How to become a first-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in landscaping or groundskeeping activities. Work may involve reviewing contracts to ascertain service, machine, and workforce requirements; answering inquiries from potential customers regarding methods, material, and price ranges; and preparing estimates according to labor, material, and machine costs.

Steps to get there

Most employers expect most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree..Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

What first-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers do

• Schedule work for crews, depending on work priorities, crew or equipment availability, or weather conditions.
• Tour grounds, such as parks, botanical gardens, cemeteries, or golf courses, to inspect conditions of plants and soil.
• Direct activities of workers who perform duties, such as landscaping, cultivating lawns, or pruning trees and shrubs.
• Inspect completed work to ensure conformance to specifications, standards, and contract requirements.
• Prepare service estimates based on labor, material, and machine costs and maintain budgets for individual projects.
• Identify diseases or pests affecting landscaping and order appropriate treatments.

Skills that matter most

• Monitoring
• Active Listening
• Speaking
• Critical Thinking
• Reading Comprehension
• Active Learning
• Learning Strategies
• Writing

Is first-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers a good career?

On the numbers, this job pays above the typical job. Median pay is 15% above the all-occupation median. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself, the schooling you are willing to do and where you want to live.

Where it pays most

• Delaware $74,340
• Washington $71,930
• New York $70,760
• Oregon $70,560
• New Jersey $68,580

First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers salary by state and city

Sources: O*NET® 31.0 (CC BY 4.0, USDOL/ETA) and BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025.