Soil and Plant Scientist salary
From 613 certified H-1B filings (FY2025–FY2026). Base salary only.
- Occupation code 19-1013: Soil and Plant Scientists
- Also filed as: Agronomist
At a glance
- Mostly Level I (entry-level). 39% of Soil and Plant Scientist filings are Level I, compared with 19% across all H-1B filings.
- Top filer: Bayer Research and Development Services. 25 filings (4% of the total), median $115,000.
- Median up 31% since FY2020. From $55,000 in FY2020 to $72,100 in FY2026 (Q1–Q3). Nominal, not adjusted for inflation.
Soil and Plant Scientist H-1B salary overview
Employers filed 613 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for Soil and Plant Scientist jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 19-1013, Soil and Plant Scientists). The median base salary is $68,474, 44% below the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $60,000 and $85,673. The most common wage level is Level I (entry-level), at 39% of filings. St. Louis, MO has the most filings (31), and Bayer Research and Development Services is the employer that files the most (25).
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Percentiles from certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Metro areas with at least 10 filings.
Top employers for Soil and Plant Scientist
Michigan State University25 filings · 4%$63,835
University of California, Davis24 filings · 4%$78,141
Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska22 filings · 4%$56,000
Texas A&M AgriLife Research20 filings · 3%$58,060
Purdue University18 filings · 3%$58,383
Oregon State University17 filings · 3%$62,652
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center16 filings · 3%$61,964
North Carolina State University16 filings · 3%$62,429
North Dakota State University16 filings · 3%$59,500
Employers with the most Soil and Plant Scientist filings. Bar: share of all Soil and Plant Scientist filings. Figure: median base salary.
Pay by level
Entry-level · 39% of filings
Mid-level · 28% of filings
Senior · 21% of filings
Expert · 12% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | $58,656 | 209 |
| Level II · Qualified | $65,209 | 153 |
| Level III · Experienced | $85,000 | 112 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | $108,896 | 64 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Soil and Plant Scientist pay by city
Median base salary in each metro area. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027.
Show all 16 metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO | $80,593 | 31 |
| Sacramento, CA | $81,164 | 28 |
| Lansing, MI | $63,835 | 25 |
| Lafayette, IN | $59,767 | 19 |
| Lincoln, NE | $55,000 | 19 |
| Corvallis, OR | $63,498 | 16 |
| Ames, IA | $59,159 | 15 |
| Raleigh, NC | $62,858 | 15 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $68,540 | 14 |
| Columbia, MO | $58,200 | 12 |
| Houston, TX | $60,000 | 12 |
| Champaign, IL | $66,000 | 11 |
| Fargo, ND | $56,000 | 11 |
| Ithaca, NY | $62,232 | 11 |
| Knoxville, TN | $87,997 | 10 |
| Riverside, CA | $80,093 | 10 |
Metro areas with at least 10 filings for this occupation.
What a Soil and Plant Scientist does
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.
Typical tasks
- Communicate research or project results to other professionals or the public or teach related courses, seminars, or workshops.
- Develop methods of conserving or managing soil that can be applied by farmers or forestry companies.
- Provide information or recommendations to farmers or other landowners regarding ways in which they can best use land, promote plant growth, or avoid or correct problems such as erosion.
- Conduct experiments to develop new or improved varieties of field crops, focusing on characteristics such as yield, quality, disease resistance, nutritional value, or adaptation to specific soils or climates.
- Investigate soil problems or poor water quality to determine sources and effects.
- Investigate responses of soils to specific management practices to determine the use capabilities of soils and the effects of alternative practices on soil productivity.
Preparation
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
O*NET occupation: Soil and Plant Scientists (19-1013.00). This section includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
H-1B pay vs. all U.S. workers
Across all U.S. workers in this occupation (Soil and Plant Scientists), the median annual wage was $78,850 in May 2025, with 15,730 people employed. The median H-1B base salary in FY2025–FY2026 is $68,474, 13% lower.
| H-1B filings | All U.S. workers (BLS, May 2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $53,997 | $48,680 |
| 25th percentile | $60,000 | $61,660 |
| Median | $68,474 | $78,850 |
| 75th percentile | $85,673 | $103,740 |
| 90th percentile | $106,228 | $138,120 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). BLS wages cover all wage and salary workers and include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are the base salary offered on certified LCAs. The two sources cover different periods. BLS reports wages of $239,200 or more as a single top value.
Salary details
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $53,997 |
| 25th | $60,000 |
| 50th (median) | $68,474 |
| 75th | $85,673 |
| 90th | $106,228 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $55,000 | $49,882 | $67,505 | 340 |
| FY2021 | $55,000 | $50,000 | $70,000 | 332 |
| FY2022 | $60,000 | $51,649 | $71,400 | 307 |
| FY2023 | $60,000 | $53,000 | $80,000 | 344 |
| FY2024 | $64,938 | $55,000 | $78,852 | 354 |
| FY2025 | $65,002 | $58,656 | $83,000 | 344 |
| FY2026 | $72,100 | $61,884 | $89,383 | 269 |
Questions
How much does an H-1B Soil and Plant Scientist make?
The median base salary in certified H-1B filings for Soil and Plant Scientist jobs is $68,474 (613 filings, FY2025–FY2026). Half of the filings are between $60,000 and $85,673.
What does an entry-level Soil and Plant Scientist earn on an H-1B?
Level I (entry-level) filings have a median of $58,656. Level I accounts for 39% of Soil and Plant Scientist filings.
Which employers file the most H-1B applications for Soil and Plant Scientists?
Bayer Research and Development Services (25), Michigan State University (25) and University of California, Davis (24) filed the most Soil and Plant Scientist LCAs in FY2025–FY2026.
Do H-1B Soil and Plant Scientists earn more than other U.S. workers in the same job?
The H-1B median base salary ($68,474) is 13% lower than the median wage of all U.S. workers in this occupation ($78,850, BLS May 2025). The sources measure pay differently, so treat this as a rough comparison.