The median annual wage of agricultural and food scientists was $58,450 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $34,320, and the top 10 percent earned more than $105,040.
Median annual wages in selected industries for animal scientists in May 2010 were the following:
| State government, excluding education and hospitals | $86,550 |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 76,790 |
| Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private | 49,250 |
Median annual wages in selected industries for food scientists and technologists in May 2010 were the following:
| Scientific research and development services | $69,470 |
| Food manufacturing | 55,690 |
| Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private | 46,940 |
Median annual wages in selected industries for soil and plant scientists in May 2010 were the following:
| Scientific research and development services | $62,210 |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 57,680 |
| Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private | 46,630 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition