What Is Botany and What Careers Are Available?

Botanists study plants and their interaction with the environment and other organisms. There are plenty of careers available for those with an affinity for flora. Chemists, conservationists, florists, foresters and educators are enthusiastic about pursuing plant knowledge.

Botany is the ultimate career path for plant-passionate people. A career in botany or one of its associated fields can offer untold benefits, including fantastic earning potential and the opportunity to improve life for our neighbors.?

Interested in learning more about career options for green-thumbed gardeners or arboreal obsessives? If so, this article — an exploration of various botanical careers — can incentivize the pursuit of work in this rewarding field.

What Is a Botanist?

Botanists study plants and their interaction with other organisms or the environment.

Why Is Botany Important?

Plants are essential to life on Earth. They convert sunlight into energy for human consumption. Plants are also responsible for all oxygen that we breathe. This makes protecting and studying them an essential part of human life.

Botanists study plants to help understand how plant biological processes work. Their research helps develop advancements in growing crops, creating new medicines, cleaning up contaminated areas and powering vehicles.

What Can You Do With a Degree in Botany?

Botany is a diverse field that offers plenty of career opportunities depending on a person’s interests. For example, some botanists may work in the field to find new species or discover how plants grow in different conditions. Other botanists focus on experimental processes to study the structure of plants. Finally, some botanists choose to teach future generations of scientists in secondary and postsecondary classrooms.

Botany degrees offer more choices than people think. Below are some of the most popular (and best-paying) jobs available to degree holders and others with a botanical interest.

Note: Salary information is from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) unless otherwise noted.

Agricultural Science Teacher (Postsecondary)?

Agricultural science professors teach students in institutions above the high school level. That includes spaces like community colleges, four-year universities and even graduate schools. Agricultural science professors focus on elements related to farming, specifically crops. Their job duties typically include:

• Developing instructional plans and syllabi for all courses they teach
• Planning lessons, assignments and lectures
• Teaching a schedule of courses
• Holding office hours for student discussion
• Grading assignments, papers and exams
• Supervising field and lab work
• Staying up to date about developments in the field

Postsecondary teachers often have master’s or doctorate degrees in the appropriate field. However, in some cases, successful or experienced botanists may teach without an advanced degree. In exchange for their expertise, agricultural science professors earn a median annual wage of $95,910.

Agricultural Chemists

Agricultural chemists focus on developing new chemical products that help farmers grow crops. That means creating products to aid production and yield, defense against pests and environmental protection. Their primary duties include:

• Planning and carrying out complex research on new products
• Instructing other scientists in proper chemical processing
• Preparing the solutions and reagents used in lab procedures
• Analyzing substances to uncover composition and element concentrations
• Conducting tests
• Writing technical reports
• Presenting research findings to stakeholders

Agricultural chemists working in a laboratory environment may need a bachelor’s degree. In some research positions, a master’s or Ph.D. is required. As a result of these requirements, the median pay for an agricultural chemist is $79,430.

Biostatistician

Biostatisticians answer research questions in fields like medicine, biology and public health. They team with experts — including biologists, surgeons, pharmacists and geneticists — to develop studies on topics as wide-ranging as the effectiveness of medication to the safety and efficacy of new herbicides.

Biostatisticians typically have a graduate degree in a field related to biology. According to Salary.com, their median annual salary is $73,839.

Soil and Plant Scientists

Soil and plant scientists research methods to improve agricultural establishments and products. They are part of a field that focuses closely on the efficiency and safety of food-growing processes, creating new products and expanding our nation’s food supply. Their duties include:

• Conducting research and experiments to improve the sustainability of field crops or farm animals.
• Creating new food products and developing advancements in processing, packaging and delivery.
• Studying soil composition, particularly as it relates to plant growth.
• Communicating their research to peers and the public.

As part of their regular work, soil and plant scientists develop soil conservation methods to enhance crop production, including pest and weed control.?

Most soil and plant scientists have bachelor’s degrees from accredited postsecondary institutions. However, soil scientists may need a license to practice in some states.

Soil and plant scientists earn a median annual salary of $66,750.

Conservation Scientists and Foresters

Conservation is an excellent career for botanists who want to focus on maintaining land quality for forests, parks and other natural resources. Conservation scientists and foresters share many job responsibilities and skills as they focus on protecting our woodland areas. Workers in both fields:?

• Oversee forestry and conservation activities and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Are heavily involved with planning the management of forestland and associated resources.
• Partner with firefighters and other workers to mitigate the causes and damage of uncontrolled forest fires.

Conservation scientists also partner with private landowners and government organizations to improve land use while safeguarding the environment. In addition, foresters help regenerate forested lands and supervise tree harvests.

The median annual pay for conservation scientists and foresters is $63,750. However, salaries depend on location and whether the person works in a government capacity or for a private company.

Mycologist

Mycologists are microbiologists who focus on studying fungi, including mushrooms, mold and yeast. Their work primarily explores how fungi can benefit society through food or the environment and the possible risks to human health and habitats that fungi pose.

Mycologists’ duties include:

• Conducting research projects in the field and lab.?
• Helping identify species of fungi for organizations like governments and private companies.
• Reviewing current scientific literature and contributing to reports, research papers and other findings.

The median pay for mycologists, according to Salary.com, is $53,937. However, much like other fields, this pay range depends heavily on location and what kind of organization or government agency a mycologist works for.

Environmental Science and Protection Technicians?

Environmental science and protection technicians work under the management of scientists and government agencies to monitor environments for sources of pollution and contamination. Workers in this field partner heavily with public health agencies and organizations.

Technicians may work for governments, in testing labs and for consulting firms. They typically inspect establishments like public places and businesses to ensure no health or environmental hazards are present. Other daily tasks include:

• Installation and maintenance of monitoring equipment
• Sample collection of air, water, soil and other materials
• Analysis of collected samples for pollutants and contaminants
• Preparation of charts and reports to summarize results
• Sharing analysis results with clients and other stakeholders

One convenient aspect of this field is that it does not always require a bachelor’s degree to enter. Many technicians have associate degrees, although advanced training cannot hurt.?

Depending on what kind of organization the environmental science and protection technician works for, the median salary is $47,370.

Horticulturists

Horticulturists are responsible for increasing crop yields and improving the vigor, size and taste of plants and plant-based foods. In many cases, a horticulturist must have extensive experience and knowledge tending to trees, flowers, vegetables and other types of plants. On a given day, a horticulturist might:

• Oversee the production of plants, including fruits and vegetables
• Manage crop schedules for planting and harvesting
• Control plant growth through fertilizer tests
• Direct labor for crop management
• Operate equipment like vans, sprayers or tractors
• Oversee seasonal labor

Horticulturists usually have an associate degree in an agriculture-related field (including botany). In addition, most horticulturists have taken classes in high school focusing on science, including biology, chemistry and botany.

According to Salary.com, horticulturists make a median annual salary of $37,778.

Forest and Conservation Workers

Often working under the close supervision of conservation scientists and foresters, forest and conservation workers measure and improve the quality of our forests. Daily duties of this job can include, but are not limited to:

• Planting seedlings during reforestation efforts
• Clearing away brush and debris from camping areas and trails
• Counting and measuring trees
• Selecting or cutting trees based on markings, sizes, types or grades
• Spraying trees with fungicides and insecticides to protect the trees from disease and pest threats
• Helping prevent forest fires
• Checking equipment for proper operation

Forest and conservation workers do not usually need a bachelor’s degree, but some technical programs are available. This makes forest and conservation work one of the more accessible fields for people interested in botany. Because of the low barrier to entry, however, median salaries may be lower: $30,550 per year.

Floral Designers

Floral designers arrange flowers — from live ones to silk versions — into decorative displays and arrangements for gifts. They also assist customers with choosing the right flowers for an occasion and vessels to put them in.

Floral designers’ daily work includes buying and sourcing flowers and other products from wholesalers to ensure enough supply. They also ask questions of each client to understand the occasion and relevant delivery details.

Floral designers do not need formal education for their job. Many learn the skills as they go. Some postsecondary programs exist. Professional licensure is also an option.?

Depending on their employer and primary client base, floral designers can make anywhere from $22,830 to $44,820. The median annual wage for this field is $29,880.

Types of Employers for Botanists and Plant Scientists

Plant biologists work in many different settings, but the most prominent places of work for botany enthusiasts are in education or federal and state agencies. In addition, some private companies hire botanists and plant scientists to help ensure regulatory compliance.

Benefits of Pursuing a Career in Botany

Botanists help people understand plants and how we rely on them. And while some may view that alone as an excellent reason to pursue a botany career, others might do so because of the many industries that offer opportunities. As a result, botany can be a great fit for all kinds of people, from outdoor enthusiasts to chemistry students.?

Education Requirements for Botany Career

Many of the highest-paying jobs in botany require a bachelor’s degree. In addition, some positions require specific certification or accreditation from industry organizations. Extracurricular activities such as science fairs, summer jobs and club membership can also help with networking opportunities.

How to Break Into the Botany Field

If a person has a green thumb and wants to work with plants as a career, the best course of action is to load up on science classes in high school. This will provide excellent exposure to many scientific areas of working with plants. Then, provided everything goes well, pursuing a science-related major like biology, chemistry or ecology is the next step.

Top Takeaways

What Is Botany and What Careers Are Available?

• Botanists study plants and how they interact with organisms and the environment.
• Several careers make use of botanical knowledge.
• Most botanists either work in education or with governmental organizations.
• The highest-paying botany jobs require a college degree, although a few do not.

(Reporting by NPD)