Landscaper / Landscape Technician

💰 Salary & Earning Potential

Salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Figures represent national averages — local wages vary by state, city, and employer.

Entry-level landscaping crew members typically earn $15–$20 per hour. Experienced crew leaders and equipment operators earn $22–$32 per hour. Landscape supervisors and branch managers at mid-size landscaping companies earn $55,000–$80,000. Landscape contractors and business owners with established commercial maintenance contracts can earn $100,000–$250,000+ depending on revenue volume. Geographic market affects wages — California, New York, and the Pacific Northwest pay premiums. Landscape designers with horticulture credentials and design software proficiency earn $60,000–$90,000 in design-build firms.

Entry-level landscaping crew members typically earn $15–$20 per hour. Experienced crew leaders and equipment operators earn $22–$32 per hour. Landscape supervisors and branch managers at mid-size landscaping companies earn $55,000–$80,000. Landscape contractors and business owners with established commercial maintenance contracts can earn $100,000–$250,000+ depending on revenue volume. Geographic market affects wages — California, New York, and the Pacific Northwest pay premiums. Landscape designers with horticulture credentials and design software proficiency earn $60,000–$90,000 in design-build firms.

📈 Job Outlook

Landscaping is a large and growing industry providing grounds maintenance, landscape installation, irrigation services, and winter snow management. The BLS projects faster-than-average employment growth, driven by residential and commercial property maintenance demand, infrastructure beautification, and the growing market for sustainable landscape design and native plant restoration. Landscape companies serving municipal and institutional clients have the most stable recurring revenue. Design-build landscape firms doing high-end residential projects command premium project fees. Landscape maintenance is largely recession-resistant — property owners and managers maintain grounds regardless of economic conditions.

Landscaping is a large and growing industry providing grounds maintenance, landscape installation, irrigation services, and winter snow management. The BLS projects faster-than-average employment growth, driven by residential and commercial property maintenance demand, infrastructure beautification, and the growing market for sustainable landscape design and native plant restoration. Landscape companies serving municipal and institutional clients have the most stable recurring revenue. Design-build landscape firms doing high-end residential projects command premium project fees. Landscape maintenance is largely recession-resistant — property owners and managers maintain grounds regardless of economic conditions.

🎓 Training & Education

Landscaping positions are accessible without formal credentials — most landscape workers begin in entry-level positions and develop skills on the job. An associate or bachelor's degree in horticulture, landscape design, or turfgrass management provides foundational plant knowledge that supports advancement. The National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) offers the Landscape Industry Certified — Technician credential that validates landscape maintenance competency. Pesticide applicator licensing — required for spray operators in most states — involves a written examination and continuing education for license maintenance. Landscape contractor licensing varies by state — some require an examination and proof of experience before operating independently.

Landscaping positions are accessible without formal credentials — most landscape workers begin in entry-level positions and develop skills on the job. An associate or bachelor's degree in horticulture, landscape design, or turfgrass management provides foundational plant knowledge that supports advancement. The National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) offers the Landscape Industry Certified — Technician credential that validates landscape maintenance competency. Pesticide applicator licensing — required for spray operators in most states — involves a written examination and continuing education for license maintenance. Landscape contractor licensing varies by state — some require an examination and proof of experience before operating independently.

☀️ Day in the Life

A Landscaper begins the workday loading the truck and trailer — mowers, edgers, trimmers, blowers, hand tools, and fuel. The first stop is a commercial property — a 5-acre office campus with extensive turf areas, ornamental shrub beds, and 200 feet of annual flower borders. The crew mows turf with zero-turn mowers, edges all hard surfaces, and string-trims around bed edges and tree bases. Shrub trimming follows — using hedge shears and bypass loppers to maintain the established form of boxwood globes and litter spyrea masses. At an afternoon residential landscape installation, the landscape crew installs a new design — placing balled-and-burlapped trees with a skid steer, planting perennials and ornamental grasses from containerized stock, spreading 3-inch mulch beds, and rough grading the lawn areas before hydroseeding. End-of-day involves equipment cleaning, fuel inventory, and reviewing tomorrow's schedule.

⚖️ Pros & Cons

🗺️ Landscaper / Landscape Technician by State

See local salary data, licensing requirements, and schools in your state:

🔗 Related Careers