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The differences between ground crews and grounds maintenance workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a ground crew, becoming a grounds maintenance worker takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a ground crew has an average salary of $33,390, which is higher than the $28,562 average annual salary of a grounds maintenance worker.
The top three skills for a ground crew include mowing, GRASS and snow removal. The most important skills for a grounds maintenance worker are GRASS, grounds maintenance, and mowing.
| Ground Crew | Grounds Maintenance Worker | |
| Yearly salary | $33,390 | $28,562 |
| Hourly rate | $16.05 | $13.73 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 64,779 | 115,674 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | High School Diploma, 46% |
| Average age | 41 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
Ground crews, also known as ground staff, are personnel that work at the airport. These crews are either avionics technicians, customer service and ramp agents, or flight dispatchers. They service the airline while on the ground. Their primary responsibility is to ensure that the airline runway and gate are both clear from debris or garbage to prevent them from being sucked by the plane's engine. They also inspect the tarmac and take out any items found before the plane's arrival or departure.
A grounds maintenance worker makes sure that the grounds of businesses, urban infrastructure, parks, and houses are in order and attractive. These workers provide a functional and pleasant outdoor environment to spaces. They mow, fertilize, and edge lawns. Their tasks may include removing damaged, unwanted, or dead trees in these areas. They also maintain the indoor plantings and gardens in public and commercial facilities like hotels, botanical gardens, and malls.
Ground crews and grounds maintenance workers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Ground Crew | Grounds Maintenance Worker | |
| Average salary | $33,390 | $28,562 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $41,000 | Between $23,000 And $35,000 |
| Highest paying City | Juneau, AK | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Elcona Pro Shop | Lakeland Electric |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Finance |
There are a few differences between a ground crew and a grounds maintenance worker in terms of educational background:
| Ground Crew | Grounds Maintenance Worker | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | High School Diploma, 46% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between ground crews' and grounds maintenance workers' demographics:
| Ground Crew | Grounds Maintenance Worker | |
| Average age | 41 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.3% Female, 10.7% | Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.3% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.7% Asian, 1.7% White, 66.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% | Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 4.7% White, 60.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 2% |