Knowledge of within-field spatial variability in soil quality indicators is important to assess the impact of site-specific management on the soil. Standard methods for measuring these properties require considerable time and expense, so sensor-based approaches would be useful. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the ability of visible and near infrared (VNIR) diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) to estimate soil properties that are candidate soil quality indicators. Soil samples were obtained from two depths (0-5 and 5-15 cm) at a long-term (since 1991) experimental site in central Missouri where cropping systems were replicated across a typical claypan soil landscape. Laboratory analyses were conducted for potential indicators of soil quality, including soil organic carbon, soil glucosidase enzyme activity, and plant available nutrients. VNIR-DRS data were obtained in the laboratory using a spectrometer with a wavelength range of 350 to 2500 nm and calibrations to soil properties were developed with partial least squares regression. Results showed that VNIR DRS has potential to estimate several key soil quality indicators (SQI), including soil organic carbon, total soil nitrogen, glucosidase activity, and pH. However, other key SQI, such as aggregate stability, plant available nutrients, and nitrate and ammonia forms of nitrogen were not successfully estimated by this technology. Thus, a sensor fusion approach, combining VNIR DRS with other technologies, would likely be needed for implementing a sensor-based soil quality index.