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

What is a landscape gardener and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted experts

Dr. Brock C. Blaser,

Dr. Brock C. Blaser

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a landscape gardener. For example, did you know that they make an average of $16.85 an hour? That's $35,050 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 5% and produce 61,300 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a landscape gardener?

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 GardenerUS Average

Salary

2.7

Avg. Salary $35,050

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.2

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

10.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.46%

Asian 2.38%

Black or African American 7.81%

Hispanic or Latino 26.49%

Unknown 4.02%

White 57.84%

Gender

female 36.51%

male 63.49%

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 gardener

Explore landscape gardener education requirements

Most common landscape gardener degrees

Bachelor's

42.2 %

High School Diploma

26.7 %

Associate

16.9 %

Start to develop specific landscape gardener skills

Skills	Percentages
GRASS	16.43%
Mowing	12.64%
Blowers	7.04%
Grounds Maintenance	5.98%
Maintenance Tasks	5.76%

Research landscape gardener duties and responsibilities

Manage clients and run all landscape operations including groundskeeping, seasonal cleaning, and pressure washing
Used hand or power tools such as hand tools, blowers, edgers, weedwhackers.
Operate gas power landscaping machines such as high tech mowers, weed whips, & blowers.
Operate grounds equipment such as carts, tractors, loaders, mowers, edgers and aerators.

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