Annual Salary
£22,000 to £55,000
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
Swap to Maths or Science or go back to all job sectors or go to green jobs
Swap to Maths or Science or go back to all job sectors or go to green jobs
Botanists study all forms of plant life.
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: evenings / weekends / bank holidays; away from home
There will be
2.4% more Botanist jobs in 2027.
You could specialise in:
Your work will vary depending on your role, but could include:
You could work at a university, at a research facility or in a laboratory.
Your working environment may be outdoors some of the time and you'll travel often.
You can get into this job through:
You'll usually need a degree in a subject like:
You'll also need a postgraduate qualification, like a master's degree or PhD, for teaching or research posts.
You'll usually need:
It may be helpful if you volunteer with a relevant organisation, like the the Royal Horticultural Society and the Field Studies Council, before you apply for your first job.
You can find out more about plant biology through the Royal Society of Biology.
With experience in industry, you could move into a more senior position. In field research and conservation, you’ll usually need to take on organisational, management or advisory responsibilities in order to progress.
You could move into plant science, investigating biodiversity, crop production and plant diseases.
You could also become a freelance consultant.
Botanists are needed specifically to offer expertise and consultation to help protect and enhance the plant life and related biodiversity in woodland, wetland and grasslands across the West of England.
There are several different routes you can take to get into working as an botanist which you can explore further in the 'Routes into this job' section above.
Click here for an explanation of the different course and apprenticeship levels.
Click here to find a local provider
Click here to search for a local apprenticeship
Click here to search for other university courses
For more local employment opportunities see the 'Live job vacancies by region' section above.
Volunteering is a great way to build experience in ecology and may improve your chances of finding paid work. You can also build up contacts within conservation, which will be useful when looking for jobs. You can find local volunteering opportunities with: Bristol Avon Rivers Trust and Avon Wildlife Trust.
You'll need: