?
District of Columbia pays the most at a median of $107,140, followed by Florida ($103,240) and Alaska ($100,320).
Which state pays soil and plant scientists the least?
Wyoming has the lowest median at $55,680.
Where are soil and plant scientists jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is South Dakota at 10.32×.