Sources: Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB), State of Minnesota Salary Plan — Classifications and Salary Ranges (report LR0067); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Minnesota state pay plan Sourced
Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective July 2, 2026. These are the ranges Minnesota sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.
| Class and grade | Published rate |
|---|---|
| Soil Scientist 1 Class 002054 Grade 07L | $26.12 – $37.91 a hour $54,330 – $78,853 a year |
| Soil Scientist 2 Class 002055 Grade 12L | $30.76 – $45.26 a hour $63,981 – $94,141 a year |
Schedule: Salary grid 14G. Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions (hourly × 2,080). Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).
Source: Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB), State of Minnesota Salary Plan — Classifications and Salary Ranges (report LR0067). Data captured September 30, 2026.
Pay in Minnesota, all employers Sourced
Conservation Scientists (SOC 19-1031) in Minnesota, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | MN |
|---|---|
| Workers | 770 |
| 10th percentile | $45,740 |
| Median | $71,280 |
| 90th percentile | $106,330 |
| National median, government employers | $73,920 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.
More about this job
Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Soil Conservationist / Conservation Scientist page.