How To Become A Ground Worker: What It Is and Career Path

What is a ground worker and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

As you can probably expect, a ground worker spends a lot of time working with dirt--and plants, and trees, and lawns, and anything else that's on a property. That's because "the grounds" is another way of saying a property around a place. If you were a ground worker, you could work on the property of a house, park, or even a museum, basically anywhere that wants to put its best face forward.

You would probably get your hands dirty a lot as a ground worker. That's because you would have to do all sorts of tasks like pruning bushes, planting flowers, watering and fertilizing lawns, and anything else that makes a plot of land look beautiful. If you like to work outside and with your hands, this would be a great job for you.

To work as a ground worker, you could jump right into the job, no time spent in a classroom to earn a diploma needed. However, you may have to earn certifications to work with fertilizers or prove that you can take care of trees and plants. Everything else, you can learn on the job.

ScoreGround WorkerUS Average

Salary

2.3

Avg. Salary $29,875

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.2

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

10.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.49%

Asian 2.07%

Black or African American 9.54%

Hispanic or Latino 21.78%

Unknown 4.07%

White 61.05%

Gender

female 14.27%

male 85.73%

Age - 41

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41

Stress level

6.2

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.0

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.0

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a ground worker

Explore ground worker education requirements

Most common ground worker degrees

High School Diploma

37.9 %

Bachelor's

32.8 %

Associate

16.3 %

Start to develop specific ground worker skills

Skills	Percentages
Mowing	11.62%
GRASS	10.25%
Hand Tools	8.85%
Grounds Maintenance	8.13%
Blowers	4.49%

Research ground worker duties and responsibilities

Manage hardscape installation team and project
Operate vehicles and power equipment such as mowers, snow blowers, electric clippers, sod cutters, or pruning saws.
Aid in the maintenance of equipment as needed (lawn mowers, tractors, weed-eaters, leaf blowers, etc . )
Mow rough, greens, fairways, hand water greens, spread seed on greens and fairways, rake sand traps.

Prepare your ground worker resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your ground worker resume.

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