Plant Pathologist pay range
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania · class code 56300
- Class code
- 56300
- Pay scale group
- ST 07
- Pay unit
- Year
- Bargaining unit
- B4
- State
- Pennsylvania
- The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania published pay range for Plant Pathologist is $60,538 to $92,010 per year.
- Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Office of Administration keys this classification as class code 56300.
- This is the range the plan authorises, not the salary of any individual employee.
Class specification
The Commonwealth job specification for this class is published by Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Office of Administration. The passages below are quoted from it as published, not paraphrased, and cut to their opening sentences; the full specification is the authority on duties and qualifications. It was last revised 07/31/2023.
What the state says the job is
This is professional work diagnosing plant diseases and participating in the implementation of statewide plant certification and survey programs for plant diseases that impact Pennsylvania’s agriculture and natural resources. An employee in this job performs diagnostic work to identify plant pathogens and recommend methods to eradicate or control the spread of plant diseases. Work involves conducting laboratory testing for suspected plant disease organisms; determining the symptoms, causes, and epidemiology of disease outbreaks; and providing technical training to Plant Inspectors and other staff on plant disease symptom identification and sampling techniques.
Examples of the work
• Applies the scientific disciplines of bacteriology, epidemiology, mycology, nematology, phytotoxicology, or virology to diagnose plant diseases. • Performs serological, molecular, and other diagnostic tests to detect and identify plant pathogenic fungi, viruses, bacteria, and nematodes. • Prepares or directs the preparation of media, stock solutions, and buffers for use in laboratory testing. • Implements methods and techniques for improving diagnostic services. • Provides guidance to lab technicians performing diagnostic tests and ensures adherence to safety and quality standards.
Minimum qualifications
• Two years as a Plant Industry Lab Technician (commonwealth title): or • Two years of professional laboratory experience diagnosing plant diseases, and a bachelor’s degree in agricultural studies, botany, horticulture, environmental science, microbiology, or a related field that includes 15 college credits in plant sciences; or • An equivalent combination of experience and training that includes fifteen college credits in plant sciences.
Quoted from the Commonwealth job specification, read 2026-10-21.
Where this comes from
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Office of Administration publishes this figure in Classification and Pay Plan (online, current annual salary ranges). Every number on this page is read from that document; nothing is estimated, modelled or averaged.
The Commonwealth also links this class code to its own job title and specification. That page is the official description of the classification; this page publishes its pay range.
The listed pay scale is available in the Commonwealth's current ST schedule.
Nearby classes in Pennsylvania
Plant Pathologist in other states
| State | Minimum | Maximum | Per year at full time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $5,527 | $7,870 | $66,324 to $94,440 |
| Iowa | $56,992 | $86,362 | $56,992 to $86,362 |
| Nevada | $67,296 | $100,099 | $67,296 to $100,099 |
| Tennessee | $4,057 | $6,099 | $48,684 to $73,188 |
Each state publishes its own range for a classification with this exact title. Duties, grade structures and bargaining units differ between states, so read each class page before comparing.