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Agronomist: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$78,850median pay per year, or $37.91 an hour, May 2025[2]
  1. $48,680lowest 10% earn less
  2. $61,66025th percentile
  3. $78,850median
  4. $103,74075th percentile
  5. $138,120top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[5]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[6]

Soil and plant scientists, a group with agronomist among its O*NET sample job titles[1], earned a median of $78,850 a year in May 2025[2]. Jobs are projected to grow 6.7% from 2025 to 2035, well above the 3.5% rate for all occupations[3][4].

Job growth, 2025–35
+6.7%[3]
Openings per year
1,400[7]
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree[8]

How much do agronomists make?

Agronomist is one of the sample job titles O*NET lists for Soil and Plant Scientists, the BLS category used here[1]. The median pay was $78,850 a year, or $37.91 an hour, in May 2025[2]. The median for all occupations was $50,980[6]. The average for soil and plant scientists was $87,720 a year, or $42.17 an hour[9].

Pay spreads widely. BLS percentile wages are boundaries, and BLS does not publish a starting salary[10]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $48,680 a year, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $61,660[5]. The highest-paid 25% earned more than $103,740, and the top 10% earned more than $138,120[5]. Hourly, the 10th percentile was $23.41 and the 90th was $66.40[11].

Measure Annual wage Source
10th percentile[5] $48,680
Median[2] $78,850
90th percentile[5] $138,120

These wages cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, nonproduction bonuses and the cost of benefits to employers[12].

Pay by state and city

Among the 45 states and the District of Columbia with published data, the District of Columbia had the highest median wage, $107,140[13]. Florida followed at $103,240, then Alaska at $100,320 and Iowa at $96,310[13]. Wyoming was the lowest of those listed, at $55,680[13]. Several of the top places have few jobs. Alaska had 30 and the District of Columbia had 60[13].

California had the most jobs, 1,440, followed by Iowa with 960 and Illinois with 820[14]. Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Des Moines-West Des Moines, Iowa, had the highest median, $132,290, followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont at $108,200[15]. Des Moines also had the most jobs of any metro area, 430[16]. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington was next with 400 jobs and a median of $79,610[16].

Show median pay in 45 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
District of Columbia[13]$107,14060
Florida$103,240270
Alaska$100,32030
Iowa$96,310960
Idaho$95,150540
New Jersey$91,970130
California$91,9301,440
Oregon$85,150620
Maryland$85,020200
Hawaii$84,39060
Arizona$83,840270
Indiana$80,030440
Washington$79,970520
Minnesota$79,610750
Illinois$79,490820
South Carolina$78,85090
Maine$78,25030
New York$77,800260
Nebraska$77,500640
North Carolina$76,330570
Missouri$76,080220
Colorado$75,430460
Montana$73,920230
Virginia$73,920140
South Dakota$73,590480
Mississippi$72,690100
Nevada$71,45090
Pennsylvania$70,550200
Massachusetts$69,880n/a
New Mexico$69,48090
Connecticut$67,630200
Kentucky$67,340140
Wisconsin$66,200680
Kansas$65,670380
Michigan$65,390570
North Dakota$65,320410
Delaware$65,31060
Georgia$65,170210
Oklahoma$63,910100
Alabama$63,010110
Tennessee$61,950370
Louisiana$60,200170
Utah$59,90090
Vermont$58,220n/a
Ohio$56,820320
Wyoming$55,68050

How to become an agronomist

BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical education for entry. It lists no related work experience and no on-the-job training as typical[8]. The details below come from a BLS profile that covers agricultural and food scientists as a wider group, so they describe more than soil and plant scientists alone[17].

Where licenses apply, they generally involve a bachelor's degree with set credit hours in plant or soil science, supervised work under a licensed scientist, and an exam[21]. Licensed scientists may need more training every few years to keep the license[21]. Certifications are generally not required, though they can help career advancement[23].

In an O*NET survey of 21 workers, 29% said a master's degree was required, 24% said a bachelor's degree and 19% said a doctoral degree[24]. That is a small survey, so treat it as a rough picture.

What agronomists do

Soil and plant scientists research how crops and other plants grow, and they study soil and how it affects plant growth[25]. O*NET lists these tasks, with the most important first[26]:

Where they work

The BLS profile for the wider group says these scientists work in laboratories, offices and the field. Field work can mean visiting farms or processing plants[27]. Some positions require travel, and the amount varies widely[28]. Food and animal production sites can call for protective clothing and equipment[29]. Full-time schedules are the norm for the group[30]. Food manufacturing was its largest employer in 2025, at 18%[31]. About 3.5% of soil and plant scientists were self-employed in 2025[32].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment of soil and plant scientists to grow 6.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 19,900 to 21,300 jobs, a gain of about 1,300[3]. All occupations together are projected to grow 3.5%[4]. These projection counts include self-employed workers[3]. The OEWS count of about 15,730 jobs covers wage and salary workers only[33].

BLS expects about 1,400 openings a year on average[7]. Openings include jobs created when people retire or switch occupations, not only new jobs[7]. Each year, an estimated 1.3% of workers leave the labor force and 5.1% move to a different occupation[34].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show pay well above the all-occupations median[2][6] and growth faster than average[3][4]. The typical entry point is a bachelor's degree, though some employers prefer or require a graduate degree[8][18]. Licensing may apply in some states[21]. Pay differs by place, with a median of $107,140 in the District of Columbia and $55,680 in Wyoming[13].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[35].

Frequently asked questions

How much does an agronomist make an hour?
Soil and plant scientists had a median wage of $37.91 an hour and an average of $42.17 in May 2025[2][9].
What degree do you need to be an agronomist?
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry education[8]. Some employers prefer or require a graduate degree[18].
Is agronomy in demand?
Employment of soil and plant scientists is projected to grow 6.7% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations[3][4]. About 1,400 openings a year are expected[7].
What is the highest paying state for agronomists?
The District of Columbia had the highest median annual wage, $107,140[13]. Florida was next at $103,240[13].

Facts and sources

  1. O*NET 19-1013.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Agronomist, Arboriculture Researcher, Crop Nutrition Scientist, Forage Physiologist, Horticulture Specialist, Plant Physiologist, Plant Research Geneticist, Research Scientist. O*NET OnLine
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Soil and Plant Scientists in the US was $78,850 per year and $37.91 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Soil and Plant Scientists is projected to grow 6.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 19,900 to 21,300 jobs (a change of +1,300). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Soil and Plant Scientists: 10th percentile $48,680, 25th percentile $61,660, 75th percentile $103,740, 90th percentile $138,120. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS Employment Projections: about 1,400 openings for Soil and Plant Scientists are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Soil and Plant Scientists: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Soil and Plant Scientists was $87,720 per year and $42.17 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Soil and Plant Scientists: 10th percentile $23.41, 25th percentile $29.65, 75th percentile $49.88, 90th percentile $66.40. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. Median annual wage for Soil and Plant Scientists in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Soil and Plant Scientists jobs: California 1,440; Iowa 960; Illinois 820; Minnesota 750; Wisconsin 680. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Soil and Plant Scientists (areas with at least 100 jobs): Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $132,290; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $108,200; Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $103,740; Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $98,340; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $95,870; Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $94,940; Salem, OR $93,620; Boise City, ID $90,610. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Soil and Plant Scientists jobs: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 430 (median $132,290); Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 400 (median $79,610); Boise City, ID 290 (median $90,610); Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 250 (median $94,940); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 240 (median $80,360); Fargo, ND-MN 230 (median $65,320). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Agricultural and Food Scientists" covers Soil and Plant Scientists together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Other Experience. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  24. O*NET 19-1013.00 survey of workers (21 respondents), education level they say is required: Master's Degree 29%, Bachelor's Degree 24%, Doctoral Degree 19% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  25. O*NET description of Soil and Plant Scientists. O*NET OnLine
  26. O*NET task list for Soil and Plant Scientists. O*NET OnLine
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of agricultural and food scientists in 2025: Food manufacturing 18%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  32. BLS Employment Projections: 3.5% of Soil and Plant Scientists were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  33. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 15,730 people were employed as Soil and Plant Scientists in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  34. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Soil and Plant Scientists: 1.3% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.1% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  35. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page 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. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.