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The differences between arborists and grounds people can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an arborist and a grounds person. Additionally, an arborist has an average salary of $41,881, which is higher than the $33,955 average annual salary of a grounds person.
The top three skills for an arborist include CDL, hand tools and CPR. The most important skills for a grounds person are ladders, PPE, and CDL.
| Arborist | Grounds Person | |
| Yearly salary | $41,881 | $33,955 |
| Hourly rate | $20.14 | $16.32 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 4,040 | 37,122 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | High School Diploma, 55% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
An arborist is responsible for studying the tree structures and cultivating it for its growth and development as part of environmental conservation efforts. Arborists conduct regular pruning and fertilization, keeping the trees away from parasites and other harmful substances. They also operate various tools and equipment for efficiency and accurate processing. An arborist coordinates with environmental and community organizations to keep the trees' healthy condition, as well as recommending activities that would help in sustaining efforts, such as planting and growing trees across the desired location.
A grounds person is responsible for the overall upkeep of an institution's grounds, public parks, and other similar areas. They are usually employed in schools, especially in schools with provisions for outdoor sports or lawn sports such as soccer, golf, tennis, and football, among others. A grounds person is in charge of the maintenance of the grass on the lawn, of the repairs and maintenance of fixtures such as lights, benches, and fountains, and even of the cleanliness of the area. As such, it is expected that a grounds person is familiar with taking care of plants, conducting routine maintenance work, and repairing fixtures.
Arborists and grounds people have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Arborist | Grounds Person | |
| Average salary | $41,881 | $33,955 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $57,000 | Between $26,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | Waltham, MA |
| Highest paying state | California | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Florida Power & Light | Schnitzer Steel |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an arborist and a grounds person in terms of educational background:
| Arborist | Grounds Person | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | High School Diploma, 55% |
| Most common major | Forestry | General Studies |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between arborists' and grounds people' demographics:
| Arborist | Grounds Person | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% | Male, 93.9% Female, 6.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 1.5% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 22.7% Asian, 2.2% White, 58.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 3% |