What Can I Do With a Major In Horticulture?

• UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Clubs and Organizations
• The Trail Gardens at UGA

To find additional clubs and organizations, go to the Center for Student Organizations 

Connect with your Career Consultant for guidance and support.

Typical Horticulture Jobs

Horticulturists can specialize in a number of fields. As a result, what you will actually be doing in your job will vary depending on the field you are in. A few areas you can specialize in include: 

• Landscaping: Designing and maintaining commercial and residential grounds using your eye for design and knowledge of irrigation, plants, flowers, and trees.
• Nurseries: People in this profession grow plants from seedlings and make sure they make it through their entire lifecycle.
• Research: In this field, you may study plant genetics or develop plants that have natural immunity to diseases and resist environmental damage.
• Horticultural Therapy: You would use your knowledge of plants and design to help patients with cognitive and physical disabilities. There are many other areas that may be more or less appealing to you. It is best to determine what your interests are and find the area of specialty that fits your preferences

Other Horticultural Fields

If you are a highly creative person but landscaping just doesn’t appeal to you, you can become a floral designer. People in these jobs use their eye for art and design to create colorful floral arrangements for a variety of events like funerals, weddings, and anniversaries. No formal education is required to enter the field, though you can earn a number of credentials to prove your expertise. Those with horticulture degrees would do very well in this field since you will be cultivating and maintaining an assortment of flora. There is a high turnover rate in floral design, so job opportunities will be plentiful.

Another interesting horticulture career is botany. This is for people who are deeply interested in how plants work. Botanists don’t get their hands dirty handling plants. Rather, they study their inner workings and may specialize in plant diseases, the life cycle, or how plants interact with their environment. You can get started in the field with just a bachelor’s degree, but most high-level positions require a master’s or doctorate degree. Unfortunately, job opportunities are limited because the field of botany is so small.

There are numerous opportunities in horticulture. Follow your passions for a rewarding career.

If you are interested in pursuing a graduate degree, check out our website for assistance with this process

• O*NET  (click on Find Occupations)
• Occupational Outlook Handbook  (type in general term for career of interest)
• Georgia Career Information Center  (accessible only on campus computers)
• Firsthand (Explore a library of guides, articles, and other resources to help you explore careers, plan your job search, and learn about different work environments. Create a free account with your UGA email.)
• Candid Career (Watch recorded informational interviews of professionals in specific careers. Filter videos by career title, college major, industry, and more.)

• The Environmental Careers Organizations Job Board 
• Environmental Career Opportunities 
• Jobs in Horticulture 
• Green Industry Jobs 
• AgCareers.com 
• American Horticultural Society Internship Opportunities
• American Society for Horticultural Science Job Board 
• Association of Zoological Horticulture Job Openings

• American Horticultural Society 
• American Society for Horticultural Science
• Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association 
• Northern Nut Growers Association
• Association of Zoological Horticulture 
• U.S. Department of Agriculture
• USDA Extension Service Homepage 
• Agriculture Future of America

Tip: Join LinkedIn groups that are related to your career interest. Need help finding groups? Check out the Groups You May Like link under the Interests/Groups tab. Review the groups that professionals in your field of interest have joined and consider joining them as well.