First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $40,560 | $19.50 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $58,430 | $28.09 |
| Mean (average) | $60,960 | $29.31 |
| 90th percentile | $85,650 | $41.18 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $52,710 | $37,230 | $78,730 | 1,720 | 0.97 |
| Alaska | $67,760 | $48,980 | $96,480 | 150 | 0.54 |
| Arizona | $56,410 | $45,950 | $78,170 | 2,530 | 0.93 |
| Arkansas | $49,890 | $37,470 | $73,800 | 1,140 | 1.04 |
| California | $63,270 | $44,330 | $98,590 | 14,850 | 0.97 |
| Colorado | $60,840 | $46,370 | $86,690 | 4,390 | 1.82 |
| Connecticut | $62,740 | $49,550 | $101,120 | 1,860 | 1.3 |
| Delaware | $74,340 | $48,250 | $89,660 | 250 | 0.62 |
| District of Columbia | $68,300 | $55,400 | $108,140 | 80 | 0.13 |
| Florida | $51,290 | $38,060 | $80,090 | 12,020 | 1.44 |
| Georgia | $54,830 | $37,220 | $76,450 | 4,770 | 1.16 |
| Guam | $40,100 | $29,700 | $60,940 | 50 | 0.84 |
| Hawaii | $62,570 | $40,090 | $84,070 | ||
| Idaho | $58,200 | $43,680 | $79,700 | 1,120 | 1.55 |
| Illinois | $53,340 | $39,480 | $85,670 | 3,460 | 0.68 |
| Indiana | $62,040 | $40,750 | $89,950 | 2,230 | 0.83 |
| Iowa | $57,670 | $39,130 | $80,180 | 1,140 | 0.87 |
| Kansas | $61,270 | $44,840 | $79,580 | 1,110 | 0.92 |
| Kentucky | $57,670 | $40,490 | $75,080 | 1,360 | 0.81 |
| Louisiana | $48,410 | $34,450 | $63,640 | ||
| Maine | $62,300 | $47,460 | $77,950 | 790 | 1.48 |
| Maryland | $54,730 | $44,000 | $76,020 | 3,900 | 1.68 |
| Massachusetts | $63,750 | $46,610 | $99,420 | 2,510 | 0.82 |
| Michigan | $58,840 | $40,550 | $77,450 | 4,000 | 1.08 |
| Minnesota | $62,280 | $48,290 | $93,630 | ||
| Mississippi | $47,130 | $36,050 | $76,940 | 820 | 0.84 |
| Missouri | $48,710 | $40,040 | $74,470 | 1,760 | 0.71 |
| Montana | $59,460 | $31,600 | $94,370 | 650 | 1.52 |
| Nebraska | $57,820 | $46,190 | $79,320 | 1,010 | 1.18 |
| Nevada | $57,250 | $38,490 | $81,080 | 1,530 | 1.17 |
| New Hampshire | $64,340 | $52,390 | $92,390 | 940 | 1.63 |
| New Jersey | $68,580 | $52,000 | $94,200 | 2,830 | 0.79 |
| New Mexico | $59,120 | $43,710 | $89,600 | 530 | 0.72 |
| New York | $70,760 | $49,920 | $99,780 | 6,320 | 0.78 |
| North Carolina | $56,930 | $44,770 | $76,210 | 4,300 | 1.03 |
| North Dakota | $62,280 | $45,670 | $90,140 | 280 | 0.78 |
| Ohio | $55,680 | $42,800 | $79,260 | 4,120 | 0.88 |
| Oklahoma | $49,700 | $37,580 | $76,390 | 1,180 | 0.82 |
| Oregon | $70,560 | $46,770 | $96,110 | 1,180 | 0.71 |
| Pennsylvania | $55,450 | $44,500 | $76,300 | 5,610 | 1.1 |
| Puerto Rico | $37,510 | $22,270 | $60,590 | 530 | 0.67 |
| Rhode Island | $59,940 | $47,800 | $78,800 | 730 | 1.72 |
| South Carolina | $60,100 | $38,570 | $78,170 | 2,250 | 1.16 |
| South Dakota | $60,680 | $43,700 | $80,450 | 340 | 0.88 |
| Tennessee | $53,700 | $36,020 | $83,020 | 2,020 | 0.73 |
| Texas | $47,630 | $37,000 | $72,590 | 11,260 | 0.95 |
| Utah | $57,200 | $46,150 | $85,790 | 2,080 | 1.43 |
| Vermont | $66,810 | $52,010 | $96,040 | 160 | 0.64 |
| Virgin Islands | $53,610 | $39,670 | $68,970 | 30 | 1.17 |
| Virginia | $58,400 | $42,740 | $80,900 | 3,380 | 0.98 |
| Washington | $71,930 | $51,270 | $99,430 | 2,030 | 0.68 |
| West Virginia | $55,910 | $37,290 | $81,450 | 390 | 0.67 |
| Wisconsin | $62,630 | $45,390 | $89,530 | 2,690 | 1.09 |
| Wyoming | $56,230 | $47,810 | $82,990 | 220 | 0.92 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for first-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 23,900. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 46.8%.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for first-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Applied Horticulture/Horticulture Operations, General CIP 01.0601
- Ornamental Horticulture CIP 01.0603
- Greenhouse Operations and Management CIP 01.0604
- Landscaping and Groundskeeping CIP 01.0605
- Plant Nursery Operations and Management CIP 01.0606
- Turf and Turfgrass Management CIP 01.0607
- Golf Course Operation and Grounds Management CIP 31.0302
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Establish and enforce operating procedures and work standards that will ensure adequate performance and personnel safety.
- Schedule work for crews, depending on work priorities, crew or equipment availability, or weather conditions.
- Tour grounds, such as parks, botanical gardens, cemeteries, or golf courses, to inspect conditions of plants and soil.
- Monitor project activities to ensure that instructions are followed, deadlines are met, and schedules are maintained.
- Direct activities of workers who perform duties, such as landscaping, cultivating lawns, or pruning trees and shrubs.
- Inspect completed work to ensure conformance to specifications, standards, and contract requirements.
- Plant or maintain vegetation through activities such as mulching, fertilizing, watering, mowing, or pruning.
- Direct or perform mixing or application of fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides, or fungicides.
Technology skills
- Facebook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Payroll software
- Work order software
Transferable skills for career changers: Time Management, Management of Personnel Resources, Coordination, Social Perceptiveness, Instructing, Judgment and Decision Making.
Common job titles: Field Manager, Golf Course Superintendent, Grounds Crew Supervisor, Grounds Foreman, Grounds Maintenance Supervisor, Grounds Manager, Grounds Supervisor, Groundskeeper Supervisor, Landscape Manager, Landscape Supervisor.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do first-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers make?
The national median annual wage for first-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers was $58,430 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $40,560 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $85,650. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do first-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with less than 5 years of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is first-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of first-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers to change +4.0% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 23,900 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay first-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Delaware ($74,340), Washington ($71,930), New York ($70,760). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.