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The differences between irrigators and grounds maintenance workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an irrigator, becoming a grounds maintenance worker takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a grounds maintenance worker has an average salary of $28,562, which is higher than the $26,562 average annual salary of an irrigator.
The top three skills for an irrigator include harvest, sprinklers and GRASS. The most important skills for a grounds maintenance worker are GRASS, grounds maintenance, and mowing.
| Irrigator | Grounds Maintenance Worker | |
| Yearly salary | $26,562 | $28,562 |
| Hourly rate | $12.77 | $13.73 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 5,808 | 115,674 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 42% | High School Diploma, 46% |
| Average age | 41 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
An irrigator usually works on farmland and is responsible for the management and production of crops. They spend most of their time working in fields or gardens; they plant crops, water the soil, apply fertilizer, and apply pest-control measures. They have a daily routine of duties at their farm. They operate an irrigation controller and other types of machinery. Their core duty is to keep the agricultural land healthy.
A grounds maintenance worker makes sure that the grounds of businesses, urban infrastructure, parks, and houses are in order and attractive. These workers provide a functional and pleasant outdoor environment to spaces. They mow, fertilize, and edge lawns. Their tasks may include removing damaged, unwanted, or dead trees in these areas. They also maintain the indoor plantings and gardens in public and commercial facilities like hotels, botanical gardens, and malls.
Irrigators and grounds maintenance workers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Irrigator | Grounds Maintenance Worker | |
| Average salary | $26,562 | $28,562 |
| Salary range | Between $20,000 And $34,000 | Between $23,000 And $35,000 |
| Highest paying City | Brighton, CO | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Ball | Lakeland Electric |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Finance |
There are a few differences between an irrigator and a grounds maintenance worker in terms of educational background:
| Irrigator | Grounds Maintenance Worker | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 42% | High School Diploma, 46% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between irrigators' and grounds maintenance workers' demographics:
| Irrigator | Grounds Maintenance Worker | |
| Average age | 41 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.4% Female, 9.6% | Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 41.5% Asian, 1.7% White, 43.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% | Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 4.7% White, 60.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 2% |