How To Become A Landscape Crew Leader: What It Is and Career Path

What is a landscape crew leader and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Dr. Brock C. Blaser,

Dr. Brock C. Blaser

A landscape Crew Leader is responsible for leading a crew of two to five crew members in all landscape maintenance. You are responsible for tearing out landscape plantings, leveling, grading, and preparing the ground. To do this, you need to identify common weeds, plants, pests, and beneficial insects with plants' health conditions for follow-up. It is an essential factor for you as a landscape Crew Leader to cultivate a relationship with the manager to ensure that equipment is well managed, materials are fully loaded, and issues on properties are settled out promptly. You will also assist in training and teaching team members to follow procedures and processes in an orderly manner.

As a leader, you are expected to work alongside your team members, especially to direct, oversee, and participate in the activity. In addition, you are to instruct and manage your team members to enhance productivity. For successful accomplishment, some basic skills are essential. These include exceptional leadership skills, excellent communication skills, and the ability to multitask. The average salary of a landscape Crew Leader annually is $34,000. However, you need a degree as required by your employer.

What general advice would you give to a landscape crew leader?

Dr. Brock C. Blaser

Associate Professor of Plant Science, West Texas A&M University

Some of my most common advice to recent graduates is that they need to realize that they are not the boss or CEO of the company (yet), and they need to remember they need to earn their promotions and advancements. Additionally, they need to recognize authority and respect the direction they are given. Most people start at the bottom and work up, and they need to put in their time at the bottom. Another piece of advice I give is to look for opportunities to go above and beyond the job expectations. Get to work a little early, stay late to finish a task, etc. Work to help your company grow and find ways to help that happen in your position.

ScoreLandscape Crew LeaderUS Average

Salary

3.0

Avg. Salary $38,386

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.2

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

10.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.28%

Asian 1.93%

Black or African American 9.34%

Hispanic or Latino 21.02%

Unknown 3.74%

White 62.69%

Gender

female 9.94%

male 90.06%

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 landscape crew leader

Explore landscape crew leader education requirements

Most common landscape crew leader degrees

High School Diploma

36.5 %

Bachelor's

33.7 %

Associate

16.7 %

Start to develop specific landscape crew leader skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	36.35%
Grounds Maintenance	16.62%
Landscape Maintenance	8.16%
Taking Care	5.78%
Mowing	5.48%

Research landscape crew leader duties and responsibilities

Manage hardscape installation team and project
Use of hand tools such as shovels, rakes, saws, hedges, and brush trimmers.
Use hand tools such as shovels, rakes, pruning saws, hedge and brush clippers and axes.
Operate power equipment such as mowers, chain-saws, sod cutters, weed eaters, and blowers.

Get landscape crew leader experience

Generally, it takes 1-2 years to become a landscape crew leader. The most common roles before becoming a landscape crew leader include cashier, crew member team lead and sales associate.

Prepare your landscape crew leader resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your landscape crew leader resume.

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