Soil and Plant Scientists
Life, Physical, and Social Science · SOC 19-1013
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
Decision card
Career Evidence Passport
SOC 19-1013 evidence across exposure, wages, projections, postings, certified LCAs, skills, and transitions.
- SOC exposure
- 5.1%
- Medium · Anthropic AEI
- Automation friction
- 53/100
- Moderate friction; broad SOC seed ORS job-requirements coverage.
- Wages
- $78,850
- H-1B offered wage $65,000; LCAs are filings.
- Projected openings
- 2,200
- BLS EP 2024–2034; employment change +5.4%.
- Observed/proxy demand
- 376
- FY2025 certified LCAs; 3,737 postings in 2025.
Skill evidence
- H-1B values are certified Labor Condition Applications, not visa approvals.
- Job postings are seed-static / seed-derived; treat as provider-ready proxy coverage until observed provider data is wired in.
- Transition matches are directional skill-overlap context, not placement guarantees.
- This release is a FutureGrid broad-SOC seed derived from public BLS ORS requirement concepts and categories, not direct occupation-level ORS survey estimates. It describes job requirements, not worker ability, AI capability, or displacement probability. Automation friction is a FutureGrid derived score and should be read alongside exposure, demand, wage, and projection signals.
Best transitions from here
Explore all pathways→Lower AI-exposure roles that reuse your skills, ranked by a transition score (skills that transfer, safety gain, pay and retraining effort).
AI Exposure Analysis
Across AI measures
Multiple exposure lenses for this occupation.
AI could do ~48.9% of this role but only ~5.1% is currently done with AI — a large capability-vs-adoption gap.
Top Skills
H-1B Visa Sponsorship Demand
View full H-1B trends →Certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications naming this occupation, FY2016–FY2025. A descriptive high-skill labor-demand signal — employer filings, not visa approvals or individual outcomes. Note: one LCA can cover multiple worker positions.
O*NET occupation profile
What this work involves
Conduct research in breeding, physiology, production, yield, and management of crops and agricultural plants or trees, shrubs, and nursery stock, their growth in soils, and control of pests; or study the chemical, physical, biological, and mineralogical composition of soils as they relate to plant or crop growth. May classify and map soils and investigate effects of alternative practices on soil and crop productivity.
Common titles: Agronomist, Arboriculture Researcher, Crop Nutrition Scientist, Forage Physiologist, Horticulture Specialist, Plant Physiologist
Representative Tasks
- •Communicate research or project results to other professionals or the public or teach related courses, seminars, or workshops.
- •Develop methods of conserving or managing soil that can be applied by farmers or forestry companies.
- •Provide information or recommendations to farmers or other landowners regarding ways in which they can best use land, promote plant growth, or avoid or correct problems such as erosion.
- •Conduct experiments to develop new or improved varieties of field crops, focusing on characteristics such as yield, quality, disease resistance, nutritional value, or adaptation to specific soils or climates.
- •Investigate soil problems or poor water quality to determine sources and effects.
Detailed Work Activities
- •Prepare scientific or technical reports or presentations.
- •Develop sustainable industrial or development methods.
- •Advise others about land management or conservation.
- •Research sustainable agricultural processes or practices.
- •Research hydrologic features or processes.
Tools & Technologies
Employment Projections & AI Exposure
Employment & Wage Trend
BLS OEWS, 2019–2025
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). See /sources.
Sector Comparison
| Metric | This Career | Sector Average |
|---|---|---|
| AI Exposure | 5.1% | 9.7% |
| Outlook | Bright ↗ | 37% Bright |
| Median Salary | $78,850 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 95/100 | N/A |