Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for landscaping and groundskeeping workerss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $42,290 ≈ $20/hr
National median salary $39,150
Total employment 952,640 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +3.6%
About as fast as average
Annual openings 158,200 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 1,192,500 → 1,235,000 (+42,400)
Typical entry education No formal educational credential
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- District of Columbia$51,200
- Massachusetts$50,540
- Washington$49,130
- California$47,420
- Vermont$47,340
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Mississippi$33,520
- West Virginia$33,870
- Louisiana$34,150
- Arkansas$36,070
- Alabama$36,100
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $51,200 | $48,790 | $25 | +21.1% | 800 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $50,540 | $48,670 | $24 | +19.5% | 22,880 |
| 3 | Washington | $49,130 | $46,950 | $24 | +16.2% | 22,550 |
| 4 | California | $47,420 | $45,560 | $23 | +12.1% | 106,180 |
| 5 | Vermont | $47,340 | $46,230 | $23 | +11.9% | 2,700 |
| 6 | Alaska | $47,280 | $47,690 | $23 | +11.8% | 1,080 |
| 7 | Colorado | $46,840 | $45,760 | $23 | +10.8% | 21,990 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $46,200 | $46,610 | $22 | +9.2% | 17,610 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $46,060 | $45,740 | $22 | +8.9% | 13,490 |
| 10 | Oregon | $45,840 | $45,040 | $22 | +8.4% | 11,870 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $45,710 | $44,890 | $22 | +8.1% | 6,050 |
| 12 | New York | $45,620 | $44,840 | $22 | +7.9% | 47,600 |
| 13 | Montana | $45,550 | $45,350 | $22 | +7.7% | 4,270 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $45,390 | $44,730 | $22 | +7.3% | 4,040 |
| 15 | Maine | $45,140 | $45,970 | $22 | +6.7% | 6,410 |
| 16 | Hawaii | $44,940 | $45,920 | $22 | +6.3% | 7,040 |
| 17 | Illinois | $44,800 | $43,790 | $22 | +5.9% | 34,780 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $43,750 | $40,790 | $21 | +3.5% | 2,100 |
| 19 | Nevada | $43,520 | $38,820 | $21 | +2.9% | 9,980 |
| 20 | Maryland | $43,400 | $39,380 | $21 | +2.6% | 17,440 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $43,310 | $41,360 | $21 | +2.4% | 30,470 |
| 22 | Idaho | $42,810 | $41,600 | $21 | +1.2% | 7,980 |
| 23 | Utah | $42,800 | $40,740 | $21 | +1.2% | 12,850 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $42,740 | $41,230 | $21 | +1.1% | 18,970 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $42,340 | $39,140 | $20 | +0.1% | 7,280 |
| 26 | Arizona | $41,560 | $38,910 | $20 | -1.7% | 22,450 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $41,490 | $39,500 | $20 | -1.9% | 34,850 |
| 28 | Iowa | $41,260 | $38,920 | $20 | -2.4% | 8,800 |
| 29 | Virginia | $40,770 | $38,410 | $20 | -3.6% | 25,180 |
| 30 | Missouri | $40,690 | $38,520 | $20 | -3.8% | 18,310 |
| 31 | Michigan | $40,550 | $38,120 | $20 | -4.1% | 32,330 |
| 32 | Kansas | $40,530 | $39,330 | $19 | -4.2% | 9,480 |
| 33 | Indiana | $40,020 | $38,070 | $19 | -5.4% | 19,260 |
| 34 | Ohio | $39,890 | $38,220 | $19 | -5.7% | 34,420 |
| 35 | Delaware | $39,680 | $37,350 | $19 | -6.2% | 4,130 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $39,660 | $37,560 | $19 | -6.2% | 5,030 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $39,600 | $37,910 | $19 | -6.4% | 32,730 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $39,140 | $38,310 | $19 | -7.4% | 1,790 |
| 39 | Florida | $39,110 | $37,100 | $19 | -7.5% | 86,040 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $38,600 | $37,020 | $19 | -8.7% | 18,250 |
| 41 | Georgia | $38,500 | $37,970 | $19 | -9% | 25,510 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $38,140 | $36,670 | $18 | -9.8% | 8,920 |
| 43 | Texas | $37,990 | $36,740 | $18 | -10.2% | 63,430 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $37,520 | $36,710 | $18 | -11.3% | 15,600 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $36,600 | $35,370 | $18 | -13.5% | 2,980 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $36,250 | $35,770 | $17 | -14.3% | 9,280 |
| 47 | Alabama | $36,100 | $35,630 | $17 | -14.6% | 12,020 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $36,070 | $35,770 | $17 | -14.7% | 6,610 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $34,150 | $34,870 | $16 | -19.2% | 8,510 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $33,870 | $32,240 | $16 | -19.9% | 3,340 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $33,520 | $31,630 | $16 | -20.7% | 4,940 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 521 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area | $49,810 | $53,170 | 1,120 |
| 2 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $49,030 | $51,250 | 15,120 |
| 3 | Barnstable Town, MA | $49,010 | $50,970 | 2,210 |
| 4 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $48,810 | $50,590 | 200 |
| 5 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $48,570 | $47,590 | 1,310 |
| 6 | Napa, CA | $48,540 | $51,370 | 940 |
| 7 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $48,520 | $50,960 | 130 |
| 8 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $48,480 | $51,910 | 11,780 |
| 9 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $48,330 | $53,720 | 6,000 |
| 10 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $48,080 | $47,880 | 730 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing landscaping and groundskeeping workerss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $62,800 | $63,450 | 460 |
| 2 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $62,800 | $63,450 | 460 |
| 3 | Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers | $61,050 | $50,900 | 90 |
| 4 | Scientific Research and Development Services | $58,340 | $56,590 | 190 |
| 5 | Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $58,340 | $56,820 | 190 |
| 6 | Business Schools and Computer and Management Training | $57,290 | $55,390 | 40 |
| 7 | Elementary and Secondary Schools, State Government Owned | $55,950 | $51,580 | 70 |
| 8 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $52,980 | $51,880 | 90 |
| 9 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $52,980 | $51,880 | 90 |
| 10 | Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (5221 and 5223 only) | $52,410 | $48,090 | 100 |
| 11 | Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction | $52,320 | $49,800 | 90 |
| 12 | Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction | $52,150 | $52,070 | 530 |
Workforce Deep-Dive
Distribution and demographics from Census ACS (2023, self-reported). Wage figures here are ACS averages and run lower than the authoritative BLS wages above; use them for shape, not exact pay.
Annual wage distribution
Pay by age band
Education level
Full-time vs part-time
Race / ethnicity
Top fields of study
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do landscaping and groundskeeping workers make in the U.S.?
The median landscaping and groundskeeping workers salary in the United States is $39,150 per year (mean $42,290), and about 80% earn between $31,150 and $56,730.
How much do landscaping and groundskeeping workers make per hour?
Roughly $20 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $42,290 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays landscaping and groundskeeping workers the most?
District of Columbia has the highest average pay for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $51,200 per year (median $48,790).
What is the job outlook for landscaping and groundskeeping workers?
Employment is projected to change +3.6% from 2024 to 2034 (About as fast as average), with about 158,200 openings per year.