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Job outlook for research soil scientists in the United States
Are research soil scientist jobs in demand?
Research soil scientist job and salary trends over time
Research soil scientist jobs over time
Research soil scientist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 211 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 189 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 192 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 203 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 192 | 0.00% |
Average research soil scientist salary over time
Research soil scientist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $70,777 | $34.03 | +4.6% |
| 2024 | $67,651 | $32.52 | --1.2% |
| 2023 | $68,454 | $32.91 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $66,827 | $32.13 | +0.2% |
| 2021 | $66,688 | $32.06 | +3.7% |
Research soil scientist jobs by state
Most common states for research soil scientists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | 623,657 | 144 | 23% |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 290 | 22% |
| 3 | Delaware | 961,939 | 216 | 22% |
| 4 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 174 | 20% |
| 5 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,566 | 18% |
| 6 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 188 | 18% |
| 7 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 136 | 18% |
| 8 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,542 | 17% |
| 9 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 965 | 17% |
| 10 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 956 | 17% |
| 11 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 703 | 17% |
| 12 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 175 | 17% |
| 13 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 100 | 17% |
| 14 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 305 | 15% |
| 15 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,736 | 14% |
| 16 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 1,447 | 14% |
| 17 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 858 | 14% |
| 18 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 831 | 14% |
| 19 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 505 | 14% |
| 20 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 181 | 14% |
Most common cities for research soil scientists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saint Paul | 1 | 0% | $68,807 |
Research Soil Scientist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of research soil scientist experts
Texas Tech University
Quinnipiac University
Creighton University
Stevenson University
Doverspike Consulting/HR LItehouse
Robert Morris University
Brigham Young University – Idaho
Tiffin University
What general advice would you give to a Research Soil Scientist?
Daniel Hirmas: Quantitative skills and computer scripting language skills. Quantitative skills include math and especially statistics. Take as many statistics classes as you can. Develop efficient skills in common scripting languages like Python or R. These are highly sought after skills and are becoming more and more important in soil and environmental science.
Lisa Cuchara Ph.D.
Professor of Biomedical SciencesQuinnipiac University
Microbiological Sciences And Immunology
What Research Soil Scientist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Lisa Cuchara Ph.D.: The first and foremost would be Critical Thinking. We live in a world where facts can be easily acquired, sometimes even by asking Siri/Alexa/ChatGPT/Google/etc. But critical thinking is timeless and priceless. I can ask anyone on the street what xyz is and they can look it up, but can they provide advice or interpret.
Also being a good steward towards science and being willing and able to communicate not just with peers as we are trained, but also with the public, the politicians, the board members. John Holdren*, stated that Scientists should be tithing at least 10 percent of their time to public service ... including activism. In the ever growing science denialism that is happening in our country being able to communicate science with the public is important. As Peter Hotaz states, "Anti-science propaganda is "killing Americans in unprecedented numbers,""
*Holdren is an American scientist who served as the senior advisor to President Barack Obama on science and technology issues through his roles as assistant to the president for science and technology, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and co-chair of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and a Research Professor in Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Research Soil Scientist job market given the pandemic?
April Buschelman: Teacher shortage was an issue before the pandemic, and I see this increasing tenfold in the next year. I get weekly notices or requests for graduates that could fill roles in different schools and districts, some are immediate, and others are for the next semester.
Besides only needing more teachers, I think there will be a great demand for teachers with instructional technology concentrations. The pandemic highlighted the need to think outside the traditional brick and mortar "box" of school systems. While newer teachers are being educated in ways to use technology in the classroom, it's rare students are being educated to make the technology the classroom.
One final trend to be aware of is educator burnout and the need for self-preservation. I could see (and hope we will see) schools and districts focusing on the educators' mental health. Inservice days could become more laid back and focus on mental well-being as much as the newest trends and requirements. If we want students to have the best experience and education with school, we need to focus on the educators' mental and physical well-being first.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Research Soil Scientists in the next 3-5 years?
Neil Rothman Ph.D.: Based on the past year, the rapid development of diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics would seem to be an area that will be very important. I am talking about developing a specific vaccine or therapeutic and the equipment and laboratory methods necessary for their product. Running a diagnostic test on an "easy to acquire" sample will be essential to enable rapid and widespread testing and diagnosis. Detection of pathogens in water and food will likely continue and potentially increase in importance as the effects of climate change impact the water supply.
I also think that the strategy behind diagnostic testing may become more critical. Rather than going for very high sensitivity and specificity, it may be more useful to have a "good" test that can be conducted more quickly and often to prevent disease spread. This directly impacts what technologies are developed and how they are applied.
What type of skills will young Research Soil Scientists need?
Dennis Doverspike Ph.D.: Seemingly a paradox, there will continue to be a need for very general, but highly fungible, skills and demand for too specialized skills, requiring advanced education. Coding, statistics, and data analysis related skills will remain a hot growth area. The aging of the baby boomers will create demand for medical and healthcare-related regions, especially nursing, nursing aides, and emergency services. Despite the automation of many people facing jobs, there will continue to be a demand for interpersonal and people skills, including various types of sales. The switch to remote work, due to COVID, will create a substantial future market to fill the leadership and managerial skills gap. In many areas of Technology and engineering, it is already challenging to find a combination of technical knowledge and people skills, and this demand will intensify.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Research Soil Scientists in the next 5 years?
Paul Badger Ph.D.: The demand for skilled research scientists in the healthcare industry or related industries will almost certainly grow in the next five years. There is nearly always a need for entry-level positions, such as laboratory scientists or medical laboratory technicians. The recent increase in pressures placed on the health care sector will likely lead to more hiring as testing facilities, and analytical labs are expanded.
Nels Hansen Ph.D.
Department ChairBrigham Young University – Idaho
Department of Applied Plant Science
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Research Soil Scientists in the next 3-5 years?
Nels Hansen Ph.D.: Autonomous agricultural equipment and artificial intelligence-driven decision support systems will continue to be emerging technologies that help crop producers and advisors make better decisions and improve operations efficiency. Students should look for opportunities to learn more about basic computer programming and information systems to be knowledgeable in these areas.
Sami Mejri Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Science, Assistant Dean, Graduate ProgramsTiffin University
School of Arts & Sciences
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Research Soil Scientists to find work opportunities?
Sami Mejri Ph.D.: With the rising cost of living, a college graduate's ideal first job may not be in their home state or favorite vacation town. According to Business Insider, MidWestern cities like Columbus-Ohio, Cincinnati-Ohio, Madison-Wisconsin, Milwaukee-Wisconsin, and Indianapolis-Indiana were some of the best geographical areas to live for college graduates. The cost of living in these Midwestern states remains relatively lower than coastal areas, making these locations ideal for college graduates entering the workforce. However, college graduates with degrees in healthcare, computer science, and data analytics may not be limited to these geographical areas, given employers' incentives to these in-demand jobs.