Salary in Horticulture Therapy
- Salaries in horticulture therapy vary by job title.George Doyle/Stockbyte/Getty Images
An individual working in the field of horticulture therapy may work under a number of job titles including horticultural therapist, horticulture program specialist, community garden program coordinator and therapeutic garden specialist. The national average salary does vary by job title. The website salaryexpert.com states the national average salary for an individual working as a horticultural therapist is $42,244. An individual working under the job title of community garden coordinator has a national average salary of $42,000, whereas a horticulture program specialist has a national average annual salary of $52,000, according to indeed.com. - Salaries earned by people working in horticulture therapy vary by location. The website salaryexpert.com indicates individuals working in horticultural therapy can expect to earn an annual salary in the $36,000 to $39,000 range in major metropolitan areas including Houston, Dallas and Atlanta. Horticulture therapy employees working in Chicago, Miami or Charlotte, North Carolina, can expect to earn an annual salary in the $42,000 to $44,000 range. The city offering the highest pay for horticultural therapists is Los Angeles, with an annual salary of $55,923.
- Specific salaries by setting for horticulture therapy are not available. However, data are available for recreational therapy, the department to which horticulture therapy employees typically belong. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports higher wages for recreational therapists working in general medical and surgical hospitals, state government, psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals. Nursing and community care facilities tend to offer a lower salary.
- Although salary information by education is not available, as with most professions, the more education an individual obtains, the better the salary. Individuals interested in working in horticulture therapy can pursue a certificate, associate's degree or bachelor's degree in horticultural therapy. Special certification is not currently required in the field, but the American Horticultural Therapy Association also offers a voluntary professional registration program for horticultural therapists that achieve defined criteria for education and experience. Since individuals working in horticulture therapy work with a diverse population, a combination of coursework in agriculture, rehabilitation, behavioral sciences and psychology is also recommended.
