How To Become A Yard Worker: What It Is and Career Path

What is a yard worker and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Yard workers are responsible for maintaining the lawns and grounds surrounding businesses, public buildings, and private facilities. You will be required to perform general landscaping duties such as mowing lawns, trimming bushes and flowers, applying pesticides and fertilizers, and maintaining the natural aesthetics of the ground.

Your daily activities might include meeting clients and discussing their landscape preferences, growing plants and trees, operating irrigation systems, and maintaining clean and presentable grounds. You might be expected to operate the forklift, operate a bobcat and move heavy items such as lumber, heavy metals, furniture, and other things. You might also participate in installing lightings, fixing ponds and topiaries.

An average yard worker earns $14.25 per hour and $29,640 annually. Highly rated skills for yard workers include OSHA, use of heavy equipment, knowledge of safety procedures, and good customer service skills. A yard worker must be able to communicate effectively. A high school diploma can suffice for this role.

ScoreYard WorkerUS Average

Salary

2.5

Avg. Salary $32,628

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.2

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

10.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.36%

Asian 2.02%

Black or African American 8.81%

Hispanic or Latino 22.40%

Unknown 3.87%

White 61.54%

Gender

female 8.35%

male 91.65%

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 yard worker

Explore yard worker education requirements

Most common yard worker degrees

High School Diploma

56.5 %

Bachelor's

14.4 %

Associate

12.7 %

Start to develop specific yard worker skills

Skills	Percentages
OSHA	17.43%
Basic Math	15.15%
Strong Customer Service	11.37%
Math	11.34%
Customer Service	11.21%

Research yard worker duties and responsibilities

Used mowers, weed whackers/trimmers and rakes to maintain yards
Used forklifts and bucket loaders to load and unload purchase products and materials.
Obtain CDL license and deliver lumber and other home building hardware to various contractors.
Work in yard stock shelfs deliverd materials run fork lift drive boom truck and flat bed

Prepare your yard worker resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your yard worker resume.

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Choose from 10+ customizable yard worker resume templates

Build a professional yard worker resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your yard worker resume.