As of May 01, 2026, the average hourly rate for a Soil Scientist in the United States is $39, which translates to an annual salary of about $81,623.
However, the hourly wage can vary significantly based on several factors. Here’s a detailed look at the typical pay range per hour:
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2025 Compensation Trend
AI-Powered HR
AI-Powered Talent
A Soil Scientist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Soil Scientists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Demanded Skills for the Role:
| Skills | Demand Percentage |
|---|---|
| Analysis | 16.67% |
| Geology | 6.67% |
| Environmental Health | 3.33% |
Understanding how a Soil Scientist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Last Updated on May 01, 2026
If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.
Compensation PlanningReady to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Soil Scientist job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
Get a Salary Increase
Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.
Search Job Openings
Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.
Adjust Employee Salary
Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.
Price My Industry Jobs
Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.
Studies, investigates, and conducts experiments on different soil/plant types to determine use capabilities of soils, and effects of alternative practices on soil productivity. Applies a wide range concepts, practices, and procedures from two or more specialized fields of science, such as agronomy, soil science, forestry, or agriculture. May require a bachelor's degree in agricultural sciences or a related field with at least 5 years of work experience. May direct the work of a small group of employees. Relies on experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. Typically reports to a senior manager and may be considered the lead for a specific area or unit.
Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.
Analysis: Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Geology: Geology is the science that studies the Earth's physical structure and substances, the history of rocks, the processes that act on them and the most economic way to use the world's resources.
Environmental Health: A branch of public health that focuses on the interrelationships between people and their environment, promotes human health and well-being, and fosters healthy and safe communities.
Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.
Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:
