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Plant pathologist salary
Average plant pathologist salary
$79,668
Understanding Plant Pathologist Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Plant Pathologist stands at approximately $79,668 annually. This figure can vary significantly based on experience, education level, and geographic location. For instance, more experienced pathologists or those with advanced degrees often command higher salaries. Additionally, certain states, including California and New York, are known for offering lucrative positions due to their robust agricultural sectors.
Salary by State
Plant pathologists in states like Washington and Florida have reported higher average salaries, reflecting local demand and living costs. Here’s a breakdown of average salaries by state:
- California: $85,000
- New York: $82,000
- Florida: $78,000
- Washington: $80,000
Factors influencing these salaries include the specific industry sector, such as research, government, or private consulting. As the field continues to grow, opportunities for advancement, particularly in research and academia, are on the rise, making this career path increasingly attractive.
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Where can a Plant Pathologist earn more?
Plant pathologist salary estimates from across the web
Average plant pathologist salary by state
The highest-paying states for plant pathologists are Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. The lowest average plant pathologist salary states are New Mexico, Wyoming, and Texas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for plant pathologists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $117,040 | $56.27 |
| 2 | Vermont | $115,248 | $55.41 |
| 3 | West Virginia | $107,182 | $51.53 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $117,973 | $56.72 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $117,746 | $56.61 |
| 6 | South Carolina | $101,877 | $48.98 |
| 7 | Arizona | $106,996 | $51.44 |
| 8 | Kentucky | $102,320 | $49.19 |
| 9 | Ohio | $107,094 | $51.49 |
| 10 | Delaware | $96,743 | $46.51 |
| 11 | Maryland | $104,942 | $50.45 |
| 12 | North Carolina | $98,059 | $47.14 |
| 13 | South Dakota | $91,499 | $43.99 |
| 14 | Nevada | $100,375 | $48.26 |
| 15 | Iowa | $86,413 | $41.54 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $98,661 | $47.43 |
| 17 | Colorado | $99,915 | $48.04 |
| 18 | Hawaii | $98,556 | $47.38 |
| 19 | California | $92,281 | $44.37 |
| 20 | Oregon | $95,956 | $46.13 |
| 21 | Washington | $95,120 | $45.73 |
| 22 | Montana | $91,896 | $44.18 |
| 23 | Indiana | $87,768 | $42.20 |
| 24 | Maine | $96,612 | $46.45 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $95,093 | $45.72 |
| 26 | Florida | $82,274 | $39.55 |
| 27 | Idaho | $91,040 | $43.77 |
| 28 | Louisiana | $83,377 | $40.09 |
| 29 | Oklahoma | $89,720 | $43.13 |
| 30 | Alabama | $85,617 | $41.16 |
| 31 | Georgia | $89,759 | $43.15 |
| 32 | Kansas | $75,528 | $36.31 |
| 33 | Illinois | $79,245 | $38.10 |
| 34 | Virginia | $80,729 | $38.81 |
| 35 | New York | $84,804 | $40.77 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $83,902 | $40.34 |
| 37 | Alaska | $89,846 | $43.20 |
| 38 | District of Columbia | $95,583 | $45.95 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $73,739 | $35.45 |
| 40 | Wyoming | $69,505 | $33.42 |
| 41 | Michigan | $70,962 | $34.12 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $71,271 | $34.26 |
| 43 | Texas | $69,098 | $33.22 |
| 44 | New Mexico | $69,765 | $33.54 |
| 45 | Missouri | $73,379 | $35.28 |
| 46 | New Jersey | $78,670 | $37.82 |
| 47 | Utah | $72,612 | $34.91 |
| 48 | North Dakota | $64,437 | $30.98 |
| 49 | Minnesota | $71,471 | $34.36 |
| 50 | Tennessee | $66,198 | $31.83 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $65,887 | $31.68 |
Highest paying cities for plant pathologists
The highest-paying cities for plant pathologists are East Hartford, CT, Urban Honolulu, HI, and Corvallis, OR.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Hartford, CT | $118,196 | $56.83 |
| 2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $98,726 | $47.46 |
| 3 | Corvallis, OR | $96,911 | $46.59 |
| 4 | West Sacramento, CA | $96,220 | $46.26 |
| 5 | Bozeman, MT | $91,754 | $44.11 |
| 6 | Indianapolis, IN | $87,466 | $42.05 |
| 7 | Fort Myers, FL | $82,776 | $39.80 |
| 8 | Arlington, VA | $81,749 | $39.30 |
| 9 | Chesterfield, MO | $73,593 | $35.38 |
| 10 | Saint Paul, MN | $71,500 | $34.38 |
| 11 | Fargo, ND | $64,851 | $31.18 |
Plant pathologist salary details
A plant pathologist's salary ranges from $52,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $121,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a plant pathologist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $121,000 | $10,083 | $58 |
| 75th Percentile | $99,000 | $8,250 | $48 |
| Average | $79,668 | $6,639 | $38 |
| 25th Percentile | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30 |
| 10th Percentile | $52,000 | $4,333 | $25 |
Highest paying plant pathologist jobs
The highest paying types of plant pathologists are soil scientist, plant breeder, and crop nutrition scientist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horticulturist | $36,583 | $3,049 | $17.59 | 327 |
| Agronomist | $51,288 | $4,274 | $24.66 | 208 |
| Soil Scientist | $91,463 | $7,622 | $43.97 | 46,471 |
Top companies hiring plant pathologists now:
Which companies pay plant pathologists the most?
Plant pathologist salaries at BioSafe Systems and US Meat Animal Research Center are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average plant pathologist salary at companies like Belcan and Corteva are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BioSafe Systems | $85,647 | $41.18 |
| 2 | US Meat Animal Research Center | $81,955 | $39.40 |
| 3 | Belcan | $80,542 | $38.72 |
| 4 | Corteva | $79,874 | $38.40 |
| 5 | North Dakota State University | $74,618 | $35.87 |
| 6 | Montana State University | $67,212 | $32.31 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Plant pathologist salary trends
The average plant pathologist salary has risen by $8,652 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average plant pathologist earned $71,016 annually, but today, they earn $79,668 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for plant pathologists over the last decade.
Compare plant pathologist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average plant pathologist salary over time
Compare plant pathologist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Plant pathologist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $79,700 | $38.30 | +4.4% |
| 2024 | $76,100 | $36.61 | -1.2% |
| 2023 | $77,100 | $37.04 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $75,200 | $36.16 | +0.2% |
| 2021 | $75,100 | $36.09 | +3.6% |
Recently added plant pathologist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syngenta Global | Assistant Plant Pathologist | Woodland, CA | 03/27/2025 | $73,600 |
| Sakatavegetables | Plant Pathologist | Salinas, CA | 02/16/2025 | $85,000 |
| Department of Agriculture | Supervisory Research Plant Pathologist/Geneticist/Plant Physiologist | Raleigh, NC | 12/16/2024 | $127,512 |
| Apsnet | Supervisory Research Plant Pathologist/Geneticist/Molecular Biologist | Manhattan, KS | 12/11/2024 | $122,198 |
| Apsnet | Plant Pathologist, ROW Crops | Ione, CA | 12/11/2024 | $85,000 |
| Innerplant | Plant Pathologist, R&D | Davis, CA | 12/06/2024 | $80,000 |
| Department of Agriculture | Research Plant Pathologist | Stuttgart, AR | 12/03/2024 | $86,962 |
| Innerplant | Field Plant Pathologist | Des Moines, IA | 11/28/2024 | $85,000 |
| Sakata Seed America, Inc. | Plant Pathologist | Salinas, CA | 10/25/2024 | $85,000 |
| Innerplant, Inc. | Plant Pathologist, ROW Crops | Davis, CA | 10/23/2024 | $130,000 |
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