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The differences between ground crews 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 a ground crew and a grounds person. Additionally, a grounds person has an average salary of $33,955, which is higher than the $33,390 average annual salary of a ground crew.
The top three skills for a ground crew include mowing, GRASS and snow removal. The most important skills for a grounds person are ladders, PPE, and CDL.
| Ground Crew | Grounds Person | |
| Yearly salary | $33,390 | $33,955 |
| Hourly rate | $16.05 | $16.32 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 64,779 | 37,122 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | High School Diploma, 55% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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 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.
Ground crews and grounds people have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Ground Crew | Grounds Person | |
| Average salary | $33,390 | $33,955 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $41,000 | Between $26,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | Juneau, AK | Waltham, MA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Elcona Pro Shop | Schnitzer Steel |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a ground crew and a grounds person in terms of educational background:
| Ground Crew | Grounds Person | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | High School Diploma, 55% |
| Most common major | Business | General Studies |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between ground crews' and grounds people' demographics:
| Ground Crew | Grounds Person | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.3% Female, 10.7% | Male, 93.9% Female, 6.1% |
| 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, 11.3% 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% |