Post job

Horticulturist vs farmer

The differences between horticulturists and farmers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a horticulturist has an average salary of $36,583, which is higher than the $30,845 average annual salary of a farmer.

The top three skills for a horticulturist include GRASS, irrigation systems and horticulture. The most important skills for a farmer are beef cattle, farm work, and farm machinery.

Horticulturist vs farmer overview

HorticulturistFarmer
Yearly salary$36,583$30,845
Hourly rate$17.59$14.83
Growth rate8%-3%
Number of jobs327500
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 60%Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Average age4048
Years of experience2-

What does a horticulturist do?

The primary role of a horticulturist is to care, maintain, and cultivate plant propagation. Horticulturists may work in various environments with plants such as garden centers or arboretum. These professionals use scientific knowledge about plant cultivation and propagation. They provide technical information to farmers and flower and vegetable growers. Part of their job is to perform disease and pest experiments and investigations with improved plant varieties with greater disease resistance. Also, they may assist in the regeneration of degraded land in the mining industry.

What does a farmer do?

A farmer, also known as an agriculturer, is a person deeply involved in agriculture, raises living organisms for food, produces organic matter, or unprocessed materials for human and animal consumption. There are several types of farmers from those who raise animals, grow crops, and other livestock. At most, due to the advanced economy, most of them are farm owners, but there are still some who work as laborers on land owned by others. Besides having a general knowledge of planting, breeding, and harvesting, they should also need to be familiar with mechanics in order to help them keep their equipment working and running.

Horticulturist vs farmer salary

Horticulturists and farmers have different pay scales, as shown below.

HorticulturistFarmer
Average salary$36,583$30,845
Salary rangeBetween $22,000 And $60,000Between $13,000 And $71,000
Highest paying CityWellesley, MAKearny, NJ
Highest paying stateConnecticutNew Jersey
Best paying companyStanford Health CareL'Oréal
Best paying industryGovernmentManufacturing

Differences between horticulturist and farmer education

There are a few differences between a horticulturist and a farmer in terms of educational background:

HorticulturistFarmer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 60%Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Most common majorPlant SciencesBusiness
Most common collegeCornell University-

Horticulturist vs farmer demographics

Here are the differences between horticulturists' and farmers' demographics:

HorticulturistFarmer
Average age4048
Gender ratioMale, 59.4% Female, 40.6%Male, 73.6% Female, 26.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 2.8% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 9.1% White, 73.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Black or African American, 1.1% Unknown, 2.9% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 1.5% White, 86.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage19%4%

Differences between horticulturist and farmer duties and responsibilities

Horticulturist example responsibilities.

  • Manage payroll processing and all aspects of accounts receivable and payable.
  • Operate snow plows, snow blowers and large salt sprayers.
  • Maintain all flower beds, landscape areas, and turf grass areas.
  • Use hand tools, such as shovels, rakes, pruning saws, saws, hedge or brush trimmers.
  • Maintain inventory and help with Quickbooks.
  • Provide assistance with loading and unloading pigs.
  • Show more

Farmer example responsibilities.

  • Manage and conduct the baling, hauling, advertising, and selling of 2000 straw square bales a year from 2002-2006.
  • Work on dairy farm and do everything from milking cows to working on equipment.
  • Can operate excellent with or without GPS
  • Work on hydroponic production of tomato crops.
  • Discuss and help with farm growth CSA expansion.
  • bush hogging baling hay planting seed cow castration and immunization
  • Show more

Horticulturist vs farmer skills

Common horticulturist skills
  • GRASS, 13%
  • Irrigation Systems, 9%
  • Horticulture, 9%
  • Grounds Maintenance, 7%
  • Mowing, 6%
  • Plant Material, 4%
Common farmer skills
  • Beef Cattle, 13%
  • Farm Work, 8%
  • Farm Machinery, 6%
  • Milking, 6%
  • Mowing, 6%
  • Farm Animals, 5%

Browse life, physical, and social science jobs