How To Become A Grounds Manager: What It Is and Career Path

What is a grounds manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Ground managers are responsible for the landscaping and repair of open areas and facilities. They usually organize, monitor, and take care of trees. They also restore roads and clear litter. These managers typically begin in a servicing or work training position before advancing to experienced management roles. Grounds managers who use pesticides might need a license, depending on the state.

Grounds managers typically work in large office buildings, sports fields, or cemeteries. Common industries that hire for this role are usually city councils, recreation companies, and universities. Daily, grounds managers develop organizational and security policies. They also determine the cost of equipment and send the estimates to customers. Aside from caring for lawns and trees, they repair outdoor features like fences and irrigation systems.

There are generally no requirements to work on any maintenance positions because most businesses offer training for the job. However, a certificate or a degree that focuses on landscape design, turf management, or business could improve the chances of being recruited to supervisory positions. The annual average salary for this role is around $77,500, depending on the size of the company and years of experience in the field.

ScoreGrounds ManagerUS Average

Salary

2.8

Avg. Salary $35,610

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

9.6

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.47%

Asian 6.58%

Black or African American 6.43%

Hispanic or Latino 13.69%

Unknown 4.37%

White 68.45%

Gender

female 13.09%

male 86.91%

Age - 44

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 - 44

Stress level

9.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.2

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

3.6

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a grounds manager

Explore grounds manager education requirements

Most common grounds manager degrees

Bachelor's

56.4 %

Associate

21.4 %

High School Diploma

11.6 %

Start to develop specific grounds manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Lawn Care	13.61%
Grounds Maintenance	10.65%
Athletic Fields	10.64%
GRASS	9.44%
OSHA	6.84%

Complete relevant grounds manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New grounds managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a grounds manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real grounds manager resumes.

Research grounds manager duties and responsibilities

Manage and perform mowing schedules, spring and fall clean ups and landscape maintenance.
Manage sales, run machinary, complete wekly inventory, run forklift, deliver orders, and keep financial records
Install sod ('Celebration' Bermuda) and over-seed rye grass (cv.
Mow and edge lawns and flowerbeds using weed whackers and driving/pushing lawn mowers.

Apply for grounds manager jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a grounds manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do grounds managers rate their job?

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Grounds manager reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2019

Pros

People Busy Money Busy and variety in a job Solving problems