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Horticulturalist Salary in the United States

How much does a Horticulturalist make in the United States?

As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for a Horticulturalist in the United States is $63,636 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $31.

However, a Horticulturalist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $81,893
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $53,847 to $73,192
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $44,935
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Horticulturalist Salaries

A Horticulturalist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Horticulturalist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Horticulturalist's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $55,604
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $65,675
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $77,597
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $95,786
  • Expert (over 8 years): $136,009
Levels Salary
Landscape... Level Horticulturalist$55,604
Horticult... Level Horticulturalist$65,675
Landscape... Level Horticulturalist$77,597
Landscape... Level Horticulturalist$95,786
Landscape... Level Horticulturalist$136,009
View as Graph

How Do Horticulturalist Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Horticulturalists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $70,458.
  • California: $70,190.
  • Massachusetts: $69,255.

Top Paying Cities for Horticulturalists

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $80,264
  • San Francisco: $79,385
  • Oakland: $77,712

What Skills Can Increase a Horticulturalist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Planning (Mentioned in 12.36% Job Postings): An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
  • Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 2.39% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
  • Site Planning (Mentioned in 1.45% Job Postings): Going through a thorough analysis of the feasibility of developing a site allows the architect to determine optimal locations and design for a structure that works within the space.
Skills Demand Percentage
Planning 12.36%
Microsoft Office 2.39%
Site Planning 1.45%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Horticulturalist's salary.

  • Color Management: Can increase your salary by up to 26%.
  • Delegating: Can increase your salary by up to 24%.
  • Business Development: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Color Management $80,181
26%
Delegating $78,908
24%
Business Development $71,272
12%
Get Latest Data

Horticulturalist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Horticulturalist roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 80% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Construction, offers compensation 40% above the average. Conversely, Horticulturalist positions in Business Services typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Horticulturalist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Horticulturalist

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Construction$89,090$43.040%

How Education impacts a Horticulturalist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Horticulturalists enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Horticulturalist with a Bachelor's Degree is between $61,775 and $67,645).

Horticulturalist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Horticulturalist
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.6%
High School 1.6%
Associates 0.8%
Bachelors 53.5%
Masters 44.2%
Doctorate 0.0%
View as Graph

Horticulturalist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Horticulturalist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on October 01, 2026
$53,847
Average $63,636/year
$73,192
$4,487
Average $5,303/month
$6,099
$1,036
Average $1,224/week
$1,408
$26
Average $31/hour
$35
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $73,192 $6,099 $1,408 $35
Average $63,636 $5,303 $1,224 $31
25th Percentile $53,847 $4,487 $1,036 $26

Most common benefits for Horticulturalist

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Horticulturalist

Here are companies hiring for Horticulturalist and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Horticulturalist

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Horticulturalist?

The Construction industry offers the highest average compensation for Horticulturalist roles, with salaries approximately 40% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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