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First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers

Also called: Golf Course Superintendent, Grounds Manager, Grounds Supervisor, Landscape Supervisor

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.

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Median pay BLS, 2025$58,430
Openings a year BLS, 2025–3523,900
Typical education to start BLSHigh school diploma or equivalent
AI exposure BLS, Aug 2026 High
Projected job growth BLS, 2025–35 +4.0%

What the data says: AI could halve the time on 12 of its 28 tasks, and jobs are projected to grow 4.0% by 2035. How to think about this →

About this projection

BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”

It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”

On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”

Recent conditions

  • In 2024, 1.8% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
  • From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 7.9 hires for every 10 job openings in professional and business services, which employs about 71% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.

How to read these

Pay compared with all occupations BLS median wages Pays more than 45% of 825 occupations
lowest-paidhighest-paid

Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates

$47k$74knot published

Median pay in every state
StateMedianMiddle half earnJobs
Alabama$52,710$46,420 to $66,7601,720
Alaska$67,760$59,190 to $82,690150
Arizona$56,410$47,540 to $61,9902,530
Arkansas$49,890$45,040 to $60,1601,140
California$63,270$48,610 to $81,66014,850
Colorado$60,840$51,990 to $74,6104,390
Connecticut$62,740$53,660 to $78,4001,860
Delaware$74,340$62,480 to $79,030250
District of Columbia$68,300$60,620 to $93,42080
Florida$51,290$43,630 to $63,35012,020
Georgia$54,830$44,580 to $65,4004,770
Guam$40,100$34,730 to $44,89050
Hawaii$62,570$57,190 to $74,690not published
Idaho$58,200$48,990 to $65,8201,120
Illinois$53,340$47,700 to $69,5903,460
Indiana$62,040$48,000 to $74,6302,230
Iowa$57,670$48,580 to $64,7601,140
Kansas$61,270$50,130 to $71,7001,110
Kentucky$57,670$47,190 to $63,7501,360
Louisiana$48,410$37,000 to $58,660not published
Maine$62,300$52,410 to $70,190790
Maryland$54,730$47,090 to $62,9603,900
Massachusetts$63,750$59,000 to $79,2902,510
Michigan$58,840$47,720 to $72,8104,000
Minnesota$62,280$57,740 to $76,990not published
Mississippi$47,130$39,440 to $66,520820
Missouri$48,710$45,410 to $61,3701,760
Montana$59,460$47,650 to $75,320650
Nebraska$57,820$50,110 to $72,1701,010
Nevada$57,250$45,940 to $65,5301,530
New Hampshire$64,340$57,620 to $76,930940
New Jersey$68,580$58,070 to $79,2102,830
New Mexico$59,120$46,600 to $77,450530
New York$70,760$55,810 to $82,6506,320
North Carolina$56,930$48,290 to $61,6504,300
North Dakota$62,280$48,930 to $74,380280
Ohio$55,680$47,150 to $64,2904,120
Oklahoma$49,700$43,880 to $59,7601,180
Oregon$70,560$59,750 to $79,5201,180
Pennsylvania$55,450$46,730 to $62,5505,610
Puerto Rico$37,510$24,970 to $46,160530
Rhode Island$59,940$57,910 to $64,740730
South Carolina$60,100$47,030 to $73,4002,250
South Dakota$60,680$48,730 to $66,080340
Tennessee$53,700$46,110 to $72,9102,020
Texas$47,630$43,520 to $57,29011,260
Utah$57,200$49,170 to $67,0102,080
Vermont$66,810$58,390 to $77,940160
Virgin Islands$53,610$45,040 to $68,97030
Virginia$58,400$48,730 to $65,7603,380
Washington$71,930$58,560 to $83,7502,030
West Virginia$55,910$44,510 to $63,480390
Wisconsin$62,630$55,490 to $74,6902,690
Wyoming$56,230$51,030 to $75,080220

Nationally: $58,430. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this

How AI touches the work

What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.

AI could halve the time on 12 of its 28 tasks

2 · AI alone could halve the time 10 · AI + software built on it could 16 · Not much
AI ratingIts main tasks Share of Claude conversations
May 2026
Not much Monitor project activities to ensure that instructions are followed, deadlines are met, and schedules are maintained. Not published
Not much Inspect completed work to ensure conformance to specifications, standards, and contract requirements. under 0.01%
AI + software Schedule work for crews, depending on work priorities, crew or equipment availability, or weather conditions. Not published
Not much Direct activities of workers who perform duties, such as landscaping, cultivating lawns, or pruning trees and shrubs. Not published
Not much Establish and enforce operating procedures and work standards that will ensure adequate performance and personnel safety. Not published
Not much Plant or maintain vegetation through activities such as mulching, fertilizing, watering, mowing, or pruning. Not published
See all 28 tasks
Not much Inventory supplies of tools, equipment, or materials to ensure that sufficient supplies are available and items are in usable condition. Not published
Not much Provide workers with assistance in performing duties as necessary to meet deadlines. Not published
Not much Train workers in tasks such as transplanting or pruning trees or shrubs, finishing cement, using equipment, or caring for turf. Not published
AI + software Maintain required records, such as personnel information or project records. Not published
Not much Tour grounds, such as parks, botanical gardens, cemeteries, or golf courses, to inspect conditions of plants and soil. Not published
Not much Confer with other supervisors to coordinate work activities with those of other departments or units. Not published
AI alone Recommend changes in working conditions or equipment used to increase crew efficiency. Not published
AI alone Order the performance of corrective work when problems occur and recommend procedural changes to avoid such problems. Not published
Not much Identify diseases or pests affecting landscaping and order appropriate treatments. Not published
Not much Review contracts or work assignments to determine service, machine, or workforce requirements for jobs. Not published
Not much Direct or assist workers engaged in the maintenance or repair of equipment, such as power tools or motorized equipment. Not published
AI + software Confer with managers or landscape architects to develop plans or schedules for landscaping maintenance or improvement. Not published
Not much Direct or perform mixing or application of fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides, or fungicides. Not published
AI + software Investigate work-related complaints to verify problems and to determine responses. Not published
AI + software Prepare or maintain required records, such as work activity or personnel reports. under 0.01%
Not much Install or maintain landscaped areas, performing tasks such as removing snow, pouring cement curbs, or repairing sidewalks. Not published
AI + software Prepare service estimates based on labor, material, and machine costs and maintain budgets for individual projects. Not published
AI + software Perform administrative duties, such as authorizing leaves or processing time sheets. Not published
Not much Perform personnel-related activities, such as hiring workers, evaluating staff performance, or taking disciplinary actions when performance problems occur. Not published
AI + software Answer inquiries from current or prospective customers regarding methods, materials, or price ranges. under 0.01%
AI + software Design or supervise the installation of sprinkler systems, calculating water pressure, or valve and pipe coverage needs. Not published
AI + software Negotiate with customers regarding fees for landscaping, lawn service, or groundskeeping work. Not published

Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 3 of the 28 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.

Where people already use AI

The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 28 tasks fall under 21 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.

Tasks AI could speed up12 of 28 tasksEloundou et al. ratings (2023)
Its activities among the 50 people ask AI for help with most1 of 21 activities
  • #7 Explain technical details of products or services
Microsoft Copilot (2024), ranked among all 332 activities. The cut-off of 50 is ours.
Work activity This occupation's tasks under it People asked AI for help
in 10,000 conversations		 AI did it for them
in 10,000 conversations
Maintain operational records 2.92#170 0.49#209
Supervise personnel activities 0.56#266 0.05#283
Explain technical details of products or services 224#7 235#10
Communicate with others about operational plans or activities 9.39#92 28#39
Investigate organizational or operational problems 7.23#108 2.15#125
Estimate project development or operational costs 4.43#137 2.69#118
Inspect completed work or finished products 3.91#150 1.95#130
Develop educational programs, plans, or procedures 2.52#181 2.47#121
Show all 21 activities
Prepare mixtures or solutions 14#71 3.65#105
Advise others on business or operational matters 11#86 34#35
Determine resource needs of projects or operations 6.29#111 2.93#115
Clean tools, equipment, facilities, or work areas 3.36#158 1.16#157
Monitor environmental conditions 2.85#171 0.80#173
Inspect facilities or equipment 2.73#174 0.73#181
Perform agricultural activities 2.36#186 0.12#266
Evaluate personnel capabilities or performance 1.94#201 0.78#175
Train others on operational or work procedures 1.60#211 29#38
Assign work to others 1.46#215 0.18#247
Monitor resources or inventories 1.38#220 0.44#214
Perform general construction or extraction activities 1.25#226 0.15#256
Cut trees or other vegetation 0.67#259 0.05#279
Task: AI alone Task: AI + software Task: not much #: rank among all 332 activities Microsoft measured (#1 = most common; activities that never came up share last place, shown as “tied”)
Where the two sources differ: “Maintain operational records” holds 3 tasks rated AI + software, yet people asked AI for help with it in 2.92 of every 10,000 conversations, #170 of 332.

How people in this work use Claude

What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations

  • A document or report24%
  • Data or a spreadsheet17%
  • An explanation or answer12%
  • An analysis or summary11%
  • Advice or a recommendation6%

How they worked with Claude

62% handed the task off38% worked on it together

67% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.

How to read this

Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for first-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.

The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.

More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude

High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs

BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.

AI exposure and projected job growth, 831 occupationsLow exposure: 134 of 213 occupations projected to grow. Moderate exposure: 151 of 206 occupations projected to grow. High exposure: 165 of 206 occupations projected to grow. Very high exposure: 141 of 206 occupations projected to grow.-20%-15%-10%-5%0%+5%+10%+15%+20%+25%Low134 of 213 growingModerate151 of 206 growingHigh165 of 206 growingVery high141 of 206 growing11 occupations outside −20% to +25% are drawn at the edge. Click a dot to see that occupation.First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers: +4.0%First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping WorkersAI exposure and projected job growth, 831 occupationsLow exposure: 134 of 213 occupations projected to grow. Moderate exposure: 151 of 206 occupations projected to grow. High exposure: 165 of 206 occupations projected to grow. Very high exposure: 141 of 206 occupations projected to grow.-20%-15%-10%-5%0%+5%+10%+15%+20%+25%Low134 of 213Moderate151 of 206High165 of 206Very high141 of 20611 occupations outside −20% to +25% are drawn at the edge. Tap a dot.First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers: +4.0%First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers

Career moves into and out of this occupation

From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.

Where people moved next

of 7,032 moves out

  1. 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 6%
  2. 2 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 6%
  3. 3 Construction Managers High +9.1% 5%
  4. 4 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 4%
  5. 5 Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand Low +1.8% 3%

Where people moved in from

of 6,101 moves in

  1. 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 6%
  2. 2 Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand Low +1.8% 5%
  3. 3 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 4%
  4. 4 Retail Salespersons Very high -0.3% 3%
  5. 5 Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers Low +4.7% 2%

Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).

Education and training for the occupation

Education people in it hold

O*NET survey of workers in this occupation

  • 4% less than high school
  • 20% high school
  • 13% postsecondary certificate
  • 10% some college
  • 14% associate's
  • 32% bachelor's
  • 6% post-master's certificate

O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 18 people answered.

Census survey (American Community Survey)

  • 20% less than high school
  • 32% high school
  • 18% some college
  • 10% associate's
  • 17% bachelor's
  • 2% master's

Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 1,376 people surveyed.

Why the two can differ

O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide

Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation

Programs that prepare people for it (NCES)
7 programs, such as Applied Horticulture/Horticulture Operations, General, Ornamental Horticulture and Greenhouse Operations and Management.
See all
  • Applied Horticulture/Horticulture Operations, General
  • Ornamental Horticulture
  • Greenhouse Operations and Management
  • Landscaping and Groundskeeping
  • Plant Nursery Operations and Management
  • Turf and Turfgrass Management
  • Golf Course Operation and Grounds Management

Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023

97.4% this occupation

45.3% all occupations

By kindThis occupationAll occupations
a license10.4%19.1%
a certification4.9%5.8%
an educational certificate2.5%2.8%

Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this

Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor

These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide

See where your own career could go Start by uploading your resume Browse careers

BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS

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