SOC 19-1013 · Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro

Soil and Plant Scientists Salary in Philadelphia, PA

The average salary for soil and plant scientists in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is $71,560 a year ($34.41 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $64,070: half of the 150 people in this job in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 18% less than the U.S. average for this job ($87,720).

$71,560average per year

$34.41 / hourMedian $64,070Take-home ≈ $56,976

  • $41K10th
  • $52K25th
  • $64KMedian
  • $78K75th
  • $108K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

150people in this job
-18%vs U.S. average
103cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Soil and Plant Scientists pay range in Philadelphia

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,070 a year or less, while the top 10% make $107,620 or more. The middle half of soil and plant scientists in Philadelphia earn between $52,120 and $77,990.

  • $41K10th
  • $52K25th
  • $64KMedian
  • $78K75th
  • $108K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$71,560$5,963$34.40
Median$64,070$5,339$30.80
Entry level (25th percentile)$52,120$4,343$25.06
Experienced (75th percentile)$77,990$6,499$37.50

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Soil and Plant Scientists pay in Philadelphia vs. Pennsylvania and the U.S.

Soil and plant scientists in Philadelphia earn 9% less than the Pennsylvania average ($78,720) and 18% less than the U.S. average ($87,720). At the median the gap is -19% against the U.S. median of $78,850.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Philadelphia$71,560$64,070$41,070$107,620150
Pennsylvania$78,720$70,550$46,750$124,560200
United States$87,720$78,850$48,680$138,12015,730

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Soil and Plant Scientists salary after taxes in Philadelphia

On the average salary of $71,560, a single filer in Philadelphia takes home about $56,976 a year, or $4,748 a month and $2,191 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.

The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in PA$56,976$4,748
Working in NJ$56,767$4,731
Working in MD$55,985$4,665
Working in DE$55,680$4,640

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.

Pennsylvania paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Philadelphia a good place for soil and plant scientists? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Philadelphia area are 3% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 102.6), so the average $71,560 buys what about $69,778 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Philadelphia ($54,310). A typical home costs $390,463, or 5.5 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $71,560 is worth in another city

Soil and Plant Scientists salary in nearby metro areas

Highest-paying cities for soil and plant scientists

San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($124,130).

Soil and Plant Scientists salary by city

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Soil and Plant Scientists salary in Philadelphia: questions

How much do soil and plant scientists make an hour in Philadelphia?

$34.41 an hour on average, and $30.80 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level soil and plant scientists salary in Philadelphia?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $41,070 a year and the 25th percentile is $52,120, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the soil and plant scientists take-home pay in Philadelphia?

About $56,976 a year ($4,748 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $71,560. Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.

Do soil and plant scientists earn more in Philadelphia than elsewhere?

The average here is 18% less than the U.S. average for this job ($87,720).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 19-1013; area Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD (37980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.6%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.51, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.51).

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