First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers
First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (SOC 37-1012) earn a median $58,430 a year ($28.09 an hour) in the United States, with 130,760 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Delaware.
What first-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers do
These supervisors direct crews that mow, plant, prune, and maintain grounds at parks, golf courses, cemeteries, and botanical gardens, among other places. They arrange crew schedules around priorities, weather, and the availability of people and machines, walk the grounds to judge the health of plants and soil, and watch projects to keep them on time. They set and enforce work and safety standards and inspect completed work against specifications and contract terms. The job may also include going over contracts to work out what service, machinery, and labor will be needed, answering questions from prospective customers about methods, materials, and prices, and drawing up cost estimates. Supervisors sometimes plant or maintain vegetation themselves, or mix and apply fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides, or fungicides. They lead the landscaping and groundskeeping workers who do the hands-on tasks.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a bachelor's degree as the usual education level (about 32 percent).
Also called: Arborist Crew Leader, Buildings and Grounds Supervisor, Cemetery Workers Supervisor, Field Manager, Gardening Manager.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $19.50 | $22.79 | $28.09 | $34.90 | $41.18 | $29.31 | 130,760 |
| Annual | $40,560 | $47,390 | $58,430 | $72,590 | $85,650 | $60,960 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where first-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Delaware | Hourly | $23.20 | $30.04 | $35.74 | $38.00 | $43.11 | $34.08 | 250 | 0.53 | 0.62 |
| Annual | $48,250 | $62,480 | $74,340 | $79,030 | $89,660 | $70,890 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $24.65 | $28.15 | $34.58 | $40.27 | $47.80 | $35.06 | 2,030 | 0.57 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $51,270 | $58,560 | $71,930 | $83,750 | $99,430 | $72,930 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $24.00 | $26.83 | $34.02 | $39.74 | $47.97 | $34.03 | 6,320 | 0.65 | 0.78 |
| Annual | $49,920 | $55,810 | $70,760 | $82,650 | $99,780 | $70,780 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $22.48 | $28.72 | $33.92 | $38.23 | $46.21 | $34.15 | 1,180 | 0.60 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $46,770 | $59,750 | $70,560 | $79,520 | $96,110 | $71,030 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $25.00 | $27.92 | $32.97 | $38.08 | $45.29 | $33.97 | 2,830 | 0.66 | 0.79 |
| Annual | $52,000 | $58,070 | $68,580 | $79,210 | $94,200 | $70,660 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $21.31 | $23.37 | $30.42 | $39.26 | $47.40 | $32.83 | 14,850 | 0.82 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $44,330 | $48,610 | $63,270 | $81,660 | $98,590 | $68,290 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $18.30 | $20.98 | $24.66 | $30.46 | $38.50 | $27.34 | 12,020 | 1.21 | 1.44 |
| Annual | $38,060 | $43,630 | $51,290 | $63,350 | $80,090 | $56,870 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $17.79 | $20.92 | $22.90 | $27.54 | $34.90 | $24.68 | 11,260 | 0.80 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $37,000 | $43,520 | $47,630 | $57,290 | $72,590 | $51,340 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $24.00 | $26.83 | $34.02 | $39.74 | $47.97 | $34.03 | 6,320 | 0.65 | 0.78 |
| Annual | $49,920 | $55,810 | $70,760 | $82,650 | $99,780 | $70,780 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $21.40 | $22.47 | $26.66 | $30.07 | $36.68 | $27.23 | 5,610 | 0.92 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $44,500 | $46,730 | $55,450 | $62,550 | $76,300 | $56,630 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Salinas, CA | Hourly | $22.33 | $29.76 | $37.85 | $43.89 | $47.60 | $36.88 | 230 | 1.22 | 1.45 |
| Annual | $46,450 | $61,890 | $78,730 | $91,290 | $99,020 | $76,710 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $24.42 | $27.64 | $37.02 | $46.89 | $52.84 | $37.29 | 1,570 | 0.66 | 0.79 |
| Annual | $50,790 | $57,480 | $76,990 | $97,530 | $109,910 | $77,570 | ||||
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | Hourly | $26.55 | $29.90 | $36.98 | $40.44 | $47.25 | $36.34 | 600 | 0.50 | 0.59 |
| Annual | $55,220 | $62,190 | $76,910 | $84,120 | $98,270 | $75,580 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $27.97 | $29.00 | $36.78 | $41.04 | $50.43 | $36.94 | 1,140 | 0.55 | 0.65 |
| Annual | $58,180 | $60,320 | $76,490 | $85,370 | $104,890 | $76,830 | ||||
| Vallejo, CA | Hourly | $22.35 | $26.18 | $36.65 | $45.30 | $49.42 | $36.07 | 80 | 0.53 | 0.62 |
| Annual | $46,490 | $54,450 | $76,220 | $94,220 | $102,790 | $75,020 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $24.00 | $27.75 | $35.87 | $40.66 | $48.89 | $35.61 | 6,100 | 0.64 | 0.76 |
| Annual | $49,920 | $57,720 | $74,610 | $84,580 | $101,690 | $74,060 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $20.37 | $22.52 | $29.49 | $38.61 | $47.32 | $31.67 | 4,220 | 0.67 | 0.80 |
| Annual | $42,370 | $46,840 | $61,350 | $80,300 | $98,430 | $65,870 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $18.30 | $22.07 | $23.00 | $28.06 | $36.22 | $25.39 | 3,560 | 0.88 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $38,060 | $45,910 | $47,850 | $58,360 | $75,340 | $52,820 | ||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $18.34 | $20.47 | $24.68 | $31.00 | $38.67 | $27.15 | 2,960 | 1.05 | 1.25 |
| Annual | $38,140 | $42,570 | $51,340 | $64,490 | $80,440 | $56,470 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $20.32 | $21.84 | $28.35 | $33.00 | $37.89 | $28.29 | 2,800 | 0.97 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $42,260 | $45,430 | $58,960 | $68,640 | $78,810 | $58,830 | ||||
Top industries employing first-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
Services to Buildings and Dwellings employ 69.7% of first-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers nationally (91,110 jobs) at a median $56,940 a year ($27.37 an hour), followed by Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (8.4%) and Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (8.2%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Services to Buildings and Dwellings NAICS 561700 | 91,110 | 69.7% | $56,940 | $27.37 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 10,920 | 8.4% | $66,270 | $31.86 |
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries NAICS 713900 | 10,660 | 8.2% | $62,330 | $29.97 |
| Death Care Services NAICS 812200 | 1,760 | 1.3% | $57,570 | $27.68 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 1,670 | 1.3% | $62,330 | $29.96 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (130,760). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $48,800 for first-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers in May 2021 and $58,430 in May 2025, with employment of 116,380 and 130,760.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $48,800 | $23.46 | 116,380 |
| May 2022 | $50,810 | $24.43 | 122,910 |
| May 2023 | $55,740 | $26.80 | 126,020 |
| May 2024 | $56,170 | $27.01 | 124,130 |
| May 2025 | $58,430 | $28.09 | 130,760 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware profile | $35.74 | $74,340 | $48,250 | $89,660 | 250 | 0.53 | 0.62 |
| 2 | Washington profile | $34.58 | $71,930 | $51,270 | $99,430 | 2,030 | 0.57 | 0.68 |
| 3 | New York profile | $34.02 | $70,760 | $49,920 | $99,780 | 6,320 | 0.65 | 0.78 |
| 4 | Oregon profile | $33.92 | $70,560 | $46,770 | $96,110 | 1,180 | 0.60 | 0.71 |
| 5 | New Jersey profile | $32.97 | $68,580 | $52,000 | $94,200 | 2,830 | 0.66 | 0.79 |
| 6 | District of Columbia profile | $32.84 | $68,300 | $55,400 | $108,140 | 80 | 0.11 | 0.13 |
| 7 | Alaska profile | $32.58 | $67,760 | $48,980 | $96,480 | 150 | 0.46 | 0.54 |
| 8 | Vermont profile | $32.12 | $66,810 | $52,010 | $96,040 | 160 | 0.54 | 0.64 |
| 9 | New Hampshire profile | $30.93 | $64,340 | $52,390 | $92,390 | 940 | 1.37 | 1.63 |
| 10 | Massachusetts profile | $30.65 | $63,750 | $46,610 | $99,420 | 2,510 | 0.69 | 0.82 |
| 11 | California profile | $30.42 | $63,270 | $44,330 | $98,590 | 14,850 | 0.82 | 0.97 |
| 12 | Connecticut profile | $30.16 | $62,740 | $49,550 | $101,120 | 1,860 | 1.10 | 1.30 |
| 13 | Wisconsin profile | $30.11 | $62,630 | $45,390 | $89,530 | 2,690 | 0.91 | 1.09 |
| 14 | Hawaii profile | $30.08 | $62,570 | $40,090 | $84,070 | ** | ** | ** |
| 15 | Maine profile | $29.95 | $62,300 | $47,460 | $77,950 | 790 | 1.24 | 1.48 |
| 16 | Minnesota profile | $29.94 | $62,280 | $48,290 | $93,630 | ** | ** | ** |
| 17 | North Dakota profile | $29.94 | $62,280 | $45,670 | $90,140 | 280 | 0.65 | 0.78 |
| 18 | Indiana profile | $29.83 | $62,040 | $40,750 | $89,950 | 2,230 | 0.70 | 0.83 |
| 19 | Kansas profile | $29.46 | $61,270 | $44,840 | $79,580 | 1,110 | 0.77 | 0.92 |
| 20 | Colorado profile | $29.25 | $60,840 | $46,370 | $86,690 | 4,390 | 1.53 | 1.82 |
| 21 | South Dakota profile | $29.17 | $60,680 | $43,700 | $80,450 | 340 | 0.74 | 0.88 |
| 22 | South Carolina profile | $28.90 | $60,100 | $38,570 | $78,170 | 2,250 | 0.98 | 1.16 |
| 23 | Rhode Island profile | $28.82 | $59,940 | $47,800 | $78,800 | 730 | 1.45 | 1.72 |
| 24 | Montana profile | $28.59 | $59,460 | $31,600 | $94,370 | 650 | 1.28 | 1.52 |
| 25 | New Mexico profile | $28.42 | $59,120 | $43,710 | $89,600 | 530 | 0.60 | 0.72 |
| 26 | Michigan profile | $28.29 | $58,840 | $40,550 | $77,450 | 4,000 | 0.91 | 1.08 |
| 27 | Virginia profile | $28.08 | $58,400 | $42,740 | $80,900 | 3,380 | 0.82 | 0.98 |
| 28 | Idaho profile | $27.98 | $58,200 | $43,680 | $79,700 | 1,120 | 1.30 | 1.55 |
| 29 | Nebraska profile | $27.80 | $57,820 | $46,190 | $79,320 | 1,010 | 0.99 | 1.18 |
| 30 | Iowa profile | $27.73 | $57,670 | $39,130 | $80,180 | 1,140 | 0.73 | 0.87 |
| 31 | Kentucky profile | $27.73 | $57,670 | $40,490 | $75,080 | 1,360 | 0.68 | 0.81 |
| 32 | Nevada profile | $27.52 | $57,250 | $38,490 | $81,080 | 1,530 | 0.99 | 1.17 |
| 33 | Utah profile | $27.50 | $57,200 | $46,150 | $85,790 | 2,080 | 1.20 | 1.43 |
| 34 | North Carolina profile | $27.37 | $56,930 | $44,770 | $76,210 | 4,300 | 0.87 | 1.03 |
| 35 | Arizona profile | $27.12 | $56,410 | $45,950 | $78,170 | 2,530 | 0.78 | 0.93 |
| 36 | Wyoming profile | $27.04 | $56,230 | $47,810 | $82,990 | 220 | 0.77 | 0.92 |
| 37 | West Virginia profile | $26.88 | $55,910 | $37,290 | $81,450 | 390 | 0.56 | 0.67 |
| 38 | Ohio profile | $26.77 | $55,680 | $42,800 | $79,260 | 4,120 | 0.74 | 0.88 |
| 39 | Pennsylvania profile | $26.66 | $55,450 | $44,500 | $76,300 | 5,610 | 0.92 | 1.10 |
| 40 | Georgia profile | $26.36 | $54,830 | $37,220 | $76,450 | 4,770 | 0.98 | 1.16 |
| 41 | Maryland profile | $26.31 | $54,730 | $44,000 | $76,020 | 3,900 | 1.41 | 1.68 |
| 42 | Tennessee profile | $25.82 | $53,700 | $36,020 | $83,020 | 2,020 | 0.62 | 0.73 |
| 43 | Illinois profile | $25.65 | $53,340 | $39,480 | $85,670 | 3,460 | 0.57 | 0.68 |
| 44 | Alabama profile | $25.34 | $52,710 | $37,230 | $78,730 | 1,720 | 0.82 | 0.97 |
| 45 | Florida profile | $24.66 | $51,290 | $38,060 | $80,090 | 12,020 | 1.21 | 1.44 |
| 46 | Arkansas profile | $23.99 | $49,890 | $37,470 | $73,800 | 1,140 | 0.88 | 1.04 |
| 47 | Oklahoma profile | $23.89 | $49,700 | $37,580 | $76,390 | 1,180 | 0.69 | 0.82 |
| 48 | Missouri profile | $23.42 | $48,710 | $40,040 | $74,470 | 1,760 | 0.60 | 0.71 |
| 49 | Louisiana profile | $23.28 | $48,410 | $34,450 | $63,640 | ** | ** | ** |
| 50 | Texas profile | $22.90 | $47,630 | $37,000 | $72,590 | 11,260 | 0.80 | 0.95 |
| 51 | Mississippi profile | $22.66 | $47,130 | $36,050 | $76,940 | 820 | 0.71 | 0.84 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (37-1010), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 37-1012 First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 37-1012, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 37-1012.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.