How much do agronomists make in 2026?
Agronomists are reported in SOC 19-1013, soil and plant scientists, which BLS OEWS May 2025 puts at a national median of $78,850 a year, or $37.91 an hour, with a P10 to P90 range of $48,680 to $138,120 across 15,730 workers. This is a close match onto a small occupational row that pools agronomy with soil science and plant science research. Employer type is the clearest pay driver. Retail agronomists working for agricultural retailers and cooperatives advise growers on inputs and are frequently compensated partly against product sales, which shapes both the income and the advice in ways worth understanding. Seed and crop protection company agronomists work in technical support and product development and sit around or above the median. Research agronomists in universities and government sit lower on average but with different security and benefits. Independent consulting agronomists, paid by the grower rather than the supplier, occupy a growing niche and are frequently self-employed, which places them outside this employee wage survey. Precision agriculture and data skills are the clearest emerging premium. BLS projects 5.4% growth through 2034 with roughly 1,700 openings a year. → Full agronomist career guide, career path, credentials & placement →
Note: $78,850 blends every experience level and every setting in this occupation. For pay by level alone, see Pay by Level below.
- Agronomists earn a national median $78,850/yr ($37.91/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 19-1013); the P10 to P90 range is $48,680 to $138,120.
- Employer type drives the range: retail agronomy carries sales-linked compensation, seed and crop protection companies sit around or above the median, and public research sits lower with different security.
- Independent consulting agronomists paid by growers rather than suppliers are frequently self-employed and therefore outside this employee wage survey entirely.
- Precision agriculture and agronomic data interpretation are the clearest emerging premium skills in an otherwise traditional discipline.
US Agronomist Pay Distribution · BLS OEWS May 2025
Pay by Level · BLS OEWS May 2025
How much do agronomists earn at each level?
BLS OEWS publishes one blended wage for the whole occupation and does not break pay out by credential or practice level. The levels below distribute the published percentile range across the credential tiers this role actually hires at.
Level medians are aligned to the BLS OEWS May 2025 percentile distribution for SOC 19-1013; GlobalCybers does not yet publish a verified placement sample for this role, so no verified median is shown.
Methodology & Sources
How the numbers on this page are built
Published (BLS): BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 19-1013, United States national estimate. Public, methodologically rigorous, but sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection — so it reflects wages that are already 1–2 years old by the time you read them.
Level and certification medians: distributed across the published BLS percentile range for this SOC code (P10 through P90) according to the credential tiers this occupation actually hires at. They are modeled reference points, not separately surveyed wages.
State and metro figures: modeled — the BLS national median multiplied by the GlobalCybers state wage index, and for metros by the published metro index for that state. They are estimates of local pay, not BLS state or metropolitan-area observations, and are labelled as modeled in the tables below.
No verified placement sample:GlobalCybers does not yet publish a placement median for this role, so no "verified" figure appears anywhere on this page.
Pay by Career Level
How much does an agronomist earn at each career stage?
Agronomy pay follows advisory responsibility and technical depth. Each median below is anchored to the BLS OEWS distribution for SOC 19-1013.
By State
Which states pay agronomists the most in 2026?
These are modeled state estimates, not BLS state observations: the national median for SOC 19-1013 scaled by the GlobalCybers state wage index. Agronomy work follows cropping systems rather than population, so the Corn Belt, the Plains and irrigated western agriculture support far more of this employment than a general wage index would predict.
6 of 51 state guides shown, ranked by median. Bar is relative to California ($90,680), the highest-paying state shown. See all role salary guides →
By Metro
Which cities pay agronomists the most?
Metro figures are modeled, national median times state wage index times published metro index, and are not BLS metropolitan observations. Agronomists work in agricultural regions rather than metropolitan areas, so this table is cost-of-living context only.
BLS OEWS MSA estimates, May 2025. Nominal pay — weigh each metro against its cost of living before relocating.
Certification Impact
Which certifications raise an agronomist’s pay the most?
Median annual pay before and after each credential, based on GlobalCybers placement data cross-referenced with BLS. License upgrades move the needle most; stackable certs add on top.
Impacts are not additive, the licensing rows share the same career ladder. Browse all 167 certifications →
Trade Comparison
How does agronomist pay compare to related roles?
BLS OEWS national median across the closest trades. Agronomists sit mid-pack on median but carry one of the widest P10–P90 spreads, licensing and specialization drive the upside.
BLS OEWS May 2025. Verify agronomist wages on BLS.gov →
Take-Home Pay
What does an agronomist actually take home after taxes?
The medians above are gross base wage.
Estimates use 2026 federal brackets, standard deduction, and 7.65% FICA. Actual take-home varies with filing status, deductions, and local tax.
FAQ
Agronomist Salary, Frequently Asked Questions
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