Will majoring in botany/plant science always be outdoors?

Most occupations in that field involve being outside. And despite your love of plants, you seem to be terrified of pollinators.

You are a senior in high school, you don’t have to make a life decision just yet. Go on in your education and explore different things, you might find a field that fascinates you that you know nothing about.

Do you like biology, genetics, bacteriology, chemistry, physics and math? A BS in botany requires those classes.

If you are good in genetics then there might be opportunities for you in plant genetic engineering. That may keep you work in a lab (away from the out of doors) for some large company.

Another idea that you might investigate is counseling to get over your Hymenoptera phobia.

Indoor farming is going to be more and more prevalent. With dependable output, very low water usage and without chemical and fertilizer runoff into the environment, it’s going to be providing a lot of our food in the future.

Botany is super interesting. And with all humans eating every day, there will always be jobs in the industry. The introductory classes were some of my favorites in college, and I often think I should have worked in the field. Good luck to you!

It is hard not to visit the great outdoors but I am sure there are plenty of laboratory based job opportunities that can be had that will keep your exposure to a minimum.

Have you thought about perhaps addressing your fears? I believe you have one of the more common ones and it can probably be overcome with competent professional counseling and a little effort on your part. Personally, as much as I love the outdoors, I would hate to have to go through life with this particular phobia

Classes for several required subjects are outside based; like plant, bush and tree identification.

Botany/Plant science is a noble cause and very useful. You are helping feed the planet. There is always a need to increase yields by developing more efficient plants, and crops that are more resistant to pests. You might be working on genetically modified plants that can be used for energy crops, or grow with limited water consumption. Since photosynthesis is remarkably inefficient, ~1.6%, you might be spending time in the lab working on ways to get that number up. High efficincy photosynthesis would have applications in space, or on aircraft carriers, pleasure cruise ships, or even in the desert.
Pick your specialty correctly and you might never see a pollinator again. :-)
Go for it!

Any hard science background will serve you well. I’d go for it despite that fear. There are many places where it will be useful that don’t require outside work. May be worth your while to work on your fear of buzzy critters just for the sake of spending time outside regardless of your career choice.

You’re going to have to find a way to overcome your fear. Buzzing things don’t sting for no reason. They sting for protection because someone or something threatened them. Just ignore them and they’ll ignore you.

My ex and I took a canoe trip once. We camped for several days on a bluff high above the river. You had to practically climb to get there. Once you got to the top we had to walk very, very close to the bush that was just alive with wasps! The whole bush was buzzing. We had to walk within 2 feet of it.
The first couple of times I was afraid. After absolutely nothing happened I lost all my fear and didn’t even give it a second thought. I was still careful not to brush against the bush though.

There are many laboratory positions out there. There are many more commercial greenhouses.
It is possible you may lose your fear, so don’t discount the great outdoors just yet.
If you don’t, there is always protective clothing. That is how beekeepers handle the work they do.