Soil and Plant Scientists Salary
The median pay for a soil and plant scientists in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI is $66,200/year ($31.83/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.94), that's roughly $68,290 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,338/month, about 30.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $66K actually covers in Milwaukee-Waukesha, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Milwaukee-Waukesha’s Regional Price Parity (96.94). 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha
Pay for soil and plant scientists in Milwaukee-Waukesha runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $79K. Rent runs $1,338/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 96.94) 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Madison | $74K | $76K |
| 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, Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
Entry-level soil and plant scientists (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $66K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $28K 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 annually. We'll email you when Milwaukee-Waukesha numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a soil and plant scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $66K, rent takes 30.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,338/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 Milwaukee-Waukesha?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new soil and plant scientists typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,356/month. At HUD’s $1,338/month FMR, rent would take 40% 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $66K here vs. $79K nationally.
How does Milwaukee-Waukesha compare to the national average for soil and plant scientists?
Milwaukee-Waukesha pays $66K median vs. the U.S. average of $79K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.94), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — below the national median.
How much do soil and plant scientists make in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?
The median is $66,200 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,550, and experienced soil and plant scientists can clear $78,020. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $66K enough to live in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,375/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,338/month, which eats 30.6% 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Milwaukee-Waukesha has a Regional Price Parity of 96.94 (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 $68,290 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.