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The differences between golf course superintendents and irrigation managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a golf course superintendent and an irrigation manager. Additionally, a golf course superintendent has an average salary of $38,861, which is higher than the $32,965 average annual salary of an irrigation manager.
The top three skills for a golf course superintendent include mowing, GRASS and course maintenance. The most important skills for an irrigation manager are landscape maintenance, harvest, and water management.
| Golf Course Superintendent | Irrigation Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $38,861 | $32,965 |
| Hourly rate | $18.68 | $15.85 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 12,772 | 1,170 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 44% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Golf course superintendents are skilled professionals who are responsible for providing care and maintenance to the golf courses they are working for. These superintendents must supervise a team of staff members to coordinate work schedules for landscaping and maintaining the golf course grounds. They are required to manage irrigation systems by providing reports on the retaining ponds and other water source usage. Gold course superintendents must also provide technical and safety training for their employees when operating machinery and power equipment.
An irrigator manager handles the monitoring, inspection, and maintenance of irrigation systems. They are responsible for developing ways to manage and improve land. They take the lead and monitor the activity of the workers. Typically, they gather pertinent documents and necessary information for possible projects and the irrigation's current situation. They are also the one who evaluates the planning process on criteria of accessibility, efficiency, and usability among people.
Golf course superintendents and irrigation managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Golf Course Superintendent | Irrigation Manager | |
| Average salary | $38,861 | $32,965 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $67,000 | Between $23,000 And $45,000 |
| Highest paying City | Clifton, NJ | - |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | - |
| Best paying company | Middlebury College | - |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | - |
There are a few differences between a golf course superintendent and an irrigation manager in terms of educational background:
| Golf Course Superintendent | Irrigation Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 44% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Applied Horticulture | Plant Sciences |
| Most common college | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo |
Here are the differences between golf course superintendents' and irrigation managers' demographics:
| Golf Course Superintendent | Irrigation Manager | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.2% Female, 6.8% | Male, 95.9% Female, 4.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 1.3% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 1.3% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 3% |