Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers
Also called: Athletic Field Custodian, Athletic Fieldskeeper, Bonsai Tender, Brush Cutter, Cemetery Keeper, Cemetery Laborer, Flower Picker, Golf Course Keeper
Landscape or maintain grounds of property using hand or power tools or equipment.
What landscaping and groundskeeping workers do
Typical 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.
- Care for established lawns by mulching, aerating, weeding, grubbing, removing thatch, or trimming or edging around flower beds, walks, or walls.
- Follow planned landscaping designs to determine where to lay sod, sow grass, or plant flowers or foliage.
- Water lawns, trees, or plants, using portable sprinkler systems, hoses, or watering cans.
- Maintain or repair tools, equipment, or structures, such as buildings, greenhouses, fences, or benches, using hand or power tools.
- Rake, mulch, and compost leaves.
- Provide proper upkeep of sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, fountains, planters, burial sites, or other grounds features.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers salary
The median annual wage for landscaping and groundskeeping workers is $39,150 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $31,150 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $56,730. The mean annual wage is $42,290.
The mean hourly wage of $20.00 is 2.8× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $39,150 → in 3 years $43,100 → in 5 years $46,000 → in 10 years $54,100 (10-year range $46,500–$62,800). The model assumes pay growth of +3.3% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers United States | 造園工 Japan | |
|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $39,150 | ¥3.61M ≈ $22,941 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $54,100 | ¥4.75M |
| Outlook score | 59 | 55 |
| AI replacement risk | 16% Very low | 6% Very low |
| Workers | 953K | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 2 — some preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★☆☆☆☆ Easy to enter (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become landscaping and groundskeeping workers
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as landscaping and groundskeeping workers
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.