Botany Major Guide: Overview and RoEDU™ Opportunities 2025

The Botany major builds core foundations in this discipline and prepares students with practical, career-relevant skills. Use RoEDU™ to find programs that match your goals.

Within Sciences, students often explore key subfields and specializations that provide targeted expertise.

Graduates translate classroom knowledge into real-world impact across sectors through hands-on projects and internships.

As part of Sciences, this major connects to diverse, high-demand fields and interdisciplinary pathways.

Salary Outlook

Entry-level salary
$101,295

Typical starting pay soon after graduation.

Mid-career salary (10y)
$160,156

Estimated after a decade of experience.

Experienced salary (20y)
$215,236

Seasoned professionals at ~20 years.

Weighted median over last 5 years
CAGR 3.0%

CAGR (compound annual growth rate) summarizes average yearly change across the observed period.

Estimated lifetime earnings

40 years, present value
$4,051,800

Employment-weighted across mapped SOCs; entry ≈ 85% of median; historical CAGR shown for last 5y; projections capped at 3% CAGR; lifetime is 40-year present value at 3% discount.

Career Opportunities & Salaries

Data from Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024) • Median wages, employment, and growth projections

OccupationMedian WageTotal JobsGrowth RateEducation
Soil and Plant Scientists
SOC: 19-1013
Occupation: Soil and Plant Scientists
$71,410
16,600
N/A
N/A
Natural Sciences Managers
SOC: 11-9121
Occupation: Natural Sciences Managers
$161,180
100,870
N/A
N/A
Biological Scientists, All Other
SOC: 19-1029
Occupation: Biological Scientists, All Other
$93,330
59,710
N/A
N/A
Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary
SOC: 25-1042
Occupation: Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary
$83,460
53,250
N/A
N/A

Historical Career Trends (2020-2024)

Historical data from Bureau of Labor Statistics (2020-2024) • Salary trends and employment growth over 5 years

Soil and Plant Scientists

8.0%
5-Year Growth
YearMedian WageEmployment
2024$71,41016,600
2023$68,24015,800
2022$65,73016,010
2021$66,75015,610
2020$66,12013,950

Natural Sciences Managers

16.8%
5-Year Growth
YearMedian WageEmployment
2024$161,180100,870
2023$157,74096,520
2022$144,44082,570
2021$137,90074,760
2020$137,94075,870

Biological Scientists, All Other

9.4%
5-Year Growth
YearMedian WageEmployment
2024$93,33059,710
2023$91,10061,220
2022$87,30055,300
2021$82,53047,050
2020$85,29041,680

Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary

-2.5%
5-Year Growth
YearMedian WageEmployment
2024$83,46053,250
2023$83,92052,050
2022$81,65049,920
2021$81,44047,690
2020$85,60051,500

Colleges offering Botany

University of Wisconsin-Madison

RoEdu™

999

Net Price

$15k

Earnings

$64k

University of Washington-Seattle Campus

RoEdu™

999

Net Price

$12k

Earnings

$68k

Northwestern University

RoEdu™

999

Net Price

$24k

Earnings

$84k

The University of Texas at Austin

RoEdu™

999

Net Price

$19k

Earnings

$65k

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

RoEdu™

999

Net Price

$23k

Earnings

$71k