Career Overview for those with a Degree in Botany
Career News May 2, 2016Most careers related to Botany revolve around the relationship between plants and fossils with the environment. To get a job in the field of Botany, you will need some significant level of education though. Continue reading to learn more about this career path, education qualification details and salaries for people who work in Botany related career field.
Important Information for Individuals with a Botany Degree
Botany is a field of science that deals with the study of fossils and plants in relation to how they affect the environment in general. There are many universities and colleges in the country that offer degree programs related to Botany. While pursuing these degree programs, students are allowed to specialize in physiology, taxonomy and anatomy of plants. Note, a bachelor’s degree program is the minimum education qualification requirement for a graduate to get a job related to Botany.
| Careers | Biophysicist | Soil Plant Scientist/Agronomist | Environmental Scientist |
| Education requirements | PhD in a Botanical field | Bachelor’s degree | Bachelor’s degree |
| Estimated job growth rate | 8% | 5% | 11% |
| Average salary in 2015 | $82,150 | $62,470 | $67,460 |
Career Options for those with a Botany Degree
Career options for Botany graduates are closely related in nature. They all require the use of knowledge and skills acquired after pursuing this specific degree choice. However, that does not mean that the career options do not blend with other unrelated professions. For instance, botany graduates may also become college professors or scientists.
Taxonomist
They study individual plant species, group them together based on their similarities, then organize their work into different categories. Taxonomists take their sampled species as representations of the evolutionary relationships of most of the plant groups.
Agronomists
They mostly deal with the plants that produce human food. They work to help farmers grow their plants in better methods that will minimize diseases and attacks from pests. It is easy to find agronomists who deal in grain foods such as beans and maize.
Ecologists
They study plant ecosystems and establish the different ways that plants interact with the environment. Their aim is to protect these plants as well as ensure that environmental issues are sorted out.
Mycologists
Originally, mycologists were associated with studying fungi and their effects on plants’ lives. However, mycologists are now also associated with the study of algae, which explains why this field is sometimes regarded as a branch of microbiology.
Plant breeders
They are a type of plant geneticists, and their work is to hybridize plants using traditional methods rather than genetic engineering mechanisms. Their aim is to improve the growth and production of plants for human use or for environmental reasons.
Horticulturalists
They grow and take care of flowers, fruits and other plants under horticulture systems. Horticulturalists are found in nurseries, gardens, green farms and in tree orchards.
Education Details for those interested in Botany
Students who wish to pursue any of the already mentioned professions are required to seek a bachelor’s, masters or PHD in Botany in order for them to get meaningful employment.
Salary Details for those in the Botany Field
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that in 2015, most professions related to Botany attracted salary incomes ranging from $41,290 – $84,940, which depended on education levels and specific career paths.
