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Horticulture careers: paths, pay and training

From nursery crews to plant scientists: what the main green-industry occupations pay according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, and how people train for them.

Horticulture jobs include hands-on production and landscape work, management, design, sales and research. The figures below come from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook. They use May 2025 pay data and 2025–35 employment projections. For comparison, the BLS puts the median annual wage for all occupations at $50,980.1

Occupations and median pay

Occupation (BLS) Median pay, 2025 Typical entry education Outlook 2025–35 Jobs, 2025
Farmers, ranchers and other agricultural managers (includes nursery and greenhouse managers) $89,900 High school diploma + 5 years’ related experience −3% 788,7001
Agricultural and food scientists $81,970 Bachelor’s degree +6% 37,4002
– of which soil and plant scientists $78,850 Bachelor’s degree +7% 19,9002
Landscape architects $79,870 Bachelor’s degree; state license required +4% 23,5003
Grounds maintenance workers $40,080 No formal credential +5% 1,299,2004
Floral designers $37,360 High school diploma −6% 45,2005
Crop, nursery and greenhouse farmworkers and laborers $35,660 No formal credential (short on-the-job training) −2% 546,8006
BLS median annual pay, May 2025, for green-industry occupations Horizontal bar chart. Farm and agricultural managers 89,900 dollars; landscape architects 79,870; soil and plant scientists 78,850; all occupations 50,980; grounds maintenance workers 40,080; floral designers 37,360; crop, nursery and greenhouse workers 35,660. Farm & ag managers Landscape architects Soil & plant scientists All occupations Grounds maintenance Floral designers Nursery/greenhouse workers $89,900 $79,870 $78,850 $50,980 $40,080 $37,360 $35,660 Bar length proportional to median annual pay (scale $0–$90,000)
Drawing by this site, based on the cited sources.
  • Farmers, ranchers and other agricultural managers: $89,900
  • Landscape architects: $79,870
  • Soil and plant scientists: $78,850
  • All occupations (reference): $50,980
  • Grounds maintenance workers: $40,080
  • Floral designers: $37,360
  • Crop, nursery and greenhouse farmworkers and laborers: $35,660

What the work looks like

Production. BLS says nursery and greenhouse workers prepare land or greenhouse beds, and plant, water, prune, weed and spray. They also cut and stack sod, stake trees, pack plant orders and dig up field-grown shrubs and trees.6 Nursery and greenhouse managers oversee the production of trees, shrubs, flowers and turf for landscaping, and often track marketing and inventory.1

Landscape and grounds. Landscaping workers plant and care for flowers, shrubs and trees. Some install walkways, patios, lighting or irrigation. Groundskeepers maintain grounds, lay sod and clear snow and debris. Tree trimmers and pruners clear branches from utility lines and roads, and some diagnose and treat tree diseases.4 All states require landscape architects to be licensed. The license usually requires an accredited degree, internship experience and a qualifying exam.3

Science. Soil and plant scientists work to raise crop yields and soil productivity through breeding, soil management and pest and weed control. Some focus on conservation and environmental quality.2

Business and communication. NC State lists account and product management, entrepreneurship, garden writing and marketing among the careers its horticulture graduates go into.7 Oregon State adds editors, technical writers, park naturalists and recreational therapists through its communication and therapeutic horticulture options.8

Education routes

  • On the job. Grounds maintenance and farmworker roles typically need no formal credential. Training happens at work, and many farmworkers learn in under a month.4,6
  • Experience into management. BLS lists a high school diploma plus five or more years of related experience as the typical route to agricultural management.1
  • Two-year to four-year. Ohio State ATI’s associate degree in Horticultural Science covers landscape plants, greenhouse production and turfgrass. It completes about half of a bachelor’s degree at Ohio State in Columbus, which requires a 10-week internship.9
  • Bachelor’s and beyond. Scientist and landscape architect roles typically start with a bachelor’s degree. Employers may prefer a master’s or doctorate for science roles.2,3 Oregon State offers options from plant breeding to viticulture, plus M.S. and Ph.D. degrees.8

Industry events can help too. At Cultivate’17 the GenNext community ran CareerUP, a day of workshops for young professionals.

Sources

  1. BLS – Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers
  2. BLS – Agricultural and Food Scientists
  3. BLS – Landscape Architects
  4. BLS – Grounds Maintenance Workers
  5. BLS – Floral Designers
  6. BLS – Agricultural Workers
  7. NC State University – Horticultural Science careers
  8. Oregon State University – Careers in Horticulture
  9. Ohio State ATI – Horticultural Science