by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2020-2021, applied horticulture/horticulture operations was the 525th most popular major nationwide with 1,617 degrees awarded. This represents a 38.4% reduction in applied horticulture degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 2,238.
This year's Best Applied Horticulture/Horticulture Operations Schools ranking compares 17 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Explore this or one of our many other custom applied horticulture rankings further below.
When studying Applied Horticulture, you’ll learn that using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs. Talking to others to convey information effectively and monitoring assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action are all required skills for careers related to this major.
New students will need to have completed high school or a GED program and each school will have their own minimum GPA and SAT/ACT test requirements. Specific applied horticulture careers may require a certain level of degree attainment or additional certifications beyond that.
There are various different levels of applied horticulture degrees. You can spend many years getting as high as a in applied horticulture/horticulture operations to something that takes less time like a . Different applied horticulture/horticulture operations degrees vary in how long they take.
| 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 applied horticulture, with approximately 24.0% of workers getting one. People currently working in careers related to applied horticulture tend obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 25.0% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 15.0% |
| Doctoral Degree | 14.3% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 13.9% |
| High School Diploma | 9.6% |
Most workers in applied horticulture have at least a bachelor's degree. See the chart below for the most common degree level workers in applied horticulture/horticulture operations have received.
This of course varies depending on which applied horticulture career you choose.
Want a job when you graduate with your applied horticulture degree? Applied Horticulture/Horticulture Operations careers are expected to grow 1.1% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to applied horticulture/horticulture operations.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Farmers, Ranchers, and Agricultural Managers | 1,020,700 | -0.8% |
| Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Supervisors | 198,600 | 11.4% |
| Agricultural Sciences Professors | 13,600 | 7.9% |
As you might expect, salaries for applied horticulture graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for applied horticulture/horticulture operations graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers applied 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 |
With over 319 different applied 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 applied horticulture school rankings to help you with this.
One of 7 majors within the Horticulture area of study, Applied Horticulture/Horticulture Operations has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| L&scaping & Groundskeeping | 781 |
| Turf & Turfgrass Management | 340 |
| Ornamental Horticulture | 160 |
| Plant Nursery Operations & Management | 121 |
| Greenhouse Operations & Management | 78 |
