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Landscape contractor vs gardener

The differences between landscape contractors and gardeners can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a landscape contractor and a gardener. Additionally, a gardener has an average salary of $32,912, which is higher than the $30,650 average annual salary of a landscape contractor.

The top three skills for a landscape contractor include mowing, general maintenance and retaining walls. The most important skills for a gardener are GRASS, mowing, and hand tools.

Landscape contractor vs gardener overview

Landscape ContractorGardener
Yearly salary$30,650$32,912
Hourly rate$14.74$15.82
Growth rate5%5%
Number of jobs19,0385,411
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 44%Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Average age4141
Years of experience22

Landscape contractor vs gardener salary

Landscape contractors and gardeners have different pay scales, as shown below.

Landscape ContractorGardener
Average salary$30,650$32,912
Salary rangeBetween $21,000 And $43,000Between $22,000 And $47,000
Highest paying City-Union City, CA
Highest paying state-Hawaii
Best paying company-UC Santa Barbara
Best paying industry-Media

Differences between landscape contractor and gardener education

There are a few differences between a landscape contractor and a gardener in terms of educational background:

Landscape ContractorGardener
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 44%Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Most common majorBusinessPlant Sciences
Most common college--

Landscape contractor vs gardener demographics

Here are the differences between landscape contractors' and gardeners' demographics:

Landscape ContractorGardener
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 89.5% Female, 10.5%Male, 56.4% Female, 43.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 25.9% Asian, 2.3% White, 56.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 28.0% Asian, 1.8% White, 56.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%
LGBT Percentage3%3%

Differences between landscape contractor and gardener duties and responsibilities

Landscape contractor example responsibilities.

  • Manage clients and run all landscape operations including groundskeeping, seasonal cleaning, and pressure washing
  • Used hand tools, such as shovels, rakes, punishing tools etc.
  • Used hand tools, such as shovels, rakes, saws, hedge, brush trimmers, and axes
  • Used hand or power tools such as fertilizer spreaders, mowers, blowers, edgers and weedwhackers.
  • Take, mulch, and prune grounds as needed.
  • Install sprinklers or lighting systems.
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Gardener example responsibilities.

  • Manage hardscape installation team and project
  • General grounds maintenance of exterior landscaping, including trimming, weed control, lawn mowing, and applying fertilizer.
  • Operate and maintain lawn mowers and tractors for seeding, aeration, snow removal and fertilizing of grounds.
  • Operate vehicles or power equipment, such as mowers, snow blowers, chain-saws, electric clippers and pruning saws.
  • Operate a variety of equipment including hand and power tools, blowers, mowers, and drive a vehicle around campus.
  • Clean grounds using rakes, brooms, trash can, and hand blower.
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Landscape contractor vs gardener skills

Common landscape contractor skills
  • Mowing, 16%
  • General Maintenance, 8%
  • Retaining Walls, 8%
  • Lawn Care, 7%
  • Landscape Design, 6%
  • MOW, 5%
Common gardener skills
  • GRASS, 20%
  • Mowing, 10%
  • Hand Tools, 7%
  • Blowers, 7%
  • Rakes, 5%
  • Grounds Maintenance, 5%

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