Soil and Plant Scientists
Machines can already do 38% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 68%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Soil and Plant Scientists in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 38% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 5% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2030, and 68% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 15,730 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $78,850 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 64% for contact with people.
- Also called: Agronomist, Arboriculture Researcher, Crop Nutrition Scientist, Forage Physiologist.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communicate research or project results to other professionals or the public or teach related courses, seminars, or workshops | 16% | 72% to 95% | |
| Provide information or recommendations to farmers or other landowners regarding ways in which they can best use land, promote plant growth, or avoid or correct problems such as erosion | 8% | 35% to 65% | |
| Conduct experiments to develop new or improved varieties of field crops, focusing on characteristics such as yield, quality, disease resistance, nutritional value, or adaptation to specific soils or climates | 8% | 3% to 30% | |
| Conduct experiments to investigate the underlying mechanisms of plant growth and response to the environment | 7% | 20% to 60% | |
| Develop methods of conserving or managing soil that can be applied by farmers or forestry companies | 4% | 35% to 65% | |
| Investigate soil problems or poor water quality to determine sources and effects | 4% | 55% to 85% | |
| Investigate responses of soils to specific management practices to determine the use capabilities of soils and the effects of alternative practices on soil productivity | 4% | 55% to 85% | |
| Develop new or improved methods or products for controlling or eliminating weeds, crop diseases, or insect pests | 4% | 50% to 85% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills soil and plant scientists use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Microbiologists62% of tasks by 2035 · US median $87,990
- Molecular and Cellular Biologists65% of tasks by 2035 · US median $98,920
- Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary51% of tasks by 2035 · US median $84,620
- Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary64% of tasks by 2035 · US median $103,170
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Soil and Plant Scientists?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2030. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of soil and plant scientists?
Machines can do 38% of the tasks of soil and plant scientists today and 68% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 19-1013.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Soil and Plant Scientists: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/soil-and-plant-scientists/