Soil and Plant Scientists
Also called: Agronomist, Research Scientist, Research Soil Scientist, ScientistConduct 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.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 22 of its 27 tasks, yet jobs are projected to grow 6.7% by 2035. In the most exposed occupations, the squeeze shows up first among early-career workers. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 3.1% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Agricultural and food scientists”
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 7.9 hires for every 10 job openings in professional and business services, which employs about 37% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.7.9 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $63,010 | $50,660 to $88,510 | 110 |
| Alaska | $100,320 | $78,290 to $121,160 | 30 |
| Arizona | $83,840 | $46,190 to $108,740 | 270 |
| Arkansas | not published | not published | 110 |
| California | $91,930 | $73,270 to $120,310 | 1,440 |
| Colorado | $75,430 | $61,930 to $105,410 | 460 |
| Connecticut | $67,630 | $60,440 to $112,050 | 200 |
| Delaware | $65,310 | $65,310 to $77,990 | 60 |
| District of Columbia | $107,140 | $82,400 to $121,680 | 60 |
| Florida | $103,240 | $77,270 to $115,210 | 270 |
| Georgia | $65,170 | $54,420 to $90,040 | 210 |
| Hawaii | $84,390 | $71,380 to $107,440 | 60 |
| Idaho | $95,150 | $67,120 to $110,230 | 540 |
| Illinois | $79,490 | $62,690 to $107,280 | 820 |
| Indiana | $80,030 | $66,790 to $112,660 | 440 |
| Iowa | $96,310 | $73,170 to $136,360 | 960 |
| Kansas | $65,670 | $54,160 to $95,340 | 380 |
| Kentucky | $67,340 | $61,170 to $86,890 | 140 |
| Louisiana | $60,200 | $55,320 to $78,870 | 170 |
| Maine | $78,250 | $61,770 to $101,140 | 30 |
| Maryland | $85,020 | $63,480 to $111,530 | 200 |
| Massachusetts | $69,880 | $67,000 to $89,830 | not published |
| Michigan | $65,390 | $57,360 to $82,870 | 570 |
| Minnesota | $79,610 | $65,120 to $110,640 | 750 |
| Mississippi | $72,690 | $47,860 to $96,100 | 100 |
| Missouri | $76,080 | $51,150 to $100,620 | 220 |
| Montana | $73,920 | $63,130 to $84,750 | 230 |
| Nebraska | $77,500 | $51,630 to $93,680 | 640 |
| Nevada | $71,450 | $59,320 to $87,240 | 90 |
| New Jersey | $91,970 | $73,570 to $102,440 | 130 |
| New Mexico | $69,480 | $62,280 to $89,270 | 90 |
| New York | $77,800 | $63,560 to $104,910 | 260 |
| North Carolina | $76,330 | $59,200 to $102,890 | 570 |
| North Dakota | $65,320 | $60,640 to $97,890 | 410 |
| Ohio | $56,820 | $47,820 to $81,120 | 320 |
| Oklahoma | $63,910 | $40,680 to $87,210 | 100 |
| Oregon | $85,150 | $73,090 to $102,040 | 620 |
| Pennsylvania | $70,550 | $53,880 to $100,090 | 200 |
| Puerto Rico | $38,980 | $38,020 to $46,140 | 140 |
| South Carolina | $78,850 | $49,330 to $97,460 | 90 |
| South Dakota | $73,590 | $60,180 to $93,640 | 480 |
| Tennessee | $61,950 | $47,880 to $83,270 | 370 |
| Texas | not published | not published | 500 |
| Utah | $59,900 | $49,350 to $84,090 | 90 |
| Vermont | $58,220 | $58,210 to $76,200 | not published |
| Virginia | $73,920 | $62,690 to $89,870 | 140 |
| Washington | $79,970 | $65,650 to $103,360 | 520 |
| Wisconsin | $66,200 | $60,620 to $78,020 | 680 |
| Wyoming | $55,680 | $49,990 to $81,120 | 50 |
Nationally: $78,850. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 22 of its 27 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| AI alone | Communicate research or project results to other professionals or the public or teach related courses, seminars, or workshops. | Not published |
| AI + software | 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. | Not published |
| Not much | Conduct experiments to investigate the underlying mechanisms of plant growth and response to the environment. | Not published |
| AI alone | Investigate soil problems or poor water quality to determine sources and effects. | Not published |
| AI alone | Investigate responses of soils to specific management practices to determine the use capabilities of soils and the effects of alternative practices on soil productivity. | Not published |
| AI alone | 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. | Not published |
See all 27 tasks
| AI + software | Develop improved measurement techniques, soil conservation methods, soil sampling devices, or related technology. | Not published |
| AI + software | Develop environmentally safe methods or products for controlling or eliminating weeds, crop diseases, or pests. | Not published |
| AI alone | Study ways to improve agricultural sustainability, such as the use of new methods of composting. | Not published |
| AI + software | Identify degraded or contaminated soils and develop plans to improve their chemical, biological, or physical characteristics. | Not published |
| AI + software | Provide advice regarding the development of regulatory standards for land reclamation or soil conservation. | Not published |
| AI alone | Study soil characteristics to classify soils on the basis of factors such as geographic location, landscape position, or soil properties. | Not published |
| AI alone | Develop methods of conserving or managing soil that can be applied by farmers or forestry companies. | Not published |
| AI + software | Develop new or improved methods or products for controlling or eliminating weeds, crop diseases, or insect pests. | Not published |
| AI alone | Conduct research to determine best methods of planting, spraying, cultivating, harvesting, storing, processing, or transporting horticultural products. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Consult with engineers or other technical personnel working on construction projects about the effects of soil problems and possible solutions to these problems. | Not published |
| Not much | Conduct experiments investigating how soil forms, changes, or interacts with land-based ecosystems or living organisms. | Not published |
| Not much | Perform chemical analyses of the microorganism content of soils to determine microbial reactions or chemical mineralogical relationships to plant growth. | Not published |
| AI + software | Develop ways of altering soils to suit different types of plants. | Not published |
| AI + software | Survey undisturbed or disturbed lands for classification, inventory, mapping, environmental impact assessments, environmental protection planning, conservation planning, or reclamation planning. | Not published |
| AI + software | Plan or supervise waste management programs for composting or farming. | Not published |
| AI alone | Research technical requirements or environmental impacts of urban green spaces, such as green roof installations. | Not published |
| AI alone | Plan or supervise land conservation or reclamation programs for industrial development projects. | Not published |
| Not much | Study insect distribution or habitat and recommend methods to prevent importation or spread of injurious species. | Not published |
| AI alone | Conduct research into the use of plant species as green fuels or in the production of green fuels. | Not published |
| Not much | Conduct experiments regarding causes of bee diseases or factors affecting yields of nectar or pollen. | Not published |
| AI alone | Identify or classify species of insects or allied forms, such as mites or spiders. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 1 of the 27 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 27 tasks fall under 14 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #20 Present research or technical information
- #45 Research biological or ecological phenomena
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research agricultural processes or practices | |||
| Research biological or ecological phenomena | |||
| Develop operational or technical procedures or standards | |||
| Research issues related to earth sciences | |||
| Advise others on environmental sustainability or green practices | |||
| Develop plans for managing or preserving natural resources | |||
| Direct scientific or technical activities | |||
| Present research or technical information |
Show all 14 activities
| Analyze biological or chemical substances or related data | |||
| Coordinate with others to resolve problems | |||
| Assess characteristics of land or property | |||
| Analyze environmental or geospatial data | |||
| Investigate the environmental impact of industrial or development activities | |||
| Develop sustainable organizational or business policies or practices |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- An explanation or answer54%
- Advice or a recommendation21%
- A plan or strategy8%
- An app or website2%
- A chart or visualization2%
How they worked with Claude
7% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for soil and plant scientists specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 2,651 moves out
- 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 10%
- 2 Operations Research Analysts Very high +11.9% 7%
- 3 Sales Managers High +4.5% 7%
- 4 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 3%
- 5 Customer Service Representatives Very high -5.3% 2%
Where people moved in from
of 2,279 moves in
- 1 Operations Research Analysts Very high +11.9% 11%
- 2 Sales Managers High +4.5% 5%
- 3 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
- 4 Customer Service Representatives Very high -5.3% 4%
- 5 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Very high -6.0% 3%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 5% postsecondary certificate
- 5% associate's
- 24% bachelor's
- 5% post-bachelor's certificate
- 29% master's
- 5% post-master's certificate
- 5% professional doctorate
- 19% research doctorate
- 5% post-doctoral training
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 21 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 65% bachelor's
- 24% master's
- 11% doctorate
Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Agricultural and food scientists” · 355 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Agricultural and food scientists”
19 programs, such as Agriculture, General, Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture and Viticulture and Enology.
See all
- Agriculture, General
- Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture
- Viticulture and Enology
- Plant Sciences, General
- Agronomy and Crop Science
- Horticultural Science
- Agricultural and Horticultural Plant Breeding
- Plant Protection and Integrated Pest Management
- Range Science and Management
- Plant Sciences, Other
- Soil Science and Agronomy, General
- Soil Chemistry and Physics
- Soil Microbiology
- Soil Sciences, Other
- Botany/Plant Biology
- Plant Pathology/Phytopathology
- Plant Physiology
- Plant Molecular Biology
- Botany/Plant Biology, Other
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
BLS publishes no credential figures for this occupation.
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 1 registered apprenticeship in this occupation (HORTICULTURIST). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Soil and Plant Scientists” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS · Brynjolfsson, Chandar and Chen, Stanford (Aug 2026)
See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/19-1013.00