by our College Data Analytics TeamYour green thumb has inspired you to search for a career involving plants. Your bedroom window overflows with potted plants and you love nothing more than caring for plants and learning more about them. If this is the case, a major in Plant Science might be for you.
Plant Science gives you the ability to learn how to breed, cultivate, and produce agriculture plants. You also learn the process behind producing and distributing plant products. Classes in areas such as biotechnology, botany, agriculture economics, entomology, and plant pathology will provide the basis for how plants feed the general public and how to combat drought, disease and any other issues that affect plant production.
While you have the ability to major in general Plant Science, students often decide to concentrate in a certain area such as Agronomy and Crop Science, Horticultural Science, Agricultural and Horticultural Plant Breeding, Plant Protection and Integrated Pest Management, Range Science and Management.
Studying Plant Sciences explores Plant Sciences. Read on to learn the essential details every plant sciences major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering plant sciences programs.
Across the country, plant sciences draws strong interest, with 3,261 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Plant Sciences Schools ranking analyzes these 128 schools to determine the best overall colleges for plant sciences students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of plant sciences programs later in this article.
Coursework for Plant Sciences build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations plant sciences graduates commonly enter.
Students with strong analytical and critical thinking skills would make ideal plant scientists. A lot of time is spent collecting and analyzing data through a variety of methods. Someone with a strong background in sciences, specifically biology, chemistry, and physical sciences, would be successful in this field as you work to test, genetically engineer, and maintain plants.
Although you work the typical 40-hour workweek, you don't spend too much time behind a desk. Plant Scientists are often out in the field working directly with plants or performing experiments in the lab.
Internships or summer jobs with research labs or farms provides you with experience gathering and analyzing data along with the ability to decide if this is the career path you wish to follow.
The skill set built by a plant sciences program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a plant sciences major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several plant sciences 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 | 42 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 162 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 1,949 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 794 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 305 |
People currently working in careers related to plant sciences tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 45.8% |
| Doctoral degree | 18.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 15.6% |
| Post-doctoral training | 6.8% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 3.3% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2.9% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.4% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 2.2% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.5% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.7% |
| First professional degree | 0.5% |
| Some college courses | 0.3% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in plant sciences careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
A degree in Plant Sciences opens many job opportunities for graduates. You may choose to work in research labs, farms, processing plants, or for food distributors. As a food scientist you also have the option to work for governments or research for universities and colleges.
A degree in plant sciences prepares you for a variety of career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to plant sciences.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to plant sciences.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Farm and Home Management Educators | 1,304,119 | 14.0% |
| Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 497,622 | 4.3% |
| Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | 297,433 | 4.5% |
| Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers | 231,384 | 14.7% |
| Conservation Scientists | 208,826 | 13.4% |
| Range Managers | 175,572 | 1.3% |
| Soil and Plant Scientists | 172,528 | 3.7% |
| Precision Agriculture Technicians | 167,331 | 6.9% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of plant sciences graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $45,321 |
| 4 years | $49,331 |
| 5 years | $56,395 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for plant sciences graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers plant sciences grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Animal Scientists | $93,823 |
| Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers | $84,680 |
| Conservation Scientists | $81,436 |
| Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary | $79,966 |
| Park Naturalists | $76,516 |
| Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | $66,903 |
| Range Managers | $59,935 |
| Soil and Plant Scientists | $59,587 |
With 128 different plant sciences programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased plant sciences school rankings to help you.
Those considering plant sciences, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Agronomy and Crop Science | 1,201 |
| Horticultural Science | 903 |
| Plant Sciences, General | 692 |
| Plant Protection and Integrated Pest Management | 166 |
| Range Science and Management | 153 |
| Plant Sciences, Other | 107 |
| Agricultural and Horticultural Plant Breeding | 39 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians | 9,051 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | 8,612 |
| Animal Sciences | 8,295 |
| Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services | 4,164 |
| Veterinary Medicine | 3,756 |
| Agricultural Production Operations | 3,608 |
| Agriculture, General | 3,276 |
| Food Science and Technology | 2,269 |
| Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services | 1,424 |
| Agricultural Mechanization | 1,378 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
