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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

19-1013 Soil and Plant Scientists

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.


National estimates for Soil and Plant Scientists
Industry profile for Soil and Plant Scientists
Geographic profile for Soil and Plant Scientists

National estimates for Soil and Plant Scientists:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Soil and Plant Scientists:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
16,010 5.6 % $ 36.73 $ 76,410 11.9 %

Percentile wage estimates for Soil and Plant Scientists:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 18.52 $ 24.15 $ 31.60 $ 45.33 $ 59.36
Annual Wage (2) $ 38,520 $ 50,220 $ 65,730 $ 94,290 $ 123,480


Industry profile for Soil and Plant Scientists:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Soil and Plant Scientists are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Soil and Plant Scientists, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Soil and Plant Scientists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 2,570 0.30 $ 43.21 $ 89,870
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 2,510 0.14 (8) (8)
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 2,150 0.07 $ 29.82 $ 62,020
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 1,190 0.06 $ 43.37 $ 90,210
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) 1,150 0.21 $ 38.06 $ 79,170

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Soil and Plant Scientists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers 460 0.66 $ 35.12 $ 73,050
Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions 510 0.33 $ 26.99 $ 56,140
Scientific Research and Development Services 2,570 0.30 $ 43.21 $ 89,870
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) 1,150 0.21 $ 38.06 $ 79,170
Support Activities for Crop Production 540 0.16 $ 38.84 $ 80,790

Top paying industries for Soil and Plant Scientists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) 30 (7) $ 55.35 $ 115,120
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 50 0.01 $ 50.52 $ 105,070
Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) 210 0.06 $ 48.03 $ 99,900
Management of Companies and Enterprises 220 0.01 $ 46.24 $ 96,170
Animal Food Manufacturing 40 0.06 $ 45.30 $ 94,230


Geographic profile for Soil and Plant Scientists:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Soil and Plant Scientists are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Soil and Plant Scientists, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of soil and plant scientists by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Soil and Plant Scientists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Carolina 1,780 0.38 3.54 $ 38.19 $ 79,440
Iowa 1,150 0.75 6.96 $ 39.87 $ 82,940
Washington 690 0.20 1.86 $ 35.10 $ 73,010
Nebraska 660 0.68 6.32 $ 35.31 $ 73,440
Michigan 630 0.15 1.37 $ 27.26 $ 56,690


Map of location quotient of soil and plant scientists by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Soil and Plant Scientists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Dakota 370 0.92 8.48 $ 33.81 $ 70,320
Iowa 1,150 0.75 6.96 $ 39.87 $ 82,940
South Dakota 330 0.75 6.92 $ 30.92 $ 64,310
Nebraska 660 0.68 6.32 $ 35.31 $ 73,440
Montana 270 0.55 5.08 $ 36.35 $ 75,600


Map of annual mean wages of soil and plant scientists by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Soil and Plant Scientists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 70 0.10 0.91 $ 45.72 $ 95,090
Louisiana 60 0.03 0.30 $ 45.37 $ 94,370
Maryland 210 0.08 0.75 $ 44.96 $ 93,510
Alabama 160 0.08 0.73 $ 43.73 $ 90,970
Mississippi 90 0.08 0.75 $ 42.59 $ 88,590



Map of employment of soil and plant scientists by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Soil and Plant Scientists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Raleigh, NC 530 0.79 7.28 $ 48.12 $ 100,080
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 410 0.14 1.25 $ 36.70 $ 76,340
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 370 0.99 9.16 $ 44.68 $ 92,940
St. Louis, MO-IL 290 0.22 2.03 $ 38.40 $ 79,880
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 280 0.06 0.59 $ 33.40 $ 69,470
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 270 0.14 1.30 $ 32.07 $ 66,710
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 250 0.12 1.15 $ 35.40 $ 73,630
Ames, IA 220 4.71 43.50 $ 32.31 $ 67,210
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 210 0.65 6.01 $ 55.68 $ 115,810
Fargo, ND-MN 200 1.40 12.95 $ 31.98 $ 66,530


Map of location quotient of soil and plant scientists by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Soil and Plant Scientists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Ames, IA 220 4.71 43.50 $ 32.31 $ 67,210
Corvallis, OR 50 1.46 13.46 $ 42.82 $ 89,070
Fargo, ND-MN 200 1.40 12.95 $ 31.98 $ 66,530
Manhattan, KS 40 1.09 10.07 $ 27.83 $ 57,890
Fort Collins, CO 180 1.07 9.87 $ 34.02 $ 70,760
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 370 0.99 9.16 $ 44.68 $ 92,940
Champaign-Urbana, IL 100 0.95 8.81 $ 34.08 $ 70,890
Idaho Falls, ID 70 0.93 8.61 $ 33.48 $ 69,630
Wilmington, NC 110 0.83 7.69 $ 54.60 $ 113,580
Salem, OR 140 0.82 7.58 $ 39.29 $ 81,720


Map of annual mean wages of soil and plant scientists by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Soil and Plant Scientists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 210 0.65 6.01 $ 55.68 $ 115,810
Wilmington, NC 110 0.83 7.69 $ 54.60 $ 113,580
Raleigh, NC 530 0.79 7.28 $ 48.12 $ 100,080
Salinas, CA 30 0.18 1.68 $ 47.47 $ 98,740
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL 40 0.12 1.14 $ 46.60 $ 96,930
Birmingham-Hoover, AL 30 0.07 0.64 $ 45.56 $ 94,770
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 370 0.99 9.16 $ 44.68 $ 92,940
Fresno, CA 50 0.13 1.20 $ 44.40 $ 92,350
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 130 0.05 0.45 $ 43.81 $ 91,120
Corvallis, OR 50 1.46 13.46 $ 42.82 $ 89,070

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Soil and Plant Scientists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 220 1.52 14.04 $ 35.75 $ 74,370
East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 190 1.48 13.66 $ 29.94 $ 62,260
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 160 0.78 7.16 $ 46.47 $ 96,660
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area 150 1.53 14.17 $ 31.91 $ 66,360
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 140 0.38 3.47 $ 35.52 $ 73,890

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Soil and Plant Scientists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 110 1.85 17.06 $ 35.28 $ 73,370
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area 150 1.53 14.17 $ 31.91 $ 66,360
South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 220 1.52 14.04 $ 35.75 $ 74,370
East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 190 1.48 13.66 $ 29.94 $ 62,260
East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area 80 1.28 11.79 $ 42.32 $ 88,030

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Soil and Plant Scientists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 160 0.78 7.16 $ 46.47 $ 96,660
Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area 40 0.42 3.84 $ 45.51 $ 94,660
East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area 80 1.28 11.79 $ 42.32 $ 88,030
Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 70 0.76 6.98 $ 41.76 $ 86,860
Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area 40 0.50 4.62 $ 38.21 $ 79,480


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023