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How to hire a landscape technician

Landscape technician hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring landscape technicians in the United States:

  • There are a total of 394,326 landscape technicians in the US, and there are currently 37,240 job openings in this field.
  • The median cost to hire a landscape technician is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per landscape technician on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • Saint Paul, MN, has the highest demand for landscape technicians, with 6 job openings.

How to hire a landscape technician, step by step

To hire a landscape technician, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a landscape technician:

Here's a step-by-step landscape technician hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a landscape technician job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new landscape technician
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you start hiring a landscape technician, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A landscape technician's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, landscape technicians from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

    This list shows salaries for various types of landscape technicians.

    Type of Landscape TechnicianDescriptionHourly rate
    Landscape TechnicianGrounds maintenance workers ensure that the grounds of houses, businesses, and parks are attractive, orderly, and healthy in order to provide a pleasant outdoor environment. $11-17
    KeeperA storekeeper is responsible for managing all a store's operations and overseeing the care and maintenance of stocks, including inventory management. Your duties will include receiving, unloading, and shelving supplies, inspecting deliveries for discrepancies and damage, and managing all documentation... Show more$11-23
    Ground WorkerGroundworkers are part of the construction staff who prepares a site before building. They are responsible for removing the sewage, redirecting water flows using pumps, cementing the project site, and laying the curb... Show more$11-17
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Grounds Maintenance
    • Mowing
    • GRASS
    • Snow Removal
    • Hand Tools
    • Blowers
    • Lawn Care
    • Weed Control
    • Mowers
    • Irrigation Systems
    • Rakes
    • Routine Maintenance
    • Landscape Equipment
    • Shovels
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage hardscape installation team and project
    • Operate powered equipment such as mowers, tractors, twin-axle vehicles, snow blowers, chain-saws, clippers and pruning saws.
    • Handle the tasks of transplanting, pruning, weeding, fertilizing, spraying, constructing and mowing for landscape maintenance.
    • Experience with the use of typical yard work equipment including, lawn mowers, leaf blowers, and gas power trimmers.
    • Maintain shrubs, flowers and landscape areas with the use of mowers, edgers and other necessary hand and mechanical equipment.
    • Target and complete assignments such as mowing and treating various lawns, trimming shrubbery and bushes, sod installation and mulching.
    More landscape technician duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your landscape technician job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A landscape technician salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, landscape technicians' average salary in west virginia is 43% less than in alaska.
    • Seniority. Entry-level landscape technicians earn 36% less than senior-level landscape technicians.
    • Certifications. A landscape technician with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a landscape technician's salary.

    Average landscape technician salary

    $13.98hourly

    $29,080 yearly

    Entry-level landscape technician salary
    $23,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 29, 2026

    Average landscape technician salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Washington$35,907$17
    2California$35,703$17
    3Oregon$34,559$17
    4Colorado$34,320$17
    5Montana$34,202$16
    6Minnesota$31,452$15
    7Iowa$30,719$15
    8Texas$29,731$14
    9North Carolina$29,158$14
    10Idaho$29,083$14
    11Ohio$28,832$14
    12Florida$28,133$14
    13Tennessee$27,541$13
    14Missouri$27,423$13
    15Michigan$27,045$13
    16Kansas$27,014$13
    17Louisiana$26,846$13
    18South Dakota$26,808$13
    19South Carolina$24,866$12
    20Georgia$24,383$12

    Average landscape technician salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Boulder County$35,630$17.132
    2University of California$35,387$17.013
    3University of Mary Hardin-Baylor$35,365$17.00
    4San Antonio River Authority$35,170$16.911
    5A.R.E. Accessories$33,368$16.04
    6Shea Homes$33,143$15.932
    7Kohler Co.$33,004$15.871
    8Santa Clara University$31,993$15.38
    9Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City$31,592$15.192
    10NaturaLawn of America$30,778$14.80
    11Thompson Litton$30,595$14.71
    12Shelter Insurance$30,218$14.53
    13J.F. Shea Co$30,155$14.503
    14Woods Services$30,032$14.44
    15Anderson$29,860$14.36
    16The AES$29,817$14.3410
    17York County$29,570$14.22
    18Gila River Hotels & Casinos$29,542$14.20
    19Cornerstone Properties$29,509$14.19
    20American Homes 4 Rent$29,402$14.14
  4. Writing a landscape technician job description

    A job description for a landscape technician role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a landscape technician job description:

    Landscape technician job description example

    Entry Level Jobs starting at up to $18.50/hr and Supervisor roles up to $22.50/hr

    HB NEXT is growing national construction services company that is expanding in the Jacksonvlle area is looking to add to our team of technicians and supervisors

    If you are interested in a position in the booming residential construction industry we have great opportunities for both entry level and experienced supervisors

    HB NEXT offers opportunity to grow with the company along with good pay, annual profit sharing, full health benefits and 401k matching.

    HB NEXT (www.hbnext.com) is looking for a skilled, reliable general laborer to join our growing company. In this position, you will be responsible for cleaning and clearing residential job sites from debris and dirt, installing and repairing silt fence, and following all site health and safety regulations. A strong work ethic and attention to detail are essential.

    Specific requirements or the include:

    Requirements/Tasks:

    • Use construction and maintenance tools and equipment to complete daily tasks
    • Follow jobsite instructions from Crew Leader
    • Follow all health and safety regulations when operating equipment
    • Ensure regulated and proper headgear, ear plugs, gloves, safety glasses and clothing are worn
    • Complete all assigned tasks in a timely and efficient manner
    • Ensure tools and equipment are cleaned and stored properly

    Benefits:

    • Health Insurance
    • Dental and Visions
    • Participation in Profit Share
    • Long and short-term disability
    • 401k with company match
    • Paid Time Off
    Company DescriptionHB NEXT is a rapidly growing software and field services company focused on the needs of the construction, industrial and utility industries. Our solutions allow our clients to better and more efficiently manage regulatory and operational compliance across the organization reducing risk and eliminating costs. In business since 1999, HB NEXT has been providing innovative and effective compliance solutions to our clients for over 20 years.
  5. Post your job

    There are a few common ways to find landscape technicians for your business:

    • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your landscape technician job on Zippia to find and recruit landscape technician candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting landscape technicians requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new landscape technician

    Once you've decided on a perfect landscape technician candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

    It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new landscape technician. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire a landscape technician?

Recruiting landscape technicians involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits.

You can expect to pay around $29,080 per year for a landscape technician, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for landscape technicians in the US typically range between $11 and $17 an hour.

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