by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 3 U.S. colleges awarded 27 degrees and certificates in Plant Genetics. Doctorates are the most popular award, at 48% of graduates. College Factual ranks 1 schools in its 2027 Best Plant Genetics Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $43,852 one year after completing, rising to $76,616 after four years.
A degree in Plant Genetics covers Plant Genetics. A Program That Focuses On The Scientific Study Of The Genetics Of Multicellular Plants And Fungi As Related To Botanical Research As Well As To Applications In Comparative Genetics, Ecology And Evolutionary Studies, Clinical Studies, And Industrial Research. Includes Instruction In Molecular Genetics, Gene Expression, Gene Regulation, Genomics, Epigenetic Phenomena, Dna Recombination And Repair, Genetic Interactions At The Microbial And Higher Levels, And Molecular Evolution.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, plant genetics is a widely-pursued major, with 27 degrees awarded annually. 3 colleges award plant genetics degrees, an average of 9 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 12.
By level, the 27 awards include 7 bachelor’s degrees, 7 master’s degrees and 13 doctorates.
Women earned 41% of plant genetics degrees and certificates in the latest year (11 of 27). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (16) and Hispanic or Latino (2), and international students earned 6.
College Factual ranks 1 schools in its 2027 Best Plant Genetics Schools ranking, including 1 for bachelor’s degrees. It also ranks plant genetics schools within 1 state. In all, 3 colleges offer plant genetics programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Plant Genetics Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common plant genetics credential is the doctorate: 13 of the 27 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to plant genetics call most for Reading Comprehension, Writing and Active Listening, 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 plant genetics degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 7 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 7 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 13 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to plant genetics, at 33.1%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 33.1% |
| Post-doctoral training | 20.0% |
| Master’s degree | 17.7% |
| Doctoral degree | 15.6% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 3.9% |
| Some college courses | 3.1% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 3.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 2.4% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.8% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.5% |
Source: O*NET Online.
9 occupations are related to Plant Genetics, with an average median salary of $93,181; the strongest outlook belongs to Clinical Research Coordinators, at 10.4% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Research Coordinator, Clinical Trials Manager, Clinical Project Manager and Oncology Clinical Research Coordinator.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to plant genetics, 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% |
| Molecular and Cellular Biologists | 164,357 | 8.7% |
| Biologists | 118,631 | -3.6% |
| Water Resource Specialists | 78,994 | -0.4% |
| Biological Scientists, All Other | 23,620 | 9.2% |
Plant Genetics graduates earn a median $43,852 one year after completing their program, $76,616 after four years and $73,410 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $43,852 |
| 4 years | $76,616 |
| 5 years | $73,410 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to plant genetics 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 |
| Biologists | $54,070 |
| Geneticists | $48,526 |
Plant Genetics has 6 similar majors in the Biological & Biomedical Sciences field, which together award 1,811 degrees a year; the largest are Genetics, General (799), Human/Medical Genetics (477) and Molecular Genetics (259). Browse all Biological & Biomedical Sciences majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Genetics, General | 799 |
| Human/Medical Genetics | 477 |
| Molecular Genetics | 259 |
| Genome Sciences/Genomics | 210 |
| Animal Genetics | 58 |
| Genetics, Other | 8 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
