Soil Sciences
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Types of Degrees Soil Sciences Majors Are Getting
The following table lists how many soil sciences graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.
Education Level | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Master’s Degree | 99 |
Doctor’s Degree | 47 |
Graduate Certificate | 12 |
What Soil Sciences Majors Need to Know
People with careers related to soil sciences were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.
Knowledge Areas for Soil Sciences Majors
According to O*NET survey takers, a major in soil sciences should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:
- Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
- Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Skills for Soil Sciences Majors
The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to soil sciences:
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Abilities for Soil Sciences Majors
As you progress with your soil sciences degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
What Can You Do With a Soil Sciences Major?
Below is a list of occupations associated with soil sciences:
Job Title | Job Growth Rate | Median Salary |
---|---|---|
Agricultural Sciences Professors | 7.9% | $84,640 |
Microbiologists | 8.2% | $71,650 |
Soil and Plant Scientists | 9.0% | $63,950 |
Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Soil Sciences?
Racial-Ethnic Diversity
At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of soil sciences majors is as follows:
Race/Ethnicity | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Asian | 2 |
Black or African American | 2 |
Hispanic or Latino | 4 |
White | 60 |
International Students | 26 |
Other Races/Ethnicities | 5 |
Geographic Diversity
Students from other countries are interested in Soil Sciences, too. About 26.3% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:
- China
- India
- Nepal
- Brazil
- Libya
How Much Do Soil Sciences Majors Make?
Master’s Degree Starting Salary
The U.S. Department of Education found that students who graduated in 2017-2019 with a master’s degree in soil sciences made a median starting salary of $47,734 per year. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $47,734 (25th percentile) and $47,734 (75th percentile).
It is possible that some of these people may have taken positions that were not related to soil sciences.
Salaries According to BLS
Soil Sciences majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $70,630 to $90,890 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.
To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.
Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Soil Sciences
Some degrees associated with soil sciences may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.
How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to soil sciences have obtained the following education levels.
Education Level | Percentage of Workers |
---|---|
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 1.8% |
Bachelor’s Degree | 21.0% |
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master. | 5.5% |
Master’s Degree | 18.1% |
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level. | 1.6% |
Doctoral Degree | 35.2% |
Post-Doctoral Training | 16.7% |
Online Soil Sciences Programs
In 2020-2021, 40 schools offered a soil sciences program of some type. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.
Degree Level | Colleges Offering Programs | Colleges Offering Online Classes |
---|---|---|
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) | 0 | 0 |
Certificate (1-2 years) | 1 | 0 |
Certificate (2-4 Years) | 0 | 0 |
Associate’s Degree | 3 | 0 |
Bachelor’s Degree | 2 | 0 |
Post-Baccalaureate | 0 | 0 |
Master’s Degree | 23 | 1 |
Post-Master’s | 0 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Research) | 23 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) | 0 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Other) | 0 | 0 |
Is a Degree in Soil Sciences Worth It?
The median salary for a soil sciences grad is $81,150 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.
This is 103% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $825,000 after 20 years!
Top Ranking Lists for Soil Sciences
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Majors Related to Soil Sciences
You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to soil sciences.
Major | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Plant Sciences | 912 |
Food Science Technology | 692 |
Animal Science | 596 |
Agricultural Economics & Business | 410 |
General Agriculture | 353 |
Agricultural Public Services | 179 |
Agricultural Production | 163 |
Other Agriculture | 104 |
International Agriculture | 46 |
Horticulture | 15 |
Animal Services | 8 |
Food Processing | 2 |
Agricultural Mechanization | 0 |
Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians | 0 |
References
*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.
- College Factual
- College Scorecard
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
- Image Credit: By Bdx under License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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