by our College Data Analytics TeamIf you have a green thumb, you may be a great fit for Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services.
Horticulture focuses on the production and processing of shrubs, foliage, trees, and other plants. Majoring in Horticulture means you will learn everything there is to know about plants. Many of your classes will include agriculture and biological sciences. Classes will focus on plant genetics, structures, and diseases. You will also take business classes to learn the basics of administration, management, and sales.
Schools offer the ability to major in general horticulture, but you also have the opportunity to choose a specialty. Some of these concentrations include Ornamental Horticulture, Greenhouse Operations and Management, Landscaping and Grounds keeping, Plant Nursery Operations and Management, Turf and Turf grass Management, Floriculture/Floristry Operations and Management.
Horticulture was the 218th most popular major in the 2021-2022 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 3,591 degrees in this year alone. This year's Best Horticulture Schools ranking compares 22 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of horticulture programs later in this article.
Horticulturists arrange plants everywhere from residences and baseball fields to office buildings and golf courses. A degree in Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services will provide you with the ability to grow and maintain plants while having the ability to manipulate them through genetic mutations.
Since you will be working to sell your services, it is imperative that you have great marketing and customer service skills. You must also be extremely knowledgeable on certain types of plants, soils, and insects so you can meet customers' needs and ensure they are happy with the final result. Self-motivation and stamina are beneficial as you often do physically strenuous labor for long hours with little supervision. Typical work hours are anytime during the daylight hours causing some days to be very long.
Although it is not necessary, it would be beneficial to gain experience in this field with a summer job or internship. This will teach you the basics on how to plant and maintain areas before deciding to enter this field as a career.
horticulture degree applicants generally need have finished high school or their GED. Many schools may also have GPA and SAT/ACT score minimums that must be met. Specific horticulture careers may require a certain level of degree attainment or additional certifications beyond that.
There are various different levels of horticulture degrees. You can spend many years getting as high as a in horticulture to something that takes less time like a . Horticulture programs can take anywhere between one to four or more years for a full-time student to complete.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to horticulture, with approximately 18.2% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for horticulture workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 27.0% |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 17.7% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 13.9% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 12.4% |
| Doctoral Degree | 8.7% |
51.0% of horticulture workers have at least a associate. The chart below shows what degree level those who work in horticulture have obtained.
The education level required is different depending on the horticulture career you are seeking.
There is a wide variety of careers open to you when you major in Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services. You have the option to open your own landscaping business, become a nursery or greenhouse manager, work as a grounds keeper, or go into commercial fruit or vegetable production. Anything plant related is available to you. Plus, this is a growing career. Job opportunities are increasing, especially in areas with a warmer climate.
Want a job when you graduate with your horticulture degree? Horticulture careers are expected to grow 2.7% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to horticulture.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Sales Supervisors | 1,590,100 | 3.8% |
| Farmers, Ranchers, and Agricultural Managers | 1,020,700 | -0.8% |
| Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Supervisors | 198,600 | 11.4% |
| Pesticide Applicators | 41,000 | 7.9% |
| Agricultural Sciences Professors | 13,600 | 7.9% |
Recently graduated horticulture students earned an average of $40,120 in <nil>. Earnings can range from as low as $7,972 to as high as $51,005. As you might expect, salaries for horticulture graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for horticulture graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers horticulture grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Agricultural Sciences Professors | $90,890 |
| Farmers, Ranchers, and Agricultural Managers | $79,940 |
| Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Supervisors | $51,280 |
| Retail Sales Supervisors | $45,080 |
| Pesticide Applicators | $38,210 |
With over 805 different horticulture degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased horticulture school rankings to help you with this.
One of 18 majors within the Agriculture & Agriculture Operations area of study, Horticulture has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Applied Horticulture/Horticulture Operations | 1,928 |
| L&scaping & Groundskeeping | 831 |
| Turf & Turfgrass Management | 338 |
| Plant Nursery Operations & Management | 141 |
| Ornamental Horticulture | 111 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians | 8,951 |
| Animal Science | 8,178 |
| Agricultural Economics & Business | 8,140 |
| Veterinary Medicine | 3,468 |
| Plant Sciences | 3,152 |
