Soil and Plant Scientists Salary
The median pay for a soil and plant scientists in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA is $61,610/year ($29.62/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $123K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.06), that's roughly $61,573 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,820/month, about 45% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $62K get you in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell’s Regional Price Parity (100.06). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About soil and plant scientists
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What this looks like in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell
Pay for soil and plant scientists in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell runs about 22% below the U.S. median of $79K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,820/month, which is 44.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.06) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for soil and plant scientistss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for soil and plant scientists in metros near Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary | $78K | $79K |
| Knoxville | $51K | $55K |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $104K | $91K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $76K | $78K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
Entry-level soil and plant scientists (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $123K or more, a $76K spread from bottom to top.
Soil and Plant Scientists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Soil and Plant Scientists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $107K | +36% | 60 |
| Florida | $103K | +31% | 270 |
| Alaska | $100K | +27% | 30 |
| Iowa | $96K | +22% | 960 |
| Idaho | $95K | +21% | 540 |
| New Jersey | $92K | +17% | 130 |
| California | $92K | +17% | 1,440 |
| Oregon | $85K | +8% | 620 |
| Maryland | $85K | +8% | 200 |
| Hawaii | $84K | +7% | 60 |
| Arizona | $84K | +6% | 270 |
| Indiana | $80K | +1% | 440 |
| Washington | $80K | +1% | 520 |
| Minnesota | $80K | +1% | 750 |
| Illinois | $79K | +1% | 820 |
| South Carolina | $79K | +0% | 90 |
| Maine | $78K | -1% | 30 |
| New York | $78K | -1% | 260 |
| Nebraska | $78K | -2% | 640 |
| North Carolina | $76K | -3% | 570 |
| Missouri | $76K | -4% | 220 |
| Colorado | $75K | -4% | 460 |
| Montana | $74K | -6% | 230 |
| Virginia | $74K | -6% | 140 |
| South Dakota | $74K | -7% | 480 |
| Mississippi | $73K | -8% | 100 |
| Nevada | $71K | -9% | 90 |
| Pennsylvania | $71K | -11% | 200 |
| Massachusetts | $70K | -11% | N/A |
| New Mexico | $69K | -12% | 90 |
| Connecticut | $68K | -14% | 200 |
| Kentucky | $67K | -15% | 140 |
| Wisconsin | $66K | -16% | 680 |
| Kansas | $66K | -17% | 380 |
| Michigan | $65K | -17% | 570 |
| North Dakota | $65K | -17% | 410 |
| Delaware | $65K | -17% | 60 |
| Georgia | $65K | -17% | 210 |
| Oklahoma | $64K | -19% | 100 |
| Alabama | $63K | -20% | 110 |
| Tennessee | $62K | -21% | 370 |
| Louisiana | $60K | -24% | 170 |
| Utah | $60K | -24% | 90 |
| Vermont | $58K | -26% | N/A |
| Ohio | $57K | -28% | 320 |
| Wyoming | $56K | -29% | 50 |
Showing 1–10 of 46 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track soil and plant scientists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a soil and plant scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 44.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,820/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for soil and plant scientists in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new soil and plant scientists typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,798/month. At HUD’s $1,820/month FMR, rent would take 65% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is soil and plant scientist a high-paying job in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
Local pay runs 22% below the national median — $62K here vs. $79K nationally.
How does Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell compare to the national average for soil and plant scientists?
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $79K — that’s -22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — below the national median.
How much do soil and plant scientists make in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA?
The median is $61,610 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,630, and experienced soil and plant scientists can clear $122,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,051/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,820/month, which eats 44.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a soil and plant scientists salary go in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell has a Regional Price Parity of 100.06 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median soil and plant scientists salary is worth about $61,573 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do soil and plant scientists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.