Soil and Plant Scientists Salary
The median pay for a soil and plant scientists in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $80,360/year ($38.64/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $135K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.59), that's roughly $77,575 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,781/month, about 35.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $80K get you in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chicago-Naperville-Elgin’s Regional Price Parity (103.59). 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Soil and plant scientists pay in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin tracks closely to the national median, $80K locally vs. $79K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,781/month, which is 35.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.59) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for soil and plant scientists in metros near Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Champaign-Urbana | $64K | $70K |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $132K | $144K |
| Madison | $74K | $76K |
| Ames | $65K | $73K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Entry-level soil and plant scientists (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $135K or more, a $91K 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a soil and plant scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 35.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,781/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new soil and plant scientists typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,682/month. At HUD’s $1,781/month FMR, rent would take 66% 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $80K locally vs. $79K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin compare to the national average for soil and plant scientists?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $79K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.59), the purchasing-power equivalent is $78K — below the national median.
How much do soil and plant scientists make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median is $80,360 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,700, and experienced soil and plant scientists can clear $135,250. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,079/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,781/month, which eats 35.1% 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin has a Regional Price Parity of 103.59 (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 $77,575 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.