Plant Sciences
Quick Facts: Plant Sciences Training
Where it's offered
Plant Sciences programs are offered at 1 schools across 1 states. Most students attend a school within driving distance of home — use the state picker below to see programs near you.
Earnings expectations
Graduates earn approximately $49,481/year on average one year after completion, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard. Pay scales with experience, certifications, and regional cost-of-living.
Apprenticeship pathways
The U.S. Department of Labor recognizes 6 registered apprenticeship pathways related to Plant Sciences — earn-while-you-learn alternatives to traditional schooling. See apprenticeship.gov for the federal registry.
Program quality benchmark
Across the 1 schools we analyze, the average TradeSchoolOutlook Score is 53/100. Higher-scoring programs combine strong graduate earnings, manageable cost, and strong job-market demand — see the leaderboard further down for the highest-rated options.
What Plant Sciences Graduates Do
Your work will be rooted in the field and the lab. As a farm or agricultural manager—the most common path—your day could involve anything from operating a combine during harvest to analyzing drone imagery to plan irrigation schedules. Or, you might specialize as a soil and plant scientist, using lab equipment to test tissue samples and diagnose nutrient deficiencies to help growers improve their yields. This blend of hands-on work and data-driven problem-solving is central to the trade.
Read more
Most careers begin with hands-on roles like agricultural technician, learning the fundamentals on the ground. With experience, you can advance to a first-line supervisor or farm manager, where your earnings potential increases significantly. While overall demand is high, the fastest-growing jobs are for these specialized scientists and technicians. AI is becoming a key tool for planning and analysis, but it can't replace the human expertise needed to manage a living crop or diagnose a problem in the soil.
If Plant Sciences doesn't fit your goals, programs like Agricultural Production, Animal Sciences, and Food Science & Technology draw from adjacent skill sets.
Registered Apprenticeship Pathways
The U.S. Department of Labor recognizes 6 registered apprenticeship occupations related to Plant Sciences. Apprenticeships let you earn while you learn — most have zero tuition costs and pay wages from day one.
| Apprenticeship | Training Hours | Type | Salary RangeSalary | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Beekeeper
RAPIDS 886 |
8000 hrs
~4.0 yrs |
Time | $68K – $87,980 – $115K | -1.3% |
|
Bison Herd Manager
RAPIDS 1136 |
4000 hrs
~2.0 yrs |
Time | $48K – $59,330 – $77K | 2.5% |
|
Dairy Grazier
RAPIDS 2019HY |
4000 hrs
~2.0 yrs |
Hybrid | $68K – $87,980 – $115K | -1.3% |
|
Farmer, General (Agric)
RAPIDS 177 |
8000 hrs
~4.0 yrs |
Time | $68K – $87,980 – $115K | -1.3% |
|
Horticulturist
RAPIDS 236 |
6000 hrs
~3.0 yrs |
Time | $58K – $71,410 – $98K | 5.4% |
|
Soil Conservation Technician
RAPIDS 450 |
6000 hrs
~3.0 yrs |
Time | $53K – $67,950 – $88K | 3.4% |
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Registered Apprenticeship Partners Information Database (RAPIDS). Wages and job growth from Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034 projections.
Find Plant Sciences Programs in Your State
Trade and community college programs are local decisions — most students pick a school within driving distance. Plant Sciences is offered at 1 schools across 1 states. Click your state to see all trade programs offered locally.
Top Plant Sciences Programs Nationally
For context, here are the highest-scoring Plant Sciences programs in the country. Most students attend a school within 60 miles of home, so your state list above is usually more actionable — but these are the benchmarks others compete against.
1 schools ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score. Click any row for full earnings projections and career analysis.
| # | School | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northeast Community College Norfolk, NE |
65 61–67 |
Highest Earning Plant Sciences Programs
Schools where Plant Sciences graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.
| School | 1-Year Earnings | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Northeast Community College | $49,481/yr | 65 |
Best ROI for Plant Sciences
Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Plant Sciences.
| School | ROI Multiple | Earnings | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Community College | 58.3x | $49,481/yr | 65 |
Related Majors
Explore similar fields of study.
Considering a 4-Year Degree?
Compare the trade route with a bachelor's degree. See how Plant Sciences degree programs stack up on earnings and ROI.