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Grounds keeper vs ground worker

The differences between grounds keepers and ground 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 grounds keeper and a ground worker. Additionally, a grounds keeper has an average salary of $30,535, which is higher than the $29,875 average annual salary of a ground worker.

The top three skills for a grounds keeper include GRASS, PET and lawn care. The most important skills for a ground worker are mowing, GRASS, and hand tools.

Grounds keeper vs ground worker overview

Grounds KeeperGround Worker
Yearly salary$30,535$29,875
Hourly rate$14.68$14.36
Growth rate5%5%
Number of jobs11,53433,720
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 48%High School Diploma, 38%
Average age4141
Years of experience22

What does a grounds keeper do?

A groundskeeper's job responsibility is to maintain and modify outdoor areas such as college campuses, parks, gardens, etc. Your major duty is to carry out routine maintenance, planting, and gardening of a business or park's landscape. You may have to perform duties like mowing and maintaining lawns, planting new greenery, and trimming shrubs. Other duties you may likely carry out are watering, fertilizing, mulching, and applying pesticides. In all, the goal is to maintain the grounds of the place where you work.

What does a ground worker do?

Groundworkers are part of the construction staff who prepares a site before building. They are responsible for removing the sewage, redirecting water flows using pumps, cementing the project site, and laying the curb. Usually, they provide the tools they need for projects. Groundworkers require basic numeracy because of the nature of their role. They must also be decisive and confident in the quality of their work. Most importantly, this job requires a high level of fitness for safe working in the location.

Grounds keeper vs ground worker salary

Grounds keepers and ground workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Grounds KeeperGround Worker
Average salary$30,535$29,875
Salary rangeBetween $24,000 And $37,000Between $24,000 And $37,000
Highest paying CitySeattle, WASeattle, WA
Highest paying stateWashingtonAlaska
Best paying companyColumbia University in the City of New YorkMount St. Mary's University
Best paying industryHealth CareGovernment

Differences between grounds keeper and ground worker education

There are a few differences between a grounds keeper and a ground worker in terms of educational background:

Grounds KeeperGround Worker
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 48%High School Diploma, 38%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Grounds keeper vs ground worker demographics

Here are the differences between grounds keepers' and ground workers' demographics:

Grounds KeeperGround Worker
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 89.1% Female, 10.9%Male, 85.7% Female, 14.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 21.6% Asian, 2.2% White, 60.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 21.8% Asian, 2.1% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%
LGBT Percentage3%3%

Differences between grounds keeper and ground worker duties and responsibilities

Grounds keeper example responsibilities.

  • Manage hardscape installation team and project
  • Remove debris from stairs and walks, rakes leaves, and mows lawns.
  • Remove leaves and other debris from graves, using leaf blowers, rakes, and weed eaters.
  • Perform flower and foliage care and planting, raking or blowing leaves, mowing grass, mulching and removing weeds.
  • Assist with general building maintenance including plumbing and electrical repairs.
  • Used spray guns, brushes, brooms, cleaning solutions, ladders.
  • Show more

Ground worker example 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.
  • Used both hand shovels and plow trucks to remove snow.
  • Operate backhoe and bobcat to assist plumbing and irrigation dept.
  • Show more

Grounds keeper vs ground worker skills

Common grounds keeper skills
  • GRASS, 30%
  • PET, 19%
  • Lawn Care, 7%
  • Snow Blowers, 5%
  • Mowing, 5%
  • Weed Control, 4%
Common ground worker skills
  • Mowing, 12%
  • GRASS, 10%
  • Hand Tools, 9%
  • Grounds Maintenance, 8%
  • Blowers, 4%
  • Routine Maintenance, 4%

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