Mow first, then edge
Run the mower over the grass first, then take an edger along sidewalks, paths, and garden beds.
Career profile
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Worker
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers plant newly designed areas and maintain lawns, garden beds, and grounds.
The payoff is right in front of you: a bed newly filled with plants, a hedge just cut, a lawn with a crisp edge.
A day in the life
Plant from the planting plan
Work from the planting plan, digging with a shovel and spreading mulch around each new plant.
Trim and shape the shrubs
Clip extra growth off the shrubs with hand shears or a hedge trimmer, shaping them as you go.
Set irrigation and fix sprinklers
In some jobs, you set irrigation timing and fix small problems, like a sprinkler missing its bed.
Quick facts
Learn on the job
United States
$18.82/hour
United States · 2025
5% projected growth
United States · 2025–2035
Quick orientation
Preparation, pay & outlook
Preparation
Learn on the jobUsually no formal education requirement; some employers prefer a high school diploma.
Pay
$18.82/hourNational median: $39,150 annually in 2025.
Outlook
5% projected growthLandscaping and groundskeeping employment, 2025–2035.
Fit, tradeoffs & changing tools
You might like this if…
- You enjoy physical work with a visible result.
- You like returning to a place and caring for it over time.
Things to weigh
- Hours outdoors mean heat, cold, lifting, and plenty of time on your feet.
- Some jobs are seasonal; winter work may shift to snow removal.
Where AI may help
Commercial robotic mowers can cut within set boundaries, and an app can help workers monitor them.
What people still lead
You still plant, prune, and care for areas beyond the mower’s job.
What we can’t predict yet
How much mowing becomes automated will depend on the property and equipment. Slopes, obstacles, and satellite reception can affect the setup.
Pay in context
Earnings
Compare the wage with the hours and months you would actually work.
The middle and the spread
In 2025, the national median was $18.82 an hour and $39,150 annually. The 10th and 90th percentiles were $14.98 and $27.28 an hour, or $31,150 and $56,730 annually. These describe the wage distribution, not starting and experienced pay.
Workplace pay differs
In May 2023, this occupation averaged $19.46 an hour ($40,480 annually) in services to buildings and dwellings, versus $20.08 ($41,770) in local government excluding schools and hospitals. These are historical industry averages, not current offers.
Growth and replacement openings
Employment is projected to grow 5% during 2025–2035. A separate, older 2024–2034 projection estimated 158,200 openings annually from growth and worker replacement.
Getting started
Join a grounds crew
- What the route involves
- Learn planting and equipment use on the job with an experienced worker.
- What it can lead to
- Build the basic skills for routine landscape care.
- What to check
- Pesticide or fertilizer application may require state licensing; check before taking on that work.
Enter a landscape apprenticeship
2,000 work-training hours plus at least 144 education hours; typically 12–18 months.Paid
- What the route involves
- Through a participating employer, combine mentored work with classes in the National Association of Landscape Professionals’ Landscape Management Apprenticeship Program.
- What it can lead to
- Complete the requirements to earn a U.S. Department of Labor Certificate of Completion in Apprenticeship.
- What to check
- Applicants must be at least 16, have completed high school or an equivalent qualification, be eligible to work in the United States, and be physically able to perform the duties. Employer-required substance screening may apply.
Choose between learning in an entry job and a structured apprenticeship.
After entry
Career paths
This starts where the entry routes leave off: early work, growing capability, and advancement or specialization.
Get established
Learn to load the right tools and keep equipment ready for the next job.
Build your range
Learn plant identification and irrigation adjustments so you can handle more of a property’s care.
Move toward crew leadership
Related experience and additional qualifications can help you advance to crew leader.
Where you can work
Parks and recreation grounds
Your work extends beyond plants to litter, picnic areas, playgrounds, and other public spaces.
- Outdoors
- Physical demands
Athletic fields
Prepare turf and mark boundaries before events. Natural fields need mowing and drainage care; artificial turf needs cleaning and repair.
- Outdoors
- Physical demands
Try it
See whether the job clicks before you commit to the path.
Take a 15-minute maintenance walk around a park. Sketch one lawn and planting bed, then list what needs mowing, edging, pruning, or cleanup. Decide what you would tackle first. Notice whether looking closely and planning hands-on care interests you.
Stay safe: Stay on public paths and away from operating equipment; this is an observation exercise.
Sources
- O*NET OnLine / U.S. Department of Labor. Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- O*NET OnLine / U.S. Department of Labor. National Wages: Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. May 2023 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Grounds Maintenance Workers. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- National Association of Landscape Professionals. Explore the Program. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Husqvarna. Commercial Robotic Lawn Mowers. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Husqvarna. How Do Automower Robotic Lawn Mowers Work?. Accessed 2026-10-03.