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The differences between horticulturists and soil scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a horticulturist and a soil scientist. Additionally, a soil scientist has an average salary of $91,463, which is higher than the $36,583 average annual salary of a horticulturist.
The top three skills for a horticulturist include GRASS, irrigation systems and horticulture. The most important skills for a soil scientist are GPS, data collection, and GIS.
| Horticulturist | Soil Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $36,583 | $91,463 |
| Hourly rate | $17.59 | $43.97 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 327 | 46,471 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
The primary role of a horticulturist is to care, maintain, and cultivate plant propagation. Horticulturists may work in various environments with plants such as garden centers or arboretum. These professionals use scientific knowledge about plant cultivation and propagation. They provide technical information to farmers and flower and vegetable growers. Part of their job is to perform disease and pest experiments and investigations with improved plant varieties with greater disease resistance. Also, they may assist in the regeneration of degraded land in the mining industry.
A soil scientist analyzes soil structures. They research soil's chemical properties, microorganism content, and physical composition. They provide advice on fertilizers, pesticides, and chemical treatments. They also provide advice on the crops best suited for a given soil type.
Horticulturists and soil scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Horticulturist | Soil Scientist | |
| Average salary | $36,583 | $91,463 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $60,000 | Between $60,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | Wellesley, MA | East Hartford, CT |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Stanford Health Care | BASF |
| Best paying industry | Government | Agriculture |
There are a few differences between a horticulturist and a soil scientist in terms of educational background:
| Horticulturist | Soil Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Plant Sciences | Environmental Science |
| Most common college | Cornell University | Cornell University |
Here are the differences between horticulturists' and soil scientists' demographics:
| Horticulturist | Soil Scientist | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 59.4% Female, 40.6% | Male, 70.6% Female, 29.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 2.8% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 9.1% White, 73.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 2.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 12.1% White, 72.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 19% | 19% |