Soil and Plant Scientists salarymedian $78,850 · percentiles · top pay · projected pay in 10 years

United States Engineering & Science Confidence ★★★★★

Median annual pay
$78,850
25th–75th pct. $61,660–$103,740
Top pay (est.)
$179,600
Top 10% $138,120
Pay in 5 years
$90,800est.
2031
Pay in 10 years
$104,600est.
$89,900–$121,400
Outlook score
64/100
★★★☆☆ Average
AI replacement risk
59%
Moderate
Job growth (10 yr)
+6.7%
1,400 openings / yr

Soil and Plant Scientists salary

The median annual wage for soil and plant scientists is $78,850 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $48,680 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $138,120. The mean annual wage is $87,720.

Median
$78,850
Mean
$87,720
10th percentile
$48,680
Entry level
25th percentile
$61,660
75th percentile
$103,740
90th percentile
$138,120
Top earners
Mean hourly wage
$42.00
5.8× the federal minimum ($7.25)
In Japanese yen
¥12.40M
≈ at 157.25 JPY/USD

The mean hourly wage of $42.00 is 5.8× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →

How does your pay compare with people your age?

Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).

Pay by percentile

Entry level (10th pct.)
$48,680
Early career (25th pct.)
$61,660
Mid career (median)
$78,850
Experienced (75th pct.)
$103,740
Top earners (90th pct.)
$138,120

Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.

How median, percentiles and the pay range are defined →

Projected pay for Soil and Plant Scientists (3, 5 and 10 years)est.

Today $78,850 → in 3 years $85,800 → in 5 years $90,800 → in 10 years $104,600 (10-year range $89,900–$121,400). The model assumes pay growth of +2.9% per year.

$78,850
Now
2026
$85,800
In 3 yrs
2029
$79,200–$93,400
$90,800
In 5 yrs
2031
$81,800–$101,100
$104,600
In 10 yrs
2036
$89,900–$121,400

What drives the annual growth rate

Base wage growth +3.0%Labor demand +0.14%AI impact -0.27%Total +2.9% / yr

Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →

The same job in Japan

Soil and Plant Scientists
United States
植物工場の研究開発
Japan
Median / average pay$78,850¥6.12M
≈ $38,915
Pay in 10 years (est.)$104,600¥7.87M
Outlook score6461
AI replacement risk59% Moderate35% Low
Workers16K—

Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.

Pay and employment figures are national statistics. Projected pay, outlook scores and AI replacement risk are estimates from the Shigoto Zukan model, not guarantees. To request a correction, use the contact form. How to read the data
Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35; O*NET 31.0 Database by USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0), modified by Shigoto Zukan. Pay ranges, projections and scores are Shigoto Zukan estimates.