How to Become a Soil / Plant Scientist
Research how crops and plants grow and how to keep soil productive, for farms, industry and the environment. It typically requires a bachelor's degree, with a median salary of $78,850 per year and faster than average projected job growth.
Median pay
$78,850/yr
Middle half
$61,660 to $103,740
Job growth
Faster than average
Openings / yr
1,700
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Research
- Lab Techniques
- Data Analysis
- Agronomy
Related careers
- Geologist$101,920 median
- Farmer / Agricultural Manager$89,900 median
- Environmental Scientist$82,220 median
- Forester$76,400 median
- Forest / Conservation Technician$54,560 median
- Agricultural Technician$49,630 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Soil / Plant Scientist make?
The median pay for a Soil / Plant Scientist is $78,850 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $61,660 and $103,740 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become a Soil / Plant Scientist?
The usual entry point is a bachelor's degree. Common majors are Horticulture and Plant Science, Landscape Architecture, Environmental Science, and Agricultural Business.
Is Soil / Plant Scientist a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is faster than average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 1,700 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does a Soil / Plant Scientist use most?
Common skills for this role are Research, Lab Techniques, Data Analysis, and Agronomy.
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).