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The differences between landscapers and yard workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a landscaper and a yard worker. Additionally, a yard worker has an average salary of $32,628, which is higher than the $28,952 average annual salary of a landscaper.
The top three skills for a landscaper include mowing, taking care and GRASS. The most important skills for a yard worker are OSHA, basic math, and strong customer service.
| Landscaper | Yard Worker | |
| Yearly salary | $28,952 | $32,628 |
| Hourly rate | $13.92 | $15.69 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 11,147 | 63,408 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 49% | High School Diploma, 57% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A landscaper is responsible for maintaining gardens, plant areas, and other outdoor facilities. Landscapers' duties include reviewing and adjusting landscape design based on the clients' specifications, analyzing garden layouts, measuring land areas and surfaces for the design outlines, installing irrigation systems, maintaining plant growth, and applying fertilizers regularly. Landscapers will also work on removing weeds, trimming overgrown plants, checking defects on landscape equipment, and coordinating with other outdoor design professionals. A landscaper should be knowledgeable about the recent landscaping trends to suggest designs and improve the landscape presentation.
A yard worker provides landscape maintenance services to homes and establishments. Their responsibilities typically include meeting with clients to identify their needs and landscape preferences, mowing lawns, growing plants and trees, applying pesticides and fertilizers, operating irrigation systems, and maintaining grounds clean and presentable. There are also instances when a yard worker may participate in installing fixtures such as ponds, topiaries, lighting, Christmas ornaments, and other decorations in adherence to the directives of clients or management.
Landscapers and yard workers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Landscaper | Yard Worker | |
| Average salary | $28,952 | $32,628 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $36,000 | Between $26,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Clara, CA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Princeton University | Rasmussen Co Inc |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a landscaper and a yard worker in terms of educational background:
| Landscaper | Yard Worker | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 49% | High School Diploma, 57% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between landscapers' and yard workers' demographics:
| Landscaper | Yard Worker | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.0% Female, 9.0% | Male, 91.7% Female, 8.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 22.4% Asian, 1.5% White, 61.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% | Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 22.4% Asian, 2.0% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 3% |