Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2011

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 this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
11,860 3.1 % $30.72 $63,890 0.7 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $17.28 $22.05 $28.34 $36.38 $48.62
Annual Wage (2) $35,950 $45,860 $58,940 $75,670 $101,120


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

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

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 2,380 0.38 $33.38 $69,430
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 1,960 0.07 $25.55 $53,140
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 1,610 0.08 $37.70 $78,420
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 1,320 0.12 $28.24 $58,750
Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers 990 0.30 $31.04 $64,560

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 2,380 0.38 $33.38 $69,430
Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers 990 0.30 $31.04 $64,560
Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers 110 0.15 $30.99 $64,470
Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions 150 0.12 $27.29 $56,760
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 1,320 0.12 $28.24 $58,750

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Management of Companies and Enterprises 340 0.02 $42.73 $88,890
Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing 40 0.11 $37.95 $78,940
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 1,610 0.08 $37.70 $78,420
Support Activities for Crop Production 220 0.07 $33.83 $70,360
Scientific Research and Development Services 2,380 0.38 $33.38 $69,430


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

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





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 1,580 0.11 1.21 $35.39 $73,620
Iowa 1,360 0.94 10.13 $31.57 $65,660
North Carolina 850 0.22 2.42 $34.22 $71,190
Illinois 710 0.13 1.38 $29.48 $61,310
Oregon 560 0.35 3.78 $27.45 $57,090




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Iowa 1,360 0.94 10.13 $31.57 $65,660
South Dakota 340 0.87 9.36 $27.26 $56,700
Montana 340 0.81 8.75 $25.29 $52,600
North Dakota 140 0.38 4.07 $27.10 $56,360
Nebraska 350 0.38 4.15 $27.49 $57,190




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Maryland 160 0.07 0.71 $42.67 $88,740
Connecticut 80 0.05 0.51 $37.48 $77,950
Mississippi 100 0.10 1.05 $35.99 $74,850
New Jersey 90 0.02 0.25 $35.56 $73,960
California 1,580 0.11 1.21 $35.39 $73,620





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 240 0.24 2.65 $27.04 $56,240
Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Metropolitan Division 220 0.24 2.55 $34.69 $72,150
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 220 0.83 9.01 $29.33 $61,010
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 210 0.09 0.97 $44.08 $91,700
Raleigh-Cary, NC 180 0.37 3.99 $37.73 $78,480
San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division 180 0.19 2.00 $37.82 $78,670
Madison, WI 170 0.53 5.70 $25.52 $53,080
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 170 0.05 0.52 $30.51 $63,450
Greensboro-High Point, NC 170 0.50 5.43 $46.32 $96,350
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 160 0.10 1.03 $38.55 $80,180




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Auburn-Opelika, AL 70 1.59 17.25 $35.94 $74,760
Ames, IA 60 1.47 15.89 $30.52 $63,480
Lafayette, IN 100 1.23 13.25 $24.82 $51,620
Champaign-Urbana, IL 90 0.99 10.75 $35.10 $73,010
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO 120 0.94 10.22 $24.82 $51,620
Salinas, CA 140 0.92 9.98 $38.85 $80,820
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 220 0.83 9.01 $29.33 $61,010
Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, WA 80 0.80 8.64 $28.60 $59,480
Gainesville, FL 90 0.75 8.11 $21.45 $44,610
Napa, CA 40 0.59 6.33 $40.99 $85,250




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Greensboro-High Point, NC 170 0.50 5.43 $46.32 $96,350
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 210 0.09 0.97 $44.08 $91,700
Napa, CA 40 0.59 6.33 $40.99 $85,250
New Haven, CT 50 0.19 2.05 $39.52 $82,200
Salinas, CA 140 0.92 9.98 $38.85 $80,820
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 160 0.10 1.03 $38.55 $80,180
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 40 0.03 0.36 $37.90 $78,830
San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division 180 0.19 2.00 $37.82 $78,670
Raleigh-Cary, NC 180 0.37 3.99 $37.73 $78,480
Bethesda-Rockville-Frederick, MD Metropolitan Division (8) (8) (8) $37.01 $76,990

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Eastern South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 210 1.74 18.78 $25.35 $52,720
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 160 0.41 4.47 $27.06 $56,290
Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area 110 0.79 8.52 $24.95 $51,900
Southeastern Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 110 2.30 24.89 $23.16 $48,160
Central Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 80 0.76 8.26 $23.06 $47,970

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southeastern Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 110 2.30 24.89 $23.16 $48,160
Eastern South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 210 1.74 18.78 $25.35 $52,720
Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area 110 0.79 8.52 $24.95 $51,900
Central Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 80 0.76 8.26 $23.06 $47,970
Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area 60 0.68 7.38 $30.08 $62,570

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northwest Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 60 0.55 5.91 $34.76 $72,310
Northeastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $33.63 $69,940
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $32.30 $67,180
Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 40 0.35 3.83 $31.46 $65,440
Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 70 0.55 5.91 $31.37 $65,250


About May 2011 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 mean 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.

(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 OES estimates and related information:

May 2011 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order

List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order

Download May 2011 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped XLS files

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 27, 2012