Also called: Ginseng Farmer, Woods-Grown Ginseng Grower
Grows ginseng, a slow-growing medicinal root sold mostly to Asia, either under shade cloth in Wisconsin fields or wild-style in Appalachian forests.
In a shady Kentucky forest you check ginseng beds planted four years ago, pulling weeds by hand. You watch for poachers, who can steal a season's crop in a night. In fall you dig the oldest roots, dry them and sell them to a licensed dealer.
Often a side income; roots take 4-10 years to harvest.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 0 years after high school. No degree required; many learn from family or extension classes.
Ways in: On-the-job training, Self-taught. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Horticulture, Forestry, Agriculture.
Growing about average. Wisconsin and Appalachia grow nearly all US ginseng.
Low risk for 10 years. Growing ginseng under trees or shade cloth stays slow, hands-on work.
Classes: Biology, Ag science, Business.
Official data: O*NET occupation 45-2092.
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.