Soil and Plant Scientists Salary
The median pay for a soil and plant scientists in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN is $80,030/year ($38.48/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $176K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.7), that's roughly $83,626 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,473/month, or 28.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $80K get you in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood’s Regional Price Parity (95.7). 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 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood
Soil and plant scientists pay in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood tracks closely to the national median, $80K locally vs. $79K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,473/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 95.7) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for soil and plant scientists in metros near Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Lafayette-West Lafayette | $86K | $92K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $80K | $78K |
| Lansing-East Lansing | $65K | $69K |
| Champaign-Urbana | $64K | $70K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN
Entry-level soil and plant scientists (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $176K or more, a $129K 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 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a soil and plant scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
Yes — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 28.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,473/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for soil and plant scientists in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new soil and plant scientists typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,812/month. At HUD’s $1,473/month FMR, rent would take 52% 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 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $80K locally vs. $79K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood compare to the national average for soil and plant scientists?
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $79K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $84K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do soil and plant scientists make in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN?
The median is $80,030 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,870, and experienced soil and plant scientists can clear $175,640. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,187/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,473/month, which eats 28.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a soil and plant scientists salary go in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood has a Regional Price Parity of 95.7 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median soil and plant scientists salary is worth about $83,626 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.