Soil and Plant Scientists Salary
The median pay for a soil and plant scientists in Madison, WI is $73,510/year ($35.34/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $54K at the entry level to $98K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.29), that's roughly $75,558 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,168/month, or 24.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $74K get you in Madison?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Madison’s Regional Price Parity (97.29). 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 Madison
Soil and plant scientists pay in Madison tracks closely to the national median, $74K locally vs. $79K nationwide, a 7% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,168/month, 24.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.29) 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 Madison, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $66K | $68K |
| Appleton | $65K | $71K |
| Green Bay | $57K | $61K |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $132K | $144K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Madison, WI
Entry-level soil and plant scientists (10th percentile) start around $54K. Mid-career wages sit at $74K. Top earners bring in $98K or more, a $44K 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 Madison numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a soil and plant scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Madison?
Yes — at the median salary of $74K, rent takes 24.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,168/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for soil and plant scientists in Madison?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new soil and plant scientists typically earn — is $54K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,226/month. At HUD’s $1,168/month FMR, rent would take 36% 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 Madison?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $74K locally vs. $79K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Madison compare to the national average for soil and plant scientists?
Madison pays $74K median vs. the U.S. average of $79K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.29), the purchasing-power equivalent is $76K — below the national median.
How much do soil and plant scientists make in Madison, WI?
The median is $73,510 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $53,760, and experienced soil and plant scientists can clear $98,070. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $74K enough to live in Madison?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,771/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,168/month, which eats 24.5% 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 Madison?
Madison has a Regional Price Parity of 97.29 (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 $75,558 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.