Salary
Average Salary: $49,000
Expected Lifetime Earnings: $2,045,652
It's hard to say exactly what the salary for a pesticide scientist is because of the nebulous nature of the job title. Scientists who specialize in pesticide research do so in many different arenas making very different money.
What we can tell you is that the salary ranges from around $40,000 a year to well over $100,000 depending on the particular field in which you work. Folks who specialize in pesticide science may end up in management, professorship, high-end research, or even political lobbying.
Speaking strictly about people whose job title says they research pesticides, there is a range from lower middle class (under the $50,000 mark) (source) to upper middle class (six figures and change) (source).
There are a lot of factors here, but the main one is ambition―you'll earn what you deserve based on how desirable you've made yourself to employers with your scientific achievements throughout school and your life as an employed person. Additionally, you'll learn the right sector in which to use your expertise and talents, which will affect the amount you make by quite a bit.
In any case, if you've got the sense it takes to make a living in this industry, you should have what it takes to plan out your finances around your lifestyle of choice. Kids, dogs, vacations―you can probably afford it all and still live pretty comfortably.