by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 40 U.S. colleges awarded 566 degrees and certificates in Botany. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 62% of graduates. College Factual ranks 18 schools in its 2027 Best Botany Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $32,082 one year after completing, rising to $52,330 after four years.
Studying Botany involves the study of Botany/plant Biology. A Program That Focuses On The Scientific Study Of Plants, Related Microbial Organisms, And Plant Habitats And Ecosystem Relations. Includes Instruction In Plant Anatomy And Structure, Phytochemistry, Cytology, Plant Genetics, Plant Morphology And Physiology, Plant Ecology, Plant Taxonomy And Systematics, Paleobotany, And Applications Of Biophysics And Molecular Biology.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, botany draws strong interest, with 566 degrees awarded annually. 40 colleges award botany degrees, an average of 14 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 49.
By level, the 566 awards include 352 bachelor’s degrees, 93 master’s degrees and 121 doctorates.
Women earned 63% of botany degrees and certificates in the latest year (355 of 566). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (377) and Hispanic or Latino (59), and international students earned 46.
College Factual ranks 18 schools in its 2027 Best Botany Schools ranking, including 12 for bachelor’s degrees, 1 for master’s degrees and 2 for doctorates. It also ranks botany schools within 11 states. In all, 40 colleges offer botany programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Botany Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common botany credential is the bachelor’s degree: 352 of the 566 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to botany call most for Reading Comprehension, Writing and Speaking, and for knowledge of Biology, English Language and Mathematics, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Written Comprehension, Oral Expression and Oral Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a botany degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 352 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 93 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 121 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to botany, at 32.2%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 32.2% |
| Master’s degree | 18.8% |
| Post-doctoral training | 18.4% |
| Doctoral degree | 15.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 4.0% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 3.2% |
| Some college courses | 2.8% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 2.1% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.2% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.0% |
| First professional degree | 0.5% |
Source: O*NET Online.
10 occupations are related to Botany, with an average median salary of $89,822; the strongest outlook belongs to Clinical Research Coordinators, at 10.4% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Clinical Trials Manager, Research Coordinator, Clinical Project Manager and Scientist.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to botany, at 542,888.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical Research Coordinators | 542,888 | 10.4% |
| Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 276,211 | 6.3% |
| Geneticists | 183,832 | -1.1% |
| Natural Sciences Managers | 179,495 | 8.7% |
| Soil and Plant Scientists | 172,528 | 3.7% |
| Molecular and Cellular Biologists | 164,357 | 8.7% |
| Biologists | 118,631 | -3.6% |
| Water Resource Specialists | 78,994 | -0.4% |
Botany graduates earn a median $32,082 one year after completing their program, $52,330 after four years and $38,098 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $32,082 |
| 4 years | $52,330 |
| 5 years | $38,098 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to botany is Water Resource Specialists, with a median salary of $179,716.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Water Resource Specialists | $179,716 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $132,227 |
| Clinical Research Coordinators | $110,931 |
| Molecular and Cellular Biologists | $100,077 |
| Bioinformatics Scientists | $92,484 |
| Biological Scientists, All Other | $79,550 |
| Soil and Plant Scientists | $59,587 |
| Biologists | $54,070 |
Botany has 4 similar majors in the Biological & Biomedical Sciences field, which together award 261 degrees a year; the largest are Plant Pathology/Phytopathology (177), Botany/Plant Biology, Other (64) and Plant Molecular Biology (13). Browse all Biological & Biomedical Sciences majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Plant Pathology/Phytopathology | 177 |
| Botany/Plant Biology, Other | 64 |
| Plant Molecular Biology | 13 |
| Plant Physiology | 7 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
