Career comparison
Animal Scientist vs. Soil and Plant Scientist
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Soil and plant scientists earn more at the median ($78,850 vs. $68,940), while animal scientists usually get to work faster (4-year degree of training). Animal scientists research livestock nutrition, breeding and health to improve food production. Soil and plant scientists study soils and crops to help farmers grow more with less.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Animal Scientist | Soil and Plant Scientist | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $68,940 ($33.14/hr) | $78,850 ($37.91/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $44,350 – $166,000 | $48,680 – $138,120 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +5.8% (faster than average) | +6.7% (faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 200 | 1,400 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Training time | 4-year degree | 4-year degree |
| Key credential | PAS | CCA |
| Work setting | Animal scientists work in labs, farms and offices.. | Scientists work in fields, labs and offices.. |
What each job does
Animal Scientist
- Research nutrition
- Design feed rations
- Study genetics
- Study welfare
- Advise producers
Soil and Plant Scientist
- Test soils
- Breed crops
- Research pests
- Advise farmers
- Run field trials
How they’re similar
Both careers involve in-demand, working outdoors, and working with information. Both are part of the agriculture, landscaping & animal care field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose animal scientist if…
- I love animals and agriculture
- I like science
- I don’t mind farms
Choose soil and plant scientist if…
- I love plants and soil
- I like field work
- I like science
Still torn? Take the Animal Scientist fit quiz and the Soil and Plant Scientist fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, animal scientist or soil and plant scientist?
Soil and Plant Scientists earn more at the median: $78,850 versus $68,940 for animal scientists, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Animal Scientists typically train faster (4-year degree) than soil and plant scientists (4-year degree).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects soil and plant scientists to grow +6.7% from 2025–35, compared with +5.8% for animal scientists.