Building and grounds
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
Landscape or maintain grounds of property using hand or power tools or equipment. Workers typically perform a variety of tasks, which may include any combination of the following: sod laying, mowing, trimming, planting, watering, fertilizing, digging, raking, sprinkler installation, and installation of mortarless segmental concrete masonry wall units.
Median pay
$39,150
Growth to 2035
+5%
about as fast as average
Openings a year
149,500
Time to qualify*
1 month
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
Calculate your switch to landscaping and groundskeeping workers
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers: 61% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Mow or edge lawns, using power mowers or edgers.
- Operate vehicles or powered equipment, such as mowers, tractors, twin-axle vehicles, snow blowers, chainsaws, electric clippers, sod cutters, or pruning saws.
- Use hand tools, such as shovels, rakes, pruning saws, saws, hedge or brush trimmers, or axes.
- Prune or trim trees, shrubs, or hedges, using shears, pruners, or chain saws.
- Gather and remove litter.
- Trim or pick flowers and clean flower beds.
Also called: Athletic Fieldskeeper · Greenskeeper · Grounds Maintenance Worker · Grounds Specialist · Groundskeeper · Groundsman · Landscape Specialist · Landscape Technician (Landscape Tech)
Outlook and AI
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers held 1,188,600 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 1,244,200 by 2035 (+5%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
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- Landscaping and groundskeeping workers vs. Tree trimmers and pruners
- Landscaping and groundskeeping workers vs. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse
- Landscaping and groundskeeping workers vs. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Landscaping and groundskeeping workers vs. Agricultural equipment operator
- Landscaping and groundskeeping workers vs. Highway maintenance worker
- Landscaping and groundskeeping workers vs. Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Landscaping and groundskeeping workers vs. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Landscaping and groundskeeping workers vs. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Landscaping and groundskeeping workers vs. Faller