Soil and Plant Scientists Salary in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
According to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the median annual wage for Soil and Plant Scientists in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA is $116,660. BLS estimates approximately 70 people work in this occupation in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA is 48.0% above the national median ($78,850).
Salary Distribution
Not everyone earns the median. Percentile wages show the range of pay within this occupation.
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $58,050 | $27.91 |
| 25th percentile | $91,670 | $44.07 |
| Median (50th) | $116,660 | $56.09 |
| 75th percentile | $154,880 | $74.46 |
| 90th percentile | $179,120 | $86.12 |
Data Reliability
BLS OEWS is a survey, not a full census — every estimate carries a margin of error. The relative standard error (RSE) below is BLS’s own measure of how much an estimate could vary; lower is more precise.
- Wage estimate
- RSE 7.1% — Reliable
- Employment estimate
- RSE 29.3% — Low reliability
Where Does Your Salary Fall?
Enter an annual salary to see roughly where it falls among reported wages for this occupation, based on the percentile points above.
Concentration
- Jobs per 1,000
- 0.058
- Location quotient
- 0.57
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA’s regional price level is above the national average (index 110.423, where 100 = U.S. average). Adjusted for that, the median salary has the purchasing power of $105,648 at the national price level.
This is a Career Atlas USA calculation based on BLS wage data and BEA Regional Price Parities. It is not a separate BLS wage estimate. Wage data: May 2025. Cost-of-living data: 2024.
Sources
Wage data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — May 2025 (release 25).
Figures shown as “Not available” reflect wages the source does not publish (e.g. suppressed for reliability), not zero.