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Botany Definition

Botany is also known as plant biology and is broadly defined as the study of plants. A botany degree holder working in this field research the physiology and biology of plant species, researching their behavior, their environmental conditions, and any other factors necessary to better understand a given species of plant. Botanists work in both outdoor and laboratory settings and may also be responsible for growing samples to perform key research and testing.

Plants can include a wide variety of species that include giant redwood trees, ferns, moss, lichen, fungi, flowering plants, and conifers.  In the last decade, scientists have generally agreed that bacteria and algae are part of their own classification but are still taught in most botany programs, nonetheless.

Career Summary

MEDIAN SALARY

$62,920

PERCENT ABOVE NATIONAL
INCOME AVERAGE

41.09%

TOTAL SECTOR EMPLOYMENT

36,100

Degree Median Salary vs Adjacent Degree Types

Source: BLS, US Census, and IPEDS

2024 Best Botany Degree

Cornell University is dedicated to contributing knowledge in different significant academic fields that help improve the quality of life in the community and the nation. It also belongs to the top universities who excel in research and innovation in the state of New York and was founded by Ezra Cornell and Andrew D. White in 1865, thus resulting in the university's name. 

The school specializes in innovative research. The university offers a degree in the Botany degree program which is systemized for the research in fundamental biology of plant development, signaling, genetics, environmental interactions, systematics, and other subjects relating to this field. Through this program, students are given the opportunity to explore the wonders of plant biology and to be able to devise new and innovative ways to produce food using sustainable crop practices despite the climate change impact and to be able to discover ways to fight plant disease and recover and protect damaged ecosystems along the way.

Acceptance Rate

10.85

Student to Faculty Ratio

9:1

The University of California – Berkeley Campus is known as one of the most prestigious state universities in America. Berkeley is equipped with a community of academic pioneers and passionate students with the brightest minds to collaborate and improve the world. 

As prominent issues arise in the environmental world, the Department of Plant Biology in Berkeley combats this through its Microbiology and Botany degree, which intends to educate students with modern research processes and techniques in plant biology. Along with its cutting-edge resources and facilities, and topnotch faculty members, Berkley offers a world-class range of academic and career opportunities to its students. This internationally renowned teaching advancements has made UC Berkeley one of the top-ranked public universities in America.

Acceptance Rate

16.25

Student to Faculty Ratio

20:1

The University of Florida aims to bring a greater impact to the world by educating young minds through research, collaborative teaching, and diverse communities, transforming ideas and potential into world-class discoveries that lead to award-winning achievements. Currently, it is located in Gainesville, Florida, and is the sixth best university in Florida and the sixth among public schools in the country. 

The institution offers unique courses in botany, aiming to provide its students with a sufficient background in plant biology. Students majoring in this degree are required to take courses in ecology, evolution, molecular biology, biodiversity of plants, cells and tissues, genetics, physiology, and such. The top rated degree in Botany also requires 120 credits and a completion of all the university, college, and major requirements related to the program.

Acceptance Rate

36.58

Student to Faculty Ratio

18:1

The University of Texas at Austin lives by its motto which says, “What starts here, changes the world.” This idea signifies the institute’s never-ending pursuit to advance discovery and innovation on a global scale to change the world into a better and brighter place. 

This institution is known for its world-class reputation in its Plant Sciences Program. It is composed of topnotch faculty members and state-of-the-art facilities and technology to perform and teach excellent research and relevant learnings. This curriculum includes ecology and evolution, microbiome studies in plants and herbivores to develop and attain health, agriculture, food production, and ecosystem nourishing goals. It offers a degree in MS and Ph.D. degrees for its graduate students.

Acceptance Rate

31.82

Student to Faculty Ratio

N.A

The goal and mission of the University of California, Irvine (UCI) is to promote and improve the livelihoods of communities through innovative knowledge, extensive research, and commitment to public service. Along with its top-notch faculty administration and a high standard curriculum in all its programs, students in this university are given an array of career and learning opportunities to contribute to the world’s future. 

UCI offers its BS, MS, and PhD programs in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, which are dedicated to produce students who can perform innovative research that addresses major environmental problems such as climate change, global warming, and other pressing problems on plants and the environment. With an academic environment that supports inclusion of different diversities and culture, along with collaborative methods of teaching and partnerships with innovative research agencies and other academic disciplines, students are given the best opportunity to become the next generation of skillful and successful professionals in the future.

Acceptance Rate

26.54

Student to Faculty Ratio

18:1

The University of California - Davis commits to a mission to serve the community as a center of higher education through instilling to its students its advanced level teaching as they discover new learnings in order to be productive and become great contributors to the world’s prosperity in the future. It is also ranked fifth among public national universities. 

This research university offers a comprehensive program in Plant Biology, whereas they prepare students to become professional plant biologists or enter in a high educational curriculum in graduate schools to study plant biology in the fields of journalism, medicine, business, teaching, and law. This curriculum in UC Davis comprises core biological sciences courses and four plant-specific classes, particularly in the advanced aspects of botany. For higher years, two electives of students’ choice and independent research are required. These electives will hone their skills to become prepared and well-qualified in attaining their goal career and professions as they graduate.

Acceptance Rate

38.87

Student to Faculty Ratio

20:1

The goal of the University of Maryland is to spread new knowledge through innovation, entrepreneurship, economic development, and life change. It is one of the world’s most advanced research institutions that aims to address some of the biggest issues in the global community such as climate change, cybersecurity and terrorism, public health, food safety, and bioengineering. 

The school has an advanced degree program in Plant Sciences focusing on Plant Biology, which is a combination of basic science courses and applied technical classes. It focuses on the basic principles of plant biology through subject guidance, personal and collaborative projects, and research. The purpose of a botanist or plant scientist is to find a solution to world hunger by developing sustainable agricultural practices, and to respond to climate change and environmental pressures by developing new methods to protect, manage and maintain ecosystems.

Acceptance Rate

44.18

Student to Faculty Ratio

18:1

The University of Georgia is devoted to its lifelong motto to teach, to serve, and to inquire into the nature of things.” It is a diversified institution, composed of local and international students from Atlanta, and can now accommodate more than 37,000 students. 

Regarded as the oldest public research institution in the country, the University of Georgia offers an excellent program in degree in Botany, which focuses on providing a collaborative and intellectual environment for its students and faculty members. The research innovations practiced in this program provide outstanding discoveries that can meet the challenges of plant and fungal biology. It aims to solve prominent global problems related to agriculture, environment, and food production by educating young people and making them the frontiers in the field of plant biology. 

Acceptance Rate

45.3

Student to Faculty Ratio

17:1

Located in the center of Connecticut, the University of Connecticut is an exquisite and first-class institution that aims to redefine liberal arts education. It was founded in 1911 and focuses on off-campus activities and multiple disciplines that combine art and science.

There’s a place for plant science at Connecticut College with its own established department. The Connecticut Botany Department is known for its participation and active contributions in marine and coastal sciences, as well as interest in terrestrial, plant cell biology, freshwater botany, and other important fields. Due to the relatively low ratio of students to faculty, the Department of Botany at the University of Connecticut has more concentrated and inseparable connections and collaboration.

Acceptance Rate

37.41

Student to Faculty Ratio

9:1

The University of Washington is an eternal historical research university that has a profound impact on its community and the entire world. It aims to establish skilled and holistic individuals with boundless potential and capabilities into the future.

The university not only provides a world-class botanical garden for curious people and scholars, but the University of Washington also offers well-designed and thoroughly outlined plant biology courses in its biology department. Through its comprehensive and innovative botany courses, the department ensures success beyond the threshold of classroom learning. Students will acquire beginners to graduate level of learning and mastery throughout the programs’ span. 

Acceptance Rate

51.76

Student to Faculty Ratio

19:1

North Carolina State University is one of the leading public research universities in the country. Today, they forge more than 36,000 competent students through their method of teaching, which is “learn by doing." 

NCSU hails at the top in the most popular and most attended university offering Plant Biology majors in the country. It focuses on the study of plants and microorganisms, offering undergraduate and graduate programs to its students, giving the best possible educational curriculum in different levels. This program is renowned globally, composed of award-winning faculty members that have achieved numerous prizes and titles in their excellence and effective teaching. Along with its topnotch administration, the school offers a wide array of learning experiences and opportunities to its students through its cutting-edge research, high standard academic programs, and impactful outreach.

Acceptance Rate

45.13

Student to Faculty Ratio

14:1

University of Illinois, founded in 1867, pioneers innovative research that aims to solve global issues. It is done by crafting a community of students and alumni that will be frontiers in contributing to the expansion of human experience and positive societal impact through transformative learning, in and out of campus exposures, and high-standard curriculum and programs. 

The Illinois Department of Plant Biology has contributed greatly to its reputation for cutting-edge research capabilities. It is one of the oldest academic units in the university, with the mission of conducting basic and translational research and training to adapt to the different scales and levels of the biological field. This learning method allows for collaborative and interdisciplinary research aimed at solving global problems and improving the livelihoods of all living things and ecosystems. 

Acceptance Rate

59.03

Student to Faculty Ratio

20:1

University of Minnesota – Twin Cities is one of the five campuses of the university. It provides a wide array of opportunities to its community, offering over 150 majors to choose from, along with its cutting-edge technology and infrastructures to perform and be trained on real-life professional work, and research. UM – Twin Cities holds one of the best programs in Plant Science. 

This curriculum provides comprehensive training to Plant Science students on vast research on plants, food production, sustaining the environment, environment maintenance and restoration to protect our natural habitat and resources. This program offers boundless career opportunities to its graduates such as business owners, agronomists, plant biologist, professional researchers, and more. It is spearheaded by a group of faculty members with high expertise and knowledge of the field.

Acceptance Rate

56.74

Student to Faculty Ratio

17:1

Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey is one of the highest-ranked public research universities in the United States. It stands as a powerhouse of opportunity, providing instructional needs for its students through its outstanding programs, conducting intensive and innovative research that contributes to the development in the scientific field, and by performing public service to the residents of the state. 

The research institution provides comprehensive courses in plant biology under its Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences at Rutgers University. It focuses on the influence and development of plant agriculture, biotechnology, horticulture, plant breeding and management, basic plant biology and pathology. Along with its qualified and experienced faculty members, its cutting-edge technology and facilities, and comprehensive curriculum, it aims to cultivate its students to become the frontiers of knowledge in the field of Plant Science. 

Acceptance Rate

61.22

Student to Faculty Ratio

16:1

Purdue University – Main Campus, founded in 1869, is a land-grant campus residing in West Lafayette. According to "U.S. News and World Report", it is the fifth most innovative school in the United States. 

It offers a distinct program in Plant Biology that aims to address and solve global challenges in the ecosystem in the 21st century and in the future. The program trains students to conduct related research, projects, and experiments to promote environmental protection and sustainability, plant improvement, natural resource management, and control of weeds and plant disease diagnosis. The university requires a minimum GPA of 3.0 and provides the necessary documents to meet the requirements of the program.

Acceptance Rate

59.83

Student to Faculty Ratio

13:1

The University of Massachusetts-Amherst is one of the top public universities in the United States and the largest public research institution in New England. It is the driving force of research and is used by top students and led by its famous faculty. 

The institution provides great educational value and has a diverse community. The research university offers a comprehensive degree in botany or Plant Biology, imposing a collaborative approach between the student and faculty in all aspects of the field. The program is also the first to provide students with seminars, journal clubs, autumn academic seminars, scholarships, and fellowship programs, as well as advanced facilities to conduct research efficiently. It welcomes all aspiring scientists, researchers, and plant diversity scientists, who have different diversity and different fields to produce the next generation at the forefront of scientific development.

Acceptance Rate

63.8

Student to Faculty Ratio

17:1

The University of California, Riverside is an innovative research institution that aims to solve real-world challenges on a global scale. Its prominence as a research university sets its way at the top, hailing as the top in the World University Rankings and one of the country’s top 12 public universities. 

UCR provides an excellent plant biology degree program that focuses on plant responses to environmental disasters, ecology, genetics, genomics, and evolution. This can lead to further discovery of the development of management strategies and the sustainability of crops to meet the challenges of climate change and plant diseases. The university also offers expansion plans to carry out research findings in agriculture and natural resources, providing broader opportunities for study and career prospects.

Acceptance Rate

56.52

Student to Faculty Ratio

23:1

The Union University with its association with the Baptist Convention, is among the top-ranked private evangelical research schools today. The Union University has received numerous distinctive awards and have been accredited by different accreditation bodies for their programs and research facilities.

The Union University’s Department of Biology covers major areas of biology including zoology, General Biology, and Botany. Botany students can explore several activities on and off campus. They will be provided with coursework and research opportunities both independent and collaborative.

Acceptance Rate

52.72

Student to Faculty Ratio

10:1

The California State Polytechnic University – Pomona or preferred to be called by many as Cal Poly, is a top Polytechnic University in California. CPP is ranked as the leading Polytechnic University in providing excellent student mobility.

Cal Poly cares about the environment and sustainable development, so they formed a plant science department to serve these two departments. It cultivates a community of growers and enrichers through their department’s programs and designed courses. For all registered Cal Poly, there are plenty of career opportunities waiting for graduates of botany or plant science.

Acceptance Rate

54.59

Student to Faculty Ratio

28:1

Bennington College is an outstanding humanities college that ensures the highest quality education through its comprehensive curriculum and academic sentences. The university is known for its cultivation of change in its students’ mindset and goals.

What sets the Bennington College’s Biology department is its inextricable link between its students and faculty. Courses with focus and deep-concentration in Biology, including curriculum in Botany are offered and explored through Bennington’s structured curriculum and course. Students can work closely with the department to achieve breakthrough research results and discoveries.

Acceptance Rate

60.79

Student to Faculty Ratio

9:1

Named one of the top Public Ivy institutions, the University of Vermont in Burlington is excellent in the fields of research, liberal arts education, environment, health, and public service. It focuses on its mission to create, evaluate, share, and apply knowledge, preparing its students to become excellent leaders to be the frontiers of development in the global community. 

The research school offers a superlative program in Plant Biology which is available in undergraduate and graduate degrees. This program is crafted to provide strategies, methodologies, and advanced procedures to counteract the prominent global issues that the world is experiencing today. It provides research and academic learning on the topics of the biology of plants in different levels and scales. Students who graduate from this program are offered boundless career and research opportunities as plant biologists and other fields related to plant science.

Acceptance Rate

67.3

Student to Faculty Ratio

16:1

Michigan State University is affiliated with the Association of American Universities and ranks among the best research universities in the United States. It is committed to fulfilling its lifelong mission of making progress in the field of knowledge and changing the lives of communities and on a global scale. 

It provides a unique plant biology course for undergraduate and graduate students. It aims to prepare students who aspire to become majors in the biotechnology industry, botanical gardens, herbs, agricultural extension or research laboratories, environmental law, medicine, and other fields of plant biology. It provides a wide range of professional and academic opportunities for its members through extensive collaborative learning, cutting-edge technology, well-known faculty, and inclusive communities.

Acceptance Rate

71.12

Student to Faculty Ratio

16:1

Mississippi State University is a famous university that focuses on agriculture and applied sciences. Its priority covers students’ personal success and endeavors, through its leading centers and with the assistance of world-class faculty, students’ success is secured.

Michigan State University is home to the Department of Plant and Social Sciences, and students can pursue degrees in agronomy, horticulture, and weed science. Its focus is on enriching and nurturing a profession that enables people to learn techniques and tools in their chosen field in the Department of Plant and Soil Science at MSU. This interdisciplinary department integrates teaching, research, and extension tasks to realize sustainable agricultural industries and solve common problems and challenges.

Acceptance Rate

53.86

Student to Faculty Ratio

17:1

Miami University in Oxford, Ohio is a public Ivy-league university that provides high quality education to its students with ambitions and dreams to prepare them for a lifetime of success. It hosts more than 19,000 students from undergraduate to graduate degrees, offering them a clear gateway to their chosen career path. 

The school offers a top ranked degree in Botany, which focuses on the study of plants from microscopic organisms to giant trees present in the world. This program offers a distinct academic curriculum, featuring cross-disciplinary study and research to its students, collaborating with the administration’s well-qualified faculty and staff. Also, students in this program are given a wide range of exposure to different learnings and career opportunities by presenting their studies in national conferences and studying abroad in the different advanced research facilities around the globe. Graduates of this program are recorded to have a 90% successful employment rate to major-level professional positions within six months.

Acceptance Rate

80.39

Student to Faculty Ratio

13:1

Eastern Illinois University, established in 1895, is a comprehensive public institution that offers undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs. It displays a strong vision to reach a global impact through its excellence in teaching, research, creativity, and service and support its students to their success. 

It offers a program in Environmental Biology that includes topics such as Pollution, Natural Resources Management, Ecology, Conservation, Ecotoxicology, Renewable Energy, and Wildlife Rehabilitation. It aims to train students to prepare for real world experiences in their working career. Limitless opportunities are bound for students enrolling in this program such as employment success, intensive research learning, composting, health professions course works, converting biofuels, and other projects and activities related to the field.

Acceptance Rate

52.5

Student to Faculty Ratio

13:1

Botanists at Work

Do botanists effect unrelated industries such as politics, environmental science, and construction? While it may be hard to link botanists to indirect industries, a botany professional does indeed play a significant part in shaping policy, engineering advancements in building materials, and sustainability.

The byproduct of significant research discovered by botanists has led to a number of improvements in our lives that you may not be aware cognizant about. For example, botanists have been directly or indirectly involved in the improvement or enhancement of building materials, plant products, sustainability techniques, food supply, plant supply, agriculture, medicines, pollution reduction, legislation, ecology protection, public park management, forest protection, and wilderness management.

Botany Careers

Given the broad nature of botany, the opportunity to specialize is ever-increasing versus being a generalist with a little knowledge in several areas. If you are considering becoming a botanist, the following list of specialties in botany may be a viable option for your career.

Taxonomy Biophysics
Physiology Cytology
Systems Ecology Anatomy
Systematics Breeding
Marine Biology Biotechnology
Zoology Agronomy
Paleobotany Horticulture
Agroecology Forestry
Morphology Food Science
Viticulture & Oenology Natural Resource Management
Molecular Biology Microbiology
Genetics Ecology

Best Botany Degrees & Tuition

There are a number of degree options for botanists and those seeking to enter the field of botany.  Degree programs from accredited colleges and universities include online bachelor’s degrees, online master’s degrees, and online doctoral degrees in botany along with mirror programs for traditional classroom programs.  In addition, many research universities have dual degree programs or plant biology concentrations such as entomology or sustainable & green studies.

Botany Bachelor Degrees

A bachelor’s degree in botany is a 4-year program conferred as a Bachelor of Science (BS) or a Bachelor of Arts (BA).  The program is a combination of liberal arts classes such as creative writing, English composition, human philosophy, and speech communication along with core science classes in botany.

Science classes such as ecology, physiology, structural botany, conservation, and ethnobotany are designed to provide students with the basics of botany and prepare them for various jobs after earning a degree as a botanist.

The top five best botany colleges in the United States include the following universities: 1) UC Davis, 2) Cornell University, 3) UC Berkeley, 4) Harvard University, and 5) Michigan State University.

Botany Master’s Degree

The master’s degree program in botany is conferred as a Master of Science (MS) and will take students 2-3 years of full-time matriculation to complete.  Graduate students will be encouraged to pick an area of specialization that may include tracks such as: ecology, conservation, ethnobotany, evolution, plant structure, systematics, plant function, and marine botany.

A large number of accredited university program will provide two distinct tracks for students to pursue within the master degree program.  One track is the choice to complete thesis project under the supervision of a department chair or approved botanist.

The other track a student may elect to follow is the ability to bypass the thesis by taking additional approved departmental credits.  One track may not necessarily be easier than the other but come down to student predilection combined with school resources.

Botany Doctoral Degrees

The doctoral degree in botany is conferred as a PhD program and is known as a terminal degree as there are no additional degrees beyond the doctoral degree.  PhD programs in botany are four to six year programs intended for students performing research or teaching in a school, conservation agency, government entity, corporate setting, or consulting boutique.

Dissertation projects are typically required to be board-approved and substantially contribute to your specialized field in botany.  Students that pursue a PhD in botany will be equipped to step into a research role with a private or public institution, teach at a college, or with a government agency to make an impact in the field of botany.

Top Online Botany Plant Degree

Due to the overwhelming requests, we gathered key resources for online degrees. Distance learning programs have been flourishing at a record pace. In fact, there are over 23,000 online degree programs from over 2,400 accredited universities? Given the rapid ascent, earning a botany degree online may well be worth considering. After reviewing our online resources, please visit our proprietary matching portal for online colleges and online degrees.

Botanical Science Plant Curriculum

Students studying botany tend to pursue bachelors degrees which open up most entry level positions in the field. Botany utilizes multiple disciplines and requires students to be familiar with research methodologies in order to be able to successfully perform the functions attributed to a botanist.

Students will study over the course of four years, becoming familiar with identification processes, attributes, unique properties and any other interests a given species and sample may hold. A curriculum in botany may include:

Schools that offer botany programs should have up to date facilities that allow for experimentation, research and practical experience. Laboratory work is a cornerstone of the field, and schools that have active programs, labs, and possible internships make for ideal candidates when considering which schools to apply to. Contacting schools to see what opportunities are available will assist in a student's final decision as well.

Careers in Botany

Botanists may find employment in a variety of fields, including research positions, horticulture, agriculture, sustainability careers, and other similar fields. Individuals with a degree in botany should be able to readily find employment in both rural and metro areas.

Individuals in research positions may be responsible for the acquisition and discovery of new plant species or may work in a school or lab setting to research such discoveries in more depth. The growth of botany jobs is expected to increase over the next decade as interest in plants as they relate medicinal use continues to increase.

Botanist Salary

According to the salary data aggregation company Payscale, individuals with a degree in this field can expect an above average salary. In fact, a botanist salary averages $49,284 according to their survey but can swell to in excess of $110,000 in total annual compensation depending on location, entity, experience, and opportunity.

Featured: Frostburg State University & Oregon State University

Both Oregon State University and Frostburg State University have been recommended by MatchCollege staff and alumni.  The curricular design and overall program strength are among some of the best available.  Include these schools in your college research as you work towards a decision point in your college process.

Additional Botany Resources

For further industry insights and career advice, organizations such as the Botanical Society of America (BSA) offer unique membership opportunities.  As a member, you have the opportunity to review leading-edge research, network with the brightest in the field, and attend workshops to help your chosen area of specialty in the field of botany.  Also, students may be interested in joining the American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB) given their full range of professional opportunities and advocacy groups.

Lastly, the plant physiology annual review is available online for students to watch Joe Berry (Carnegie Department of Global Ecology), Christopher Field, Barry Osmond (former Director at Australian National University), and Harold Mooney (Stanford University) as they discuss relevant trend in botany and plant science.

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