Quick answer: Landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn a median of about $18.82 an hour in the US (BLS, May 2025). The lowest-paid 10 percent earn under about $14.98 an hour, while the top 10 percent earn more than $27.28 an hour. Pay rises with skill (irrigation, hardscaping, equipment), supervising a crew, certifications, and running your own jobs.
"How much do landscapers make" is a fair thing to ask before you take on outdoor work for a living, and the honest answer is that it starts as accessible hourly work and can climb a long way once you pick up skills like irrigation, hardscaping, and crew supervision.
BLS reports this job by the hour, not the year, so we will keep it hourly to stay honest. The median is a useful anchor, but the spread is the real story. A first-season mowing crew member and a landscape foreman who installs irrigation and stone are on very different pay. This guide breaks down what landscapers actually earn in 2026, what moves you up the scale, and how to keep work coming in.
About the numbers: all figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), May 2025, the most recent full release for landscaping and groundskeeping workers, and BLS reports this occupation as an hourly wage. "Median" means half of these workers earn more and half earn less. Your pay depends heavily on your region, your skills, the season, and whether you are on a crew or running your own jobs.
The short answer: landscaper pay in 2026
- Median: about $18.82 an hour.
- Lower end (about the bottom 10 percent): under about $14.98 an hour, typically first-season crew members.
- Top end (about the top 10 percent): more than $27.28 an hour, typically skilled installers, foremen, and owners.
- A note on yearly pay: landscaping is often seasonal, so annual earnings depend on how many weeks you work. We are not going to back-calculate a yearly figure from the hourly number, because that would assume full-time year-round hours that many landscapers do not get. For full-time, year-round work the BLS does publish an annual figure: a median of about $39,150 a year for landscaping and groundskeeping workers (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Seasonal schedules can land below that, which is why the hourly number is the safer anchor.
That hourly spread, from under $14.98 to over $27.28, is what to understand. Where you land depends on the factors below, and most of them are skills you can build.
What moves a landscaper's pay up
1. Skill beyond mowing (the biggest lever)
Basic mowing, edging, and cleanup sit at the lower end of the scale. The pay climbs as you add skills: planting and turf care, irrigation install and repair, hardscaping (pavers, retaining walls, stone), and running equipment like skid steers. A worker who can install an irrigation system is worth far more than one who can only push a mower.
2. Supervising a crew
Moving from crew member to foreman or crew lead, the person who runs the job, sets the pace, and keeps quality up, is a clear pay jump toward the top of the scale.
3. Certifications and specialties
Pesticide and fertilizer applicator licenses, irrigation certifications, and arborist or tree-care credentials open higher-paying work that general crews cannot legally or safely do. Specialties tend to pay above general grounds maintenance.
4. Location and season
Pay varies a lot by state and metro, and the work is weather-driven. High-cost and high-demand regions pay above the national median, and year-round climates (or adding snow and winter work) keep your earnings steadier than a short mowing season allows.
5. Employee vs business owner
A landscaper on a company's crew earns a steady hourly wage. One who runs their own jobs has a higher ceiling, with more risk, more time spent quoting and managing, and the constant job of keeping new work booked.
Landscaper pay by stage
| Stage | Typical pay direction | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| First-season crew member | Lowest (near the bottom 10 percent, under ~$14.98/hr) | Mowing, edging, cleanup, learning the routes |
| Skilled landscaper | Around the median (~$18.82/hr) and up | Planting, turf care, irrigation, equipment |
| Foreman / specialist / owner | Toward the top 10 percent (>$27.28/hr) | Hardscaping, irrigation, certifications, crew lead, or business owner |
All figures BLS, May 2025, reported hourly. These are reference points, not guarantees. Local pay varies by region, skill, and season, framed qualitatively here because BLS does not publish a clean experience-by-experience table. Pay also varies by state and metro area; the BLS OEWS state and metropolitan wage tables list local figures if you want to check your area.
Is becoming a landscaper worth it financially?
For a lot of people, yes, especially as a way in that you can grow from. A few reasons the math works:
- Easy, low-cost entry. Most landscapers start with on-the-job training and no tuition, so there is little to no debt to begin. (See how to become a landscaper.)
- Skills raise your pay fast. Irrigation, hardscaping, equipment, and applicator licenses each move you up the scale, and you can stack them over time.
- A path to ownership. Landscaping has a relatively low barrier to starting your own crew, and owners who keep work booked can earn well above the hourly figures above.
If you want to see how landscaper pay stacks up against other trades, see our guide to the highest-paying trade jobs.
How to earn more as a landscaper
- Add skills past mowing. Irrigation, planting and turf care, and hardscaping all pay above basic grounds work.
- Get certified. Pesticide and fertilizer applicator licenses, irrigation, and tree-care credentials open higher-paying jobs.
- Move up to foreman. Running a crew safely and on schedule earns above crew-member pay.
- Beat the season. Year-round climates, or adding snow and winter services, keep your earnings steady when mowing slows.
- Keep your schedule full. Idle weeks are lost income, and that matters even more in seasonal work. A free platform like Qiggz helps you find local landscaping and yard-work jobs and gigs so you stay booked. Browse landscaping and yard-work jobs or create your free profile.
The bottom line
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn a median of about $18.82 an hour in 2026, with the top 10 percent over $27.28 an hour. The difference comes down to the skills you add past mowing, whether you supervise a crew, the certifications you hold, your region and season, and whether you work for someone or for yourself. With easy, low-cost entry and a clear path to higher pay, it is one of the most accessible trades to start, and one you can grow a long way from.
When you are ready to fill your schedule, Qiggz helps landscapers find local jobs and gigs for free, with no fees to apply. Find landscaping and yard-work jobs near you or browse all trade jobs.
Frequently asked questions
How much do landscapers make per hour in 2026?
The median is about $18.82 an hour (BLS, May 2025). First-season crew members earn less, often under about $14.98 an hour, while skilled installers, foremen, and specialists earn well above it, with top earners over $27.28 an hour.
How much do landscapers make a year?
Because landscaping is often seasonal, yearly pay depends heavily on how many weeks you work, so a clean annual figure is not safe to estimate from the hourly rate. For a year-round, full-time schedule the hourly median of $18.82 is the right anchor. The BLS also publishes an annual median for this occupation of about $39,150 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), which reflects full-time, year-round work.
How much do landscapers make starting out?
Entry-level landscapers and first-season crew members typically start near the lower end of the scale, often under about $14.98 an hour (BLS, May 2025). Most start with on-the-job training and no tuition, and pay climbs as you add skills like irrigation, hardscaping, and equipment.
What is the highest a landscaper can earn?
The top 10 percent of landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn more than $27.28 an hour (BLS, May 2025), and foremen, certified specialists, and landscapers who run their own businesses can earn more still, depending on how steadily they stay booked.
How do landscapers find higher-paying work?
By adding skills past mowing, earning applicator and irrigation certifications, moving up to crew lead, beating the off-season, and keeping a steady pipeline of jobs. Qiggz helps landscapers find local jobs and gigs free, with no fees to apply, so you can stay booked. Browse landscaping and yard-work jobs.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Grounds Maintenance Workers, Occupational Outlook Handbook (landscaping and groundskeeping workers: median $18.82/hr; bottom 10% under $14.98/hr; top 10% over $27.28/hr; all May 2025, reported hourly).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, all-occupations median wage ($50,980, May 2025), OEWS overview.
