19-1013

Soil and Plant Scientists

Role 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.

Recommended Majors

Agriculture, General. Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture. Viticulture and Enology. Plant Sciences, General. Agronomy and Crop Science. Horticultural Science. Agricultural and Horticultural Plant Breeding. Plant Protection and Integrated Pest Management. Range Science and Management. Plant Sciences, Other. Soil Science and Agronomy, General. Soil Chemistry and Physics. Soil Microbiology. Soil Sciences, Other. Botany/Plant Biology. Plant Pathology/Phytopathology. Plant Physiology. Plant Molecular Biology. Botany/Plant Biology, Other.

Related Careers

Agricultural and Food Science Technicians Agricultural and Food Scientists Agricultural Technicians Animal Scientists Anthropologists and Archeologists Astronomers

Salary by State (top paying)

State	Median salary
District of Columbia	$100,820
Idaho	$90,400
Maine	$88,300
Connecticut	$88,040
New Jersey	$85,020
Arkansas	$84,510
Washington	$82,360
California	$80,960
Indiana	$79,820
Mississippi	$79,790
Oregon	$79,460
Ohio	$79,220
Florida	$77,970
Wyoming	$77,500
Nevada	$76,940

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for this career?

Projected growth and annual openings are from BLS Employment Projections. Use the sidebar for median salary and growth rate.

How does salary vary by state?

See the Salary by State table above for state-level median wages from OEWS data.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), BLS Employment Projections.

Median Annual Salary

$71,410

Projected Growth (10yr)

+5.4%

Avg. annual openings

1.7k

Market Insight

Explore salary and growth data to understand demand and earning potential for this role.