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Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers in California
Considering working as a Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers in California? Below are the key facts. 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. Excludes “Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse” (45-2092).
What do Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers Make in California?
The landscaping and groundskeeping workers working in California, the typical annual salary is $44,340 per year (or about $21.32/hour).Annual wages span from $35,860 at the 10th percentile to $60,240 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,860 | $17.24 |
| 25th percentile | $37,550 | $18.05 |
| Median (50th) | $44,340 | $21.32 |
| 75th percentile | $48,920 | $23.52 |
| 90th percentile | $60,240 | $28.96 |
Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in California compared to the national average — is 0.94.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn a median of $43,138 per year ($20.74/hour), exceeding the California median.
Employment Outlook
Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 142,343 landscaping and groundskeeping workers across the United States. In California alone, around 103,570 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 11,930 landscaping and groundskeeping workers.
Top California Metros for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers
These are the California metros with the most landscaping and groundskeeping workers in California.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 27,400 | $40,910 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 13,320 | $40,090 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 12,050 | $48,210 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 10,580 | $43,290 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 7,320 | $44,400 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 5,990 | $46,890 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 2,980 | $38,660 |
| Fresno, CA | 2,670 | $36,350 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 2,340 | $44,630 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 2,210 | $46,570 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 1,610 | $39,670 |
| Salinas, CA | 1,600 | $45,020 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 1,340 | $39,630 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 1,060 | $43,450 |
| Modesto, CA | 1,020 | $45,100 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 1,020 | $46,590 |
| Vallejo, CA | 930 | $44,560 |
| Napa, CA | 910 | $47,550 |
| Visalia, CA | 870 | $40,210 |
| Chico, CA | 700 | $41,150 |
| Merced, CA | 380 | $42,840 |
| Redding, CA | 380 | $39,830 |
| Yuba City, CA | 290 | $43,110 |
| El Centro, CA | 280 | $36,360 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | 180 | $38,400 |
Top States for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers Employment
The table below shows the states where the most landscaping and groundskeeping workers work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| California | 103,570 |
| Florida | 84,250 |
| Texas | 68,700 |
| New York | 49,430 |
| Ohio | 35,340 |
| Illinois | 35,120 |
| Pennsylvania | 34,310 |
| North Carolina | 33,450 |
| Michigan | 31,350 |
| New Jersey | 28,940 |
| Virginia | 25,790 |
| Colorado | 22,960 |
| Washington | 22,430 |
| Georgia | 22,100 |
| Arizona | 20,990 |
| Massachusetts | 20,850 |
| Indiana | 20,120 |
| Wisconsin | 18,590 |
| Missouri | 17,660 |
| Tennessee | 17,330 |
Highest-Paying States for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers
The highest-paying states for landscaping and groundskeeping workers.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $47,320 |
| Massachusetts | $47,050 |
| Minnesota | $46,730 |
| Alaska | $46,510 |
| Washington | $46,200 |
| Maine | $45,470 |
| Colorado | $44,950 |
| Connecticut | $44,920 |
| Hawaii | $44,800 |
| New York | $44,690 |
Skills
Top landscaping and groundskeeping workers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
The abilities that matter most for landscaping and groundskeeping workers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Common tasks include:
- 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.
- Mix and spray or spread fertilizers, herbicides, or insecticides onto grass, shrubs, or trees, using hand or automatic sprayers or spreaders.
- 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.
- Trim or pick flowers and clean flower beds.
- Attach wires from planted trees to support stakes.
- Plant seeds, bulbs, foliage, flowering plants, grass, ground covers, trees, or shrubs, and apply mulch for protection, using gardening tools.
- Mow or edge lawns, using power mowers or edgers.
Work Activities
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Controlling Machines and Processes
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Performing General Physical Activities
- Getting Information
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
- Thinking Creatively
Tools & Technology
Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Facebook
Related Careers
Other careers like landscaping and groundskeeping workers include:
- First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
- Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation
- Tree Trimmers and Pruners
- Agricultural Equipment Operators
- Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse
Also Known As
Athletic Field Custodian, Bonsai Tender, Brush Cutter, Caretaker, Cemetery Keeper, Cemetery Laborer, Cemetery Warden, Cemetery Worker, Equipment Operator, Flower Picker, Flower Planter, Gardener, Golf Course Keeper, Golf Course Laborer, Golf Course Maintenance Worker.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 37-3011.00
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