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The differences between ground crews and yard workers 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 yard worker. Additionally, a ground crew has an average salary of $33,390, which is higher than the $32,628 average annual salary of a yard worker.
The top three skills for a ground crew include mowing, GRASS and snow removal. The most important skills for a yard worker are OSHA, basic math, and strong customer service.
| Ground Crew | Yard Worker | |
| Yearly salary | $33,390 | $32,628 |
| Hourly rate | $16.05 | $15.69 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 64,779 | 63,408 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | High School Diploma, 57% |
| 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 yard worker provides landscape maintenance services to homes and establishments. Their responsibilities typically include meeting with clients to identify their needs and landscape preferences, mowing lawns, growing plants and trees, applying pesticides and fertilizers, operating irrigation systems, and maintaining grounds clean and presentable. There are also instances when a yard worker may participate in installing fixtures such as ponds, topiaries, lighting, Christmas ornaments, and other decorations in adherence to the directives of clients or management.
Ground crews and yard workers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Ground Crew | Yard Worker | |
| Average salary | $33,390 | $32,628 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $41,000 | Between $26,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | Juneau, AK | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Elcona Pro Shop | Rasmussen Co Inc |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a ground crew and a yard worker in terms of educational background:
| Ground Crew | Yard Worker | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | High School Diploma, 57% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between ground crews' and yard workers' demographics:
| Ground Crew | Yard Worker | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.3% Female, 10.7% | Male, 91.7% Female, 8.3% |
| 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, 8.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 22.4% Asian, 2.0% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 3% |