Soil and Plant Scientists Salary
The median pay for a soil and plant scientists in Las Cruces, NM is $76,400/year ($36.73/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $69K at the entry level to $103K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.21), which stretches that salary to about $84,691 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,042/month, or 20.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $76K get you in Las Cruces?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Las Cruces’s Regional Price Parity (90.21). 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 Las Cruces
Soil and plant scientists pay in Las Cruces tracks closely to the national median, $76K locally vs. $79K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,042/month, 21.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.21 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for soil and plant scientists in metros near Las Cruces, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $67K | , |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $83K | $80K |
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $60K | $59K |
| Tulsa | $38K | $42K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Las Cruces, NM
Entry-level soil and plant scientists (10th percentile) start around $69K. Mid-career wages sit at $76K. Top earners bring in $103K or more, a $33K 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 Las Cruces numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a soil and plant scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Las Cruces?
Yes — at the median salary of $76K, rent takes 21.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,042/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for soil and plant scientists in Las Cruces?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new soil and plant scientists typically earn — is $69K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,169/month. At HUD’s $1,042/month FMR, rent would take 25% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is soil and plant scientist a high-paying job in Las Cruces?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $76K locally vs. $79K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Las Cruces compare to the national average for soil and plant scientists?
Las Cruces pays $76K median vs. the U.S. average of $79K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do soil and plant scientists make in Las Cruces, NM?
The median is $76,400 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $69,480, and experienced soil and plant scientists can clear $102,860. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $76K enough to live in Las Cruces?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,949/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,042/month, which eats 21.1% 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 Las Cruces?
Las Cruces has a Regional Price Parity of 90.21 (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 $84,691 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.