Also called: Living Collections Curator, Plant Curator
Manages the living plant collection at an arboretum or botanical garden, deciding what to plant, track, and protect.
A curator maps every tree in the collection, plans expeditions to collect seeds of rare species, and decides where new plantings go. They work with researchers and the public.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Master's degree, about 6 years after high school. Bachelor's or master's in horticulture, botany, or public horticulture.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Horticulture, Botany, Public Garden Management.
Growing faster than average (about 5% over 10 years). BLS 2025-35 projection band for SOC 25-4012: Faster than average (5% to 6%).
Low risk for 10 years. AI and mapping tools manage records; choosing, collecting and protecting plants stay human.
Classes: Biology, Geography or GIS, Chemistry.
Official data: O*NET occupation 25-4012.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.