Horticulture · California

Horticulture colleges in California

CampusPin lists 175 U.S. colleges in California that offer Horticulture programs. Compare tuition, acceptance rate, and enrollment in the table below, every figure links back to the institution's official IPEDS data.

Horticulture applies plant science to growing garden, food, ornamental, landscape, and nursery crops, from propagation and breeding to greenhouse and field production.

Schools in California that offer Horticulture

Horticulture programs in California: by the numbers

A quick comparison of the 50 schools (of 175 total) listed above, drawn from each institution's published IPEDS data.

Schools listed

175

Public / private

22 / 28

Universities / 2-year

39 / 11

Cities represented

37

In-state tuition range

$1,124–$56,724

Median in-state tuition

$12,497

Lowest published in-state tuition

Antelope Valley Community College District

$1,124

Most selective

California Institute of the Arts

26% acceptance

Largest by enrollment

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

26,664 students

Figures reflect the schools currently listed and each institution's most recent reported data. Verify current tuition and admissions details with the school before applying.

What you'll study in a Horticulture program

  • Plant propagation by seed, cutting, grafting, and tissue culture
  • Greenhouse, nursery, and field crop production
  • Plant breeding and developing improved horticultural varieties
  • Plant physiology and how horticultural species grow
  • Soils, plant nutrition, and fertility management
  • Pest, weed, and plant-disease diagnosis and control
  • Production of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and ornamental crops
  • Postharvest handling and the business of growing

Where a Horticulture degree can lead

  • Horticulturist
  • Greenhouse or Nursery Manager
  • Soil and Plant Scientist
  • Plant Breeder
  • Cooperative Extension Agent
  • Landscape or Turf Manager

Typical pay: Early-career wages vary by employer, region, and experience (BLS, 2024 soil and plant scientists median $71,410).

A Horticultural Science major focuses on the scientific principles behind cultivating garden and ornamental plants, including fruits, vegetables, flowers, and landscape and nursery crops. Students study how horticultural species grow and develop, learning to propagate plants, breed improved varieties, and manage production across the full life cycle of a crop. Coursework grounds these skills in plant physiology, soils, plant nutrition, and pest and disease control, then applies them to specific crop groups such as citrus, tree fruit, vegetables, turf, and greenhouse ornamentals. Unlike botany, which investigates plant life as a pure science, horticulture is oriented toward managed cultivation and yield. It is also narrower than agricultural science, concentrating on garden, food, and ornamental plants rather than the full span of farming and animal systems, and it centers on growing plants rather than on the design work that defines landscape architecture.

Most horticulture programs lead to a bachelor of science and admit students directly from high school, with the closely related role of soil and plant scientist typically entering the workforce at the bachelor's level. Expect substantial laboratory, greenhouse, and field practicum work, where students propagate plants, run breeding and variety trials, diagnose plant problems, and manage greenhouse, nursery, or orchard production. Many programs add an internship at a nursery, grower, botanical garden, or agricultural extension office. Graduates work in commercial nursery and greenhouse operations, fruit and vegetable production, seed and breeding companies, landscape and turf management, public gardens, and cooperative extension, while some continue to graduate study for research or teaching. If a specific certification or extension credential matters to you, verify the current requirements with the program and your state, since these vary by location and employer.

In federal data for the closely related occupation of soil and plant scientists, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a 2024 median wage of $71,410 and projects employment to grow about 5.4% from 2024 to 2034; a bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for that occupation. National figures are occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages or graduate outcomes.

Horticulture in other states

Other majors in California

Find more Horticulture schools

Use CampusPin's filter-first search to narrow 175+ Horticulture programs in California by tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting.

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