TL;DR

About 943,430 landscaping and groundskeeping workers nationally earn a mean of $47,431. Projections imply about 0.9% annual decline; much hiring sits in administrative and support and waste management and remediation services.

Key Statistics

943,430
2023 Workforce
None
Average Age
$47,431
Average Salary

Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers: what the data shows

Common questions about landscaping and groundskeeping workers careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.

What is a landscaping and groundskeeping workers?

Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 37-3011.

U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 943,430 workers.

What does a landscaping and groundskeeping workers do?

O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Handling and Moving Objects, Controlling Machines and Processes, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships, Performing General Physical Activities, Getting Information, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.

How much does a landscaping and groundskeeping workers make?

BLS national median annual wage: $38,090 (May 2024 in our extract).

Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $47,431 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.

Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).

Wage percentileAnnual wage
10th percentile$36,880
25th percentile$38,618
Median (50th)$45,601
75th percentile$50,311
90th percentile$61,953

What education do you need?

For Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers, O*NET incumbent surveys in our extract most often report: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%).

These are education levels of current workers, not minimum legal requirements.

What skills do you need?

O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Operation and Control, Critical Thinking, Speaking, Coordination, Operations Monitoring, Active Listening, and knowledge areas including English Language, Customer and Personal Service, Chemistry, Mechanical. See Education & Skills for detail.

Is landscaping and groundskeeping workers in demand?

Historical employment trend in our series implies about 0.9% annual decline (compound rate in the extract).

Five-year projected employment change: -4.4%.

Ten-year projected employment change: -8.7%.

Current U.S. headcount: 943,430.

We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.

Where do landscaping and groundskeeping workerss work?

Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:

IndustryEmploymentShare
Cross-industry943,43017.2%
Cross-industry, Private Ownership only831,80015.2%
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services597,25010.9%
Administrative and Support Services596,86010.9%
Services to Buildings and Dwellings576,42010.5%
Landscaping Services571,49010.4%

See Industry for charts.

What degrees lead to this career?

Common majors for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers in O*NET:

See Related degrees.

Employment

Employment and salary information for the Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers workforce.

Employment Over Time

943,430 Workforce in 2023

The Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers workforce has been growing over time.

Historical employment trends for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers.

Yearly Wage Ranking

$47,431 Average Wage

In 2023, Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers earned an average of $47,431.

Wage ranking compared to other occupations.

Wage Distribution

This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers.

Salary distribution for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers.

Employment Growth Projections

-0.9% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)

392,665 Projected Employment (5 years)

Projected growth: -4.4%

375,258 Projected Employment (10 years)

Projected growth: -8.7%

This occupation is experiencing a decline. Consider related fields with better growth prospects.

Historical employment trends and future projections for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers.

Industry

Information on the industries that employ Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers and on wages for those in the field.

Occupations by Industries

This graphic shows the share of Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers employed by various industries.

Industry distribution for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers.

Wage Trends by Industry

3.4% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate

Historical wage growth trends by industry for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers.

Geographic Distribution

Employment and wage information by geographic location for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers.

State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.

Top States by Employment

Top States by Employment:

  • CA: 103,570 employees, $46,120 avg wage
  • FL: 84,250 employees, $37,380 avg wage
  • TX: 68,700 employees, $36,630 avg wage
  • NY: 49,430 employees, $45,030 avg wage
  • OH: 35,340 employees, $38,310 avg wage
  • IL: 35,120 employees, $43,430 avg wage
  • PA: 34,310 employees, $39,830 avg wage
  • NC: 33,450 employees, $37,580 avg wage
  • MI: 31,350 employees, $40,110 avg wage
  • NJ: 28,940 employees, $42,470 avg wage

Top 10 states by employment for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers.

Top Metropolitan Areas

Top Metropolitan Areas:

  • New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 49,250 employees, $45,560 avg wage
  • Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 27,400 employees, $44,560 avg wage
  • Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 26,790 employees, $44,210 avg wage
  • Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 21,170 employees, $38,320 avg wage
  • Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL: 20,280 employees, $37,950 avg wage
  • Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: 18,770 employees, $41,300 avg wage
  • Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: 16,740 employees, $43,340 avg wage
  • Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: 16,350 employees, $36,240 avg wage
  • Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ: 15,770 employees, $40,400 avg wage
  • Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: 13,810 employees, $50,100 avg wage

Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers.

Diversity

Demographic information on Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers in the US.

Gender and Age

The workforce of Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers in 2023 was 943,430 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.

Gender and age distribution for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers.

Races

Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.

Race and ethnicity distribution for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers.

Education & Skills

Data on higher education choices and required skills for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers.

Majors

The most common majors achieved by Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers in 2023 were Business Administration, Business, Social Sciences.

Common majors for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers.

Education Levels

The main educational levels achieved by Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers workers.

Education level distribution for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers.

Skills

Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers need many skills, but most especially Operation and Control, Critical Thinking, Speaking, Coordination, Operations Monitoring.

Required skills for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers.

Knowledge & Abilities

Knowledge areas and abilities required for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers.

Knowledge Areas

The most important knowledge areas for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers include English Language, Customer and Personal Service, Chemistry, Mechanical, Public Safety and Security.

Knowledge areas required for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers.

Abilities

Key abilities needed for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers include Multilimb Coordination, Manual Dexterity, Trunk Strength, Arm-Hand Steadiness, Extent Flexibility.

Required abilities for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers.

Work Activities

Common work activities performed by Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers.

Daily Activities

Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers spend their time on activities such as Handling and Moving Objects, Controlling Machines and Processes, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships, Performing General Physical Activities, Getting Information.

Most important work activities for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers.

About

Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers

The average yearly wage for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers was $47,431 in 2023.

SOC Code

37-3011 - Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers

Insights and Analysis

Compensation snapshot: Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers reports an average salary of $47,431.

Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 943,430 workers, indicating sustained demand.

Forward outlook: Projected annual decline is -0.9%, which should inform long-term career planning.

Data Sources

This page uses data from the following sources:

  • College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
    • Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
    • Data years: 2015-2024
    • Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
  • Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
    • Employment and wage data by occupation
    • Latest data: May 2024
    • Source: bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
    • Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
    • Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
    • Source: onetcenter.org
  • IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
    • Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
    • Data years: 2015-2024
    • Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
  • Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
    • Demographic and workforce data
    • Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
    • Source: census.gov/acs

Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.

Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.

Methodology

Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.

All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.