Soil and Plant Scientists pay range in Las Cruces
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $69,480 a year or less, while the top 10% make $102,860 or more. The middle half of soil and plant scientists in Las Cruces earn between $69,480 and $89,270.
- $69K10th
- $69K25th
- $76KMedian
- $89K75th
- $103K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $81,320 | $6,777 | $39.10 |
| Median | $76,400 | $6,367 | $36.73 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $69,480 | $5,790 | $33.40 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $89,270 | $7,439 | $42.92 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Soil and Plant Scientists pay in Las Cruces vs. New Mexico and the U.S.
Soil and plant scientists in Las Cruces earn 7% more than the New Mexico average ($76,290) and 7% less than the U.S. average ($87,720). At the median the gap is -3% against the U.S. median of $78,850.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Las Cruces | $81,320 | $76,400 | $69,480 | $102,860 | 50 |
| New Mexico | $76,290 | $69,480 | $52,240 | $102,860 | 90 |
| United States | $87,720 | $78,850 | $48,680 | $138,120 | 15,730 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Soil and Plant Scientists salary after taxes in Las Cruces
On the average salary of $81,320, a single filer in Las Cruces takes home about $63,382 a year, or $5,282 a month and $2,438 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Las Cruces a good place for soil and plant scientists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Las Cruces area are 10% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 90.2), so the average $81,320 buys what about $90,143 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Las Cruces ($42,070). A typical home costs $288,339, or 3.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Soil and Plant Scientists salary in nearby metro areas
- Phoenix, AZ$81,160
- Las Vegas, NV$78,280
- Riverside, CA$97,280
- Fort Collins, CO$104,320
- San Diego, CA$91,680
- Wichita, KS$76,650
Highest-paying cities for soil and plant scientists
San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($124,130).
- San Francisco, CA$124,130
- Des Moines, IA$123,060
- San Jose, CA$122,130
- Salinas, CA$111,560
- Washington, DC$107,020
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Soil and Plant Scientists salary in Las Cruces: questions
How much do soil and plant scientists make an hour in Las Cruces?
$39.10 an hour on average, and $36.73 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level soil and plant scientists salary in Las Cruces?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $69,480 a year and the 25th percentile is $69,480, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the soil and plant scientists take-home pay in Las Cruces?
About $63,382 a year ($5,282 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $81,320.
Do soil and plant scientists earn more in Las Cruces than elsewhere?
The average here is 7% 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 Las Cruces, NM (29740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.0%.
- 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 (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 6.68, this job is 6.7 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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