Horticulturist pay range
State of Washington · class code 539L
- Class code
- 539L
- Salary range
- 63
- Pay unit
- Year
- State
- Washington
- The State of Washington published pay range for Horticulturist is $76,608 to $102,996 per year.
- Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) keys this classification as class code 539L.
- This is the range the plan authorises, not the salary of any individual employee.
Step progression
Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) assigns this class to salary range 63 in the General Service Salary Schedule. The range pays 13 steps; a step is normally earned on a periodic increment date, not negotiated.
| Basis | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | $76,608 | $78,504 | $80,496 | $82,440 | $84,528 | $86,688 | $88,788 | $91,104 | $93,288 | $95,676 | $98,064 | $100,488 | $102,996 |
| Monthly | $6,384 | $6,542 | $6,708 | $6,870 | $7,044 | $7,224 | $7,399 | $7,592 | $7,774 | $7,973 | $8,172 | $8,374 | $8,583 |
| Hourly | $36.69 | $37.60 | $38.55 | $39.48 | $40.48 | $41.52 | $42.52 | $43.63 | $44.68 | $45.82 | $46.97 | $48.13 | $49.33 |
Steps as published. The monthly and hourly rows are the state's own, not conversions of the annual row.
Class specification
The OFM classified job specification for this class is published by Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM). The passages below are quoted from it as published, not paraphrased, and cut to their opening sentences; the full specification is the authority on duties and qualifications.
What the state says the job is
Performs professional horticultural research and advises Landscape Architects and Engineers statewide on highway plant selection, erosion control, cultural practices, plant grades and standards and other horticultural procedures.
Examples of the work
Directs the development and execution of horticultural studies related to edaphic, topographic and meteorological effects on plant survival such as reducing the mortality rate of nursery stock by minimizing moisture loss; compiles such data into a statistically analyzable form for computer use; Advises Landscape Architects, statewide, on the implementation of the results of such activity as related to compatibility of horticultural products to environmental considerations; Makes site investigations and advises Landscape Architects statewide on selection of soil amendments and seed mixtures to satisfy local environmental conditions for the successful establishment of turf and erosion control ...
Minimum qualifications
A Master's degree in Horticulture. OR A B.S. degree in Horticulture and two years experience in the field of horticulture, nursery management, plant propagation, agronomy, or plant pathology, one year of which must have been in a research capacity. A valid Washington State herbicide consultant license is required. Note: If the Master's degree was not obtained as the result of a thesis based on research, then one year in a research capacity is required. Equivalent education/experience.
Quoted from the OFM classified job specification, read 2026-10-21.
Where this comes from
Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) publishes this figure in Classified Job Listing joined to the OFM salary schedules effective July 1, 2026. Every number on this page is read from that document; nothing is estimated, modelled or averaged.
The dollar figures come from the salary schedule the listing assigns this range to.
Nearby classes in Washington
Horticulturist in other states
| State | Minimum | Maximum | Per year at full time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | $53,643 | $96,533 | $53,643 to $96,533 |
| Massachusetts | $1,971 | $2,640 | $51,235 to $68,644 |
| Minnesota | $50,947 | $73,706 | $50,947 to $73,706 |
| New Jersey | $57,158 | $83,211 | $57,158 to $83,211 |
| Tennessee | $4,562 | $6,825 | $54,744 to $81,900 |
Each state publishes its own range for a classification with this exact title. Duties, grade structures and bargaining units differ between states, so read each class page before comparing.