National
| Median wages (2008) |
$11.13 hourly, $23,150 annual |
| Employment (2006) |
1,220,000 employees |
| Projected growth (2006-2016) |
Faster than average (14% to 20%)
|
| Projected need (2006-2016) |
382,000 additional employees |
37-3011.00 - 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.
Sample of reported job titles:
Groundskeeper, Groundsman, Outside Maintenance Worker, Gardener, Greenskeeper, Grounds Worker, Grounds/Maintenance Specialist, Utility Worker, Grounds Maintenance Worker, Grounds Supervisor
Tasks
- Operate powered equipment such as mowers, tractors, twin-axle vehicles, snow blowers, chain-saws, electric clippers, sod cutters, and pruning saws.
- Mow and edge lawns, using power mowers and edgers.
- Shovel snow from walks, driveways, and parking lots, and spread salt in those areas.
- Care for established lawns by mulching, aerating, weeding, grubbing and removing thatch, and trimming and edging around flower beds, walks, and walls.
- Use hand tools such as shovels, rakes, pruning saws, saws, hedge and brush trimmers, and axes.
- Prune and trim trees, shrubs, and hedges, using shears, pruners, or chain saws.
- Gather and remove litter.
- Maintain and repair tools, equipment, and structures such as buildings, greenhouses, fences, and benches, using hand and power tools.
- Mix and spray or spread fertilizers, herbicides, or insecticides onto grass, shrubs, and trees, using hand or automatic sprayers or spreaders.
- Provide proper upkeep of sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, fountains, planters, burial sites, and other grounds features.
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Tools & Technology
Tools used in this occupation:
| Cultivators — Soil pulverizers; Tillers |
| Draglines — Drag brooms; Drag leveling bars; Plow pan spikers; X-drags |
| Fertilizer spreaders or distributors — Fertilizer spreaders; Hand spreaders; Salt spreaders |
| Graders or land levelers — Box blades; Land planes; Landscape rakes; Power rakes |
| Lawnmowers — Flail mowers; Manual mowers; Push mowers; Riding lawnmowers |
| Rakes — Arena rakes; Artificial turf groomers; Iron rakes; Turf sweepers |
| Shovels — Dirt shovels; Snow shovels; Sod lifters |
Technology used in this occupation:
| Electronic mail software — IBM Lotus Notes |
| Operating system software — Microsoft Windows |
| Word processing software — Microsoft Word |
