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Skilled Trades

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 salary (BLS)

$39,150

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$31k – $57k

Job outlook

+4% (faster than average)

AI exposure

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Education

Typical entry: No degree required

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$100–$2,600

Time to qualify

3.1 yr

Renewal

$50/yr

  1. 1

    Registered apprenticeship (paid)

    Experience

    Earn-while-you-learn training — apprentices are paid during the program; fees are tools/books, not tuition.

    $0–$2,000 · 36 months · varies by state source

  2. 2

    Journeyman exam & state/local license

    License

    Most states and municipalities test and license journeyman-level trades workers.

    $100–$600 · 1 months · varies by state · renews every 2 yr source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers

    Entry / Junior

    $31,150

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers

    Established

    $39,150

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers

    Senior

    $47,940

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Gather and remove litter.
  • •Use hand tools, such as shovels, rakes, pruning saws, saws, hedge or brush trimmers, or axes.
  • •Operate vehicles or powered equipment, such as mowers, tractors, twin-axle vehicles, snow blowers, chainsaws, electric clippers, sod cutters, or pruning saws.
  • •Water lawns, trees, or plants, using portable sprinkler systems, hoses, or watering cans.
  • •Prune or trim trees, shrubs, or hedges, using shears, pruners, or chain saws.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Skilled Trades

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.