by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 17 U.S. colleges awarded 199 degrees and certificates in Plant Protection & Integrated Pest Management. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 56% of graduates. College Factual ranks 5 schools in its 2027 Best Plant Protection & Integrated Pest Management Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $45,321 one year after completing, rising to $60,119 after four years.
Studying Plant Protection & Integrated Pest Management involves the study of Plant Protection And Integrated Pest Management. A Program That Focuses On The Application Of Scientific Principles To The Control Of Animal, Insect And Weed Infestation Of Domesticated Plant Populations And Other Settings, Including Agricultural Crops; The Prevention/reduction Of Attendant Economic Loss; And The Control Of Environmental Pollution And Degradation Related To Pest Infestation And Pest Control Measures. Includes Instruction In Entomology, Applicable Animal Sciences, Plant Pathology And Physiology, Weed Science, Crop Science, And Environmental Toxicology. Examples: [Pest Management], [Extermination].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, plant protection & integrated pest management draws strong interest, with 199 degrees awarded annually. 17 colleges award plant protection & integrated pest management degrees, an average of 12 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 73.
By level, the 199 awards include 6 certificates, 15 associate degrees, 111 bachelor’s degrees, 52 master’s degrees and 10 doctorates.
Women earned 39% of plant protection & integrated pest management degrees and certificates in the latest year (78 of 199). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are Hispanic or Latino (101) and White (68), and international students earned 11.
College Factual ranks 5 schools in its 2027 Best Plant Protection & Integrated Pest Management Schools ranking, including 4 for bachelor’s degrees and 1 for master’s degrees. It also ranks plant protection & integrated pest management schools within 2 states. In all, 17 colleges offer plant protection & integrated pest management programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Plant Protection & Integrated Pest Management Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common plant protection & integrated pest management credential is the bachelor’s degree: 111 of the 199 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to plant protection & integrated pest management call most for Active Listening, Speaking and Reading Comprehension, and for knowledge of Education and Training, English Language and Biology, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Oral Comprehension and Written Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a plant protection & integrated pest management degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 6 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 15 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 111 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 52 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 10 |
Master’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to plant protection & integrated pest management, at 56.0%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 56.0% |
| Doctoral degree | 14.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 13.4% |
| Post-doctoral training | 5.3% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 3.2% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 3.2% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 2.7% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 0.7% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.6% |
| First professional degree | 0.5% |
Source: O*NET Online.
4 occupations are related to Plant Protection & Integrated Pest Management, with an average median salary of $66,780; the strongest outlook belongs to Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers, at 14.7% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Adjunct Instructor, Smart Home Expert, 4-H Youth Development Educator and District Extension Service Agent.
The occupation related to plant protection & integrated pest management with the most projected jobs is Farm and Home Management Educators, at 1,304,119.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Farm and Home Management Educators | 1,304,119 | 14.0% |
| Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | 297,433 | 4.5% |
| Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers | 231,384 | 14.7% |
| Soil and Plant Scientists | 172,528 | 3.7% |
Plant Protection & Integrated Pest Management graduates earn a median $45,321 one year after completing their program, $60,119 after four years and $56,395 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $45,321 |
| 4 years | $60,119 |
| 5 years | $56,395 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to plant protection & integrated pest management, with a median salary of $84,680.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers | $84,680 |
| Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | $66,903 |
| Soil and Plant Scientists | $59,587 |
| Farm and Home Management Educators | $55,950 |
Plant Protection & Integrated Pest Management has 6 similar majors in the Agriculture field, which together award 3,311 degrees a year; the largest are Agronomy and Crop Science (1,387), Horticultural Science (883) and Plant Sciences, General (758). Browse all Agriculture majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Agronomy and Crop Science | 1,387 |
| Horticultural Science | 883 |
| Plant Sciences, General | 758 |
| Range Science and Management | 137 |
| Plant Sciences, Other | 104 |
| Agricultural and Horticultural Plant Breeding | 42 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
