by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Plant Nursery Operations & Management covers Plant Nursery Operations And Management. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Operate And Manage Outdoor Plant Farms, Tree And Shrub Nurseries, And Related Facilities That Develop Domesticated Plant Products For Propagation, Harvesting, And Transplantation. Includes Instruction In Applicable Principles Of Plant Science, Farm And Business Management, Nursery Operations, Equipment Operation And Maintenance, Safety Procedures, And Personnel Supervision. Read on to learn the essential details every plant nursery operations & management major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering plant nursery operations & management programs.
In the U.S., plant nursery operations & management is a popular field of study, with 131 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Plant Nursery Operations & Management Schools ranking analyzes these 24 schools to determine the best overall colleges for plant nursery operations & management students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of plant nursery operations & management programs later in this article.
Studies in Plant Nursery Operations & Management develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations plant nursery operations & management graduates commonly enter.
The skill set developed in a plant nursery operations & management program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a plant nursery operations & management major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several plant nursery operations & management degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 14 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 19 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 2 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 96 |
People currently working in careers related to plant nursery operations & management tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 23.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 18.8% |
| Doctoral degree | 13.7% |
| Master’s degree | 9.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 8.7% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 8.0% |
| Post-doctoral training | 6.7% |
| Some college courses | 4.6% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 4.6% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.7% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in plant nursery operations & management careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying plant nursery operations & management can lead to many career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to plant nursery operations & management.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to plant nursery operations & management.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Forest and Conservation Workers | 400,323 | 11.1% |
| Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | 297,433 | 4.5% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers | 276,926 | 4.4% |
| Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers | 231,384 | 14.7% |
| Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 139,205 | -2.2% |
| Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation | 59,660 | 1.1% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers | 33,611 | -0.6% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of plant nursery operations & management graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $37,555 |
| 4 years | $43,505 |
| 5 years | $48,599 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for plant nursery operations & management graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers plant nursery operations & management grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers | $84,680 |
| Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | $66,903 |
| Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | $43,138 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers | $36,803 |
| Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation | $34,037 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers | $24,378 |
| Forest and Conservation Workers | $22,542 |
With 24 different plant nursery operations & management programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased plant nursery operations & management school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in plant nursery operations & management, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
