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Soil Microbiology

What Soil Microbiology Majors Need to Know

Programs in Soil Microbiology develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Soil Microbiology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Soil Microbiology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Biology — Importance 4.4 / 5; level 5.6 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 5.4 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Soil Microbiology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Active Learning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Soil Microbiology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Soil Microbiology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.4 / 7
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.2 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.2 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.1 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.1 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.1 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Soil Microbiology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Collaborative editing software	Word processing software	—
Course management system software	Computer based training software	—
Spreadsheet software	Spreadsheet software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Soil Microbiology graduates include:

• Scientist
• Agricultural Soil Conservation Professor
• Floriculture Professor
• Dairy Husbandry Teacher
• Associate Professor
• Professor
• Animal Nutrition Teacher
• Plant Science Professor
• Silviculture Teacher
• Animal Pathology Teacher
• Agronomy Instructor
• Soil Biology Teacher
• Plant Sciences Professor
• Horticulture Professor
• Farm Management Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Soil Microbiology graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	31.8%
Bachelor’s degree	22.7%
Master’s degree	18.0%
Post-doctoral training	15.3%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	4.2%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	3.5%
Post-master’s certificate	1.7%
Postsecondary certificate	1.3%
First professional degree	1.3%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

How Much Do Soil Microbiology Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Soil Microbiology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$51,851
4 years	$52,838
5 years	$61,652

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $61,652 — roughly 19% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Soil Microbiology Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Soil Microbiology graduates earn a median of $52,838 four years after completion — roughly 39% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Soil Sciences	01.12
Soil Chemistry and Physics	01.1202
Soil Science and Agronomy, General	01.1201
Soil Sciences, Other	01.1299
Agricultural and Horticultural Plant Breeding	01.1104
Agriculture, General	01.0000
Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture	01.0308
Agronomy and Crop Science	01.1102
Horticultural Science	01.1103
Plant Protection and Integrated Pest Management	01.1105
Plant Sciences, General	01.1101
Plant Sciences, Other	01.1199

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.