National Salary Info » Soil and Plant Scientists

Highest Paying Industries for Soil and Plant Scientists

The top 51 highest paying industries for soil and plant scientists (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $76,950, management of companies and enterprises is the highest paying industry for soil and plant scientists. It is followed by sugar and confectionery product manufacturing industry (average annual salary $75,550). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of soil and plant scientists in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 51 Highest Paying Industries for Soil and Plant Scientists

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	Management of Companies and Enterprises	$76,950	$50,830	340
2	Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing	$75,550	$51,530	30
3	Tobacco Manufacturing	$75,300	$58,630	30
4	Federal government, including USPS	$74,130	$55,900	1,370
5	Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)	$74,130	$55,900	1,370
6	Food Manufacturing	$72,140	$52,800	60
7	Lawn and Garden Equipment and Supplies Stores	$71,200	$52,120	60
8	Building Material and Garden Equipment and Supplies Dealers	$71,200	$52,120	60
9	Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing	$70,960	$50,570	80
10	Manufacturing	$70,620	$48,990	160
11	Beverage Manufacturing	$68,580	$38,350	50
12	Retail Trade	$67,560	$45,380	80
13	Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$66,020	$40,850	3,220
14	Scientific Research and Development Services	$66,010	$40,850	3,230
15	Support Activities for Crop Production	$65,940	$28,450	320
16	Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation)	$65,690	$41,780	2,690
17	Federal, State, and Local Government	$65,690	$41,780	2,690
18	Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry	$64,750	$28,930	340
19	Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting	$64,750	$28,930	340
20	Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers	$64,570	$41,280	1,690
21	Engineering Services	$64,430	$37,130	50
22	Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods	$62,880	$41,100	2,010
23	Wholesale Trade	$62,130	$40,580	2,110
24	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$60,410	$33,760	5,980
25	Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations	$60,360	$32,650	100
26	Other Services (except Federal, State, and Local Government)	$60,360	$32,650	100
27	Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers	$58,850	$42,250	290
28	Public sector -- Federal, state, and local government, including government owned schools and hospit	$58,300	$38,450	5,160
29	Social Advocacy Organizations	$57,830	$31,500	70
30	Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$56,110	$36,670	820
31	Local government, including schools and hospitals	$56,030	$36,570	830
32	Other Amusement and Recreation Industries	$55,730	$33,070	40
33	Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services	$54,160	$27,320	2,280
34	State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$53,460	$35,860	500
35	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - Privately owned	$52,890	$37,130	110
36	Educational Services - Privately owned	$52,010	$37,420	110
37	State government, including schools and hospitals	$51,330	$36,090	2,960
38	Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools	$51,070	$36,210	2,560
39	Educational Services	$51,030	$36,210	2,570
40	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - State government owned	$50,980	$36,180	2,460
41	Educational Services - State government owned	$50,980	$36,180	2,460
42	Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	$49,920	$30,520	410
43	Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers	$48,500	$32,490	80
44	Testing Laboratories	$47,980	$29,770	340
45	Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries	$47,770	$34,880	60
46	Services to Buildings and Dwellings	$45,770	$28,050	n/a
47	Landscaping Services	$45,330	$27,970	n/a
48	Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	$45,270	$24,630	280
49	Administrative and Support Services	$45,190	$19,360	n/a
50	Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation	$44,590	$28,780	370
51	Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions	$43,390	$28,240	320