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How to hire a nursery worker

Nursery worker hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring nursery workers in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a nursery worker is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new nursery worker to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a nursery worker, step by step

To hire a nursery worker, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire a nursery worker, you should follow these steps:

Here's a step-by-step nursery worker hiring guide:

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

    First, determine the employments status of the nursery worker you need to hire. Certain nursery worker roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

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

    A nursery worker's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, nursery workers 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.

    Here's a comparison of nursery worker salaries for various roles:

    Type of Nursery WorkerDescriptionHourly rate
    Nursery WorkerAgricultural workers maintain the quality of farms, crops, and livestock by operating machinery and doing physical labor under the supervision of farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers.$10-15
    Garden Center EmployeeGarden center employees are nursery works working in a greenhouse or outdoors. The tasks of employees include planting, growing, watering, and pruning... Show more$9-20
    GrowerGrowers monitor crop development and substandard plant removal to take care of quality standards. They maintain records of growing techniques and products to be used for review to identify trends and to forecast future space needs... Show more$10-29
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Pigs
    • Water Plants
    • CPR
    • Child Care
    • Church Services
    • Nursery Stock
    • Shovels
    • Irrigation Systems
    • Mowing
    • Plant Care
    • DUG
    • Front Desk
    • Clean Environment
    • Diaper Changes
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Haul and spread topsoil, fertilizer, and other materials to condition soil, using wheelbarrows and shovels.
    • Service the work trucks by checking the oil and gas, same with the weed eaters and the lawn mowers.
    • Earn a CPR and varous other certifications.
    • Work on the installation crew installing sprinklers and landscaping.
    • Haul soil, fertilizer and tools using wagons and wheelbarrows.
    • Help out around the nursery, repair sprinklers, mow lawns.
    More nursery worker duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your nursery worker job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A nursery worker salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, nursery workers' average salary in new mexico is 41% less than in montana.
    • Seniority. Entry-level nursery workers earn 31% less than senior-level nursery workers.
    • Certifications. A nursery worker 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 nursery worker's salary.

    Average nursery worker salary

    $13.02hourly

    $27,083 yearly

    Entry-level nursery worker salary
    $22,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 25, 2025

    Average nursery worker salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Oregon$34,923$17
    2Colorado$32,281$16
    3New York$31,484$15
    4Ohio$30,530$15
    5California$29,743$14
    6New Jersey$28,856$14
    7Maryland$28,809$14
    8Arizona$27,152$13
    9Virginia$25,286$12
    10Texas$24,401$12
    11North Carolina$24,394$12
    12Louisiana$23,078$11

    Average nursery worker salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Twin Lakes Community$29,552$14.21
    2Prolifics$29,440$14.15
    3Hancock Whitney$28,801$13.85
    4Blooming Colors Nursery$28,436$13.67
    5Castro & Company$28,258$13.59
    6PeopleReady$28,219$13.57120
    7lakeforest$28,092$13.51
    8Moon Valley Nurseries$28,005$13.46
    9Gaia Herbs$27,988$13.46
    10Keewaydin$27,821$13.38
    11Bissett Nursery$27,820$13.38
    12The Florida Bar$27,813$13.37
    13Studebaker Nurseries$27,794$13.36
    14Illinois Farm Bureau$27,785$13.36
    15The Bruce Company$27,770$13.351
    16TMA Solutions$27,765$13.35
    17Eagle Crest Communities$27,527$13.23
    18Northern Nurseries, Inc.$27,518$13.23
    19Four Seasons$27,451$13.203
    20Green Circle Growers$27,324$13.14
  4. Writing a nursery worker job description

    A nursery worker job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a nursery worker job description:

    Nursery worker job description example

    Mission Statement:

    The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.

    Position Summary:

    Supervise and provide activities for children in nursery for all programs requiring child-care, including Sunday morning services.

    Essential Functions:

    + Must be in good physical health and mental health, capable of meeting program needs.

    + Provide safety and supervision to children.

    + Keep area in good order and cleanliness. Disinfect and store play items after each use.

    + Encourage friendlessness and play between the children in program.

    + Organize and implement group activities.

    + Read stories. Provide simple bible lessons for toddlers to preschool.

    + Report any incidents to supervisor immediately.

    + Allow children to leave ONLY when released to parent, guardian, or relative.

    + Attach name tags to children and personal items as required.

    + Oversee assistants and volunteers.

    + Perform all other duties as assigned.

    Working Conditions:

    Ability to walk, stand, bend squat climb, kneel and twist on an intermittent or sometimes continuous basis. Ability to be able to lift up to 50lbs. Ability to grasp, push, pull objects such as file cabinet drawers and reach overhead. Ability to operate computer, fax and telephone.

    Minimum Qualifications:

    + Minimum high school graduate or equivalent.

    + Minimum two years' working with children, infant to five years preferred.

    + Must be able to read, write and communicate well in English.

    + Bilingual in English/Spanish, helpful.

    + Requires current CPR/AED and First Aid certifications.

    Skills, Knowledge & Abilities:

    + Ability to relate well to children.

    + Knowledge of Children Development.

    + Personable.

    + Kind and caring to children and parents.

    Qualifications

    Skills

    Required

    + CPR/AED: Expert

    Education

    Required

    + High School or Equivalent or better

    Experience

    Required

    + 2 years: Minimum working with children, infant to five years preferred.

    Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

    The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)
  5. Post your job

    To find the right nursery worker for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with nursery workers they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit nursery workers who meet your education requirements.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your nursery worker job on Zippia to find and attract quality nursery worker candidates.
    • Use niche websites such as ag hires, farm job, farming work , joe produce, picking jobs.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    To successfully recruit nursery workers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

    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 nursery worker

    Once you've selected the best nursery worker candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the 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.

    Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new nursery worker. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

  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 nursery worker?

Before you start to hire nursery workers, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire nursery workers pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

You can expect to pay around $27,083 per year for a nursery worker, 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 nursery workers in the US typically range between $10 and $15 an hour.

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