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Horticulture courses
10 horticulture qualifications in Australia, compared side by side: cost, duration, providers and where each one leads.
- Qualifications
- 10
on this page
- Providers
- 240
across all qualifications
- Median pay
- $49,300–$85,800
across roles in this field
- Employment growth*
- +5%
1 of 3 roles in shortage
Which of these is right for you?
We don't recommend one provider over another, but four things usually decide which qualification is the right one to start with.
- How much time can you give it?
- A certificate usually runs months, not years, and gets you working sooner. A degree is a multi-year commitment, but it's the only route into a registered profession like pharmacist.
- Do you want to study online, on campus, or both?
- Check each qualification's study modes below. Some are online only, some require placements or on-campus units even in a mostly online course.
- What's your entry point?
- If you're starting from school leaver or career change with no background in the field, the lowest rung on the ladder is usually the realistic start, not the top qualification.
- Which role are you aiming for?
- Some roles need one specific qualification. Others accept several. The roles section below says which qualification on this page actually gets you there.
The horticulture qualifications
10 qualifications in this field. Each links through to cost, duration and the providers that teach it.
Certificates and diplomas
Certificate II in Horticulture
80 providersThis is a starting point for people with no background in horticulture, from school students to career changers.
Certificate IIView qualification →Certificate III in Arboriculture
20 providersThis qualification prepares you for trade-level work in arboriculture, the practical side of looking after trees in parks, streets, backyards and bushland.
Certificate IIIArboristView qualification →Certificate III in Floristry
14 providersThis qualification teaches you to design and build the arrangements a florist sells, from hand tied bunches and wired pieces to designs worked into a base such as foam or a container.
Certificate IIIFloristView qualification →Certificate III in Horticulture
66 providersThis qualification trains you to care for gardens, parks, turf and planted landscapes as a paid horticulturist, working under broad supervision but trusted to make your own calls on the job.
Certificate IIIView qualification →Certificate III in Irrigation Technology
3 providersYou learn to install and look after the systems that deliver water to crops, parks, sports fields and gardens.
Certificate IIIView qualification →Certificate III in Production Horticulture
11 providersThis qualification is for people working on the ground in commercial horticulture and floriculture, growing fruit, vegetables, nursery stock or cut flowers.
Certificate IIIView qualification →Certificate III in Sports Turf Management
13 providersThis trade qualification trains you to look after the playing surfaces at sports grounds, golf courses, racecourses and council ovals, from the weekly mowing and marking through to building and renovating a whole surface.
Certificate IIIView qualification →Diploma of Arboriculture
12 providersThis diploma suits people who already work with trees and want to move into the assessing and reporting side of the job: inspecting trees for defects and disease, judging risk, and writing the reports that councils, developers, insurers and landowners rely on.
DiplomaArboristView qualification →Diploma of Horticulture Management
15 providersThis diploma suits people who already know the practical side of horticulture and want to move into managing a team, a site or a horticulture business.
DiplomaView qualification →Diploma of Sports Turf Management
6 providersThis diploma is for people who already work on sports turf and want to run the place rather than just care for it.
DiplomaSports Turf ManagerView qualification →
What horticulture study leads to
The 3 roles where a horticulture qualification is a recognised route in, which qualification on this page it is, and what else you need.
Arborist
Enter through the Certificate III in Arboriculture or the Diploma of Arboriculture. Complete trade-level arboriculture training and meet applicable tree-work rules and high-risk activity requirements; the award alone does not authorise every operation.
Median salary for the role
$72,800
A year, before tax. Median for everyone in the occupation, not a graduate starting salary. Indicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data, Estimate.
Florist
The direct route is the Certificate III in Floristry. Complete the qualification and its stated entry and workplace requirements; check employer-specific requirements.
Median salary for the role
$49,300
A year, before tax. Median for everyone in the occupation, not a graduate starting salary. Indicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data, Estimate.
Sports Turf Manager
The direct route is the Diploma of Sports Turf Management. Complete the qualification and its stated entry and workplace requirements; check employer-specific requirements. Entry requirements: To commence this qualification an individual must have: completed a Certificate III in Sports Turf Management or an equivalent turf management trade level qualification or a certificate III level qualification in amenity horticulture combined with two years current work experience in a trade level role at a sports turf facility.
Median salary for the role
$85,800
A year, before tax. Median for everyone in the occupation, not a graduate starting salary. Indicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data, Estimate.