Agricultural Scientists

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the lowest paid 10 percent of agriculture and food scientists earned less than $46,010, and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $129,560 with median earnings of $76,400 as of May 2023. Animal scientists, a type of agricultural scientist, earned median annual earnings of $70,140 with the lowest 10 percent earning less than $46,240 and the highest 10 percent earning $162,000. Soil and plant scientists earned an average of $68,240 annually, ranging from $43,790 to $119,410. Food scientists and technologists had median annual earnings of $82,090 in May 2023. Salaries ranged from less than $48,480 for the lowest paid 10 percent to more than $135,430 for the highest paid 10 percent. Unless hired for a short-term project, agricultural scientists most likely receive health and retirement benefits in addition to their annual salary.