Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
No formal educational credential
None
Short-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
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Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Grounds maintenance workers, all other, support the care and upkeep of outdoor spaces and facilities. This career combines hands-on work with physical strength and stamina, fine motor ability, and mechanical skills. At the national level, the occupation employs 14,000 workers, indicating a modest but established workforce. A national median annual salary of $43,410 provides a clear benchmark for evaluating local opportunities. Projected employment growth of 2.4% suggests steady demand, supported by 2,000 annual openings. Because no formal educational credential is typically required, this role can be accessible to people entering the workforce or changing careers. Strong interpersonal and customer service skills can help workers interact effectively on the job, while adaptability, leadership, and project management skills may support advancement into roles with more responsibility. Creativity and innovation may also play a role in how workers approach and improve maintenance projects and outdoor environments.
The national median annual salary for grounds maintenance workers, all other, is $43,410. Earnings vary by location, with several states and metro areas offering higher median wages. Among the top states by CareerGPS opportunity score, New York shows a median salary of $60,150, Virginia $54,990, Maryland $52,280, California $48,870, and Colorado $48,280. At the metro level, the New York-Newark-Jersey City area has a median salary of $62,570, while San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara offers $56,840 and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim $50,480. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont stands at $48,830, and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria matches Maryland’s statewide median of $52,280. These figures show that salary levels can differ significantly across regions, giving job seekers the ability to target locations that better match their earning goals within this occupation.
Grounds maintenance workers, all other, have a national employment level of 14,000 workers. The occupation is projected to grow by 2.4%, indicating that overall employment is expected to increase over time. In addition, there are 2,000 annual openings, which reflects ongoing hiring needs across new positions and turnover. This combination of existing employment, projected growth, and annual openings suggests that opportunities should continue to be available in this field. The same 2.4% projected growth rate appears across the listed top states and metro areas, showing a consistent outlook in those highlighted regions. For people considering entry into this occupation, the data points to a labor market that is not static, but gradually expanding, with a steady flow of openings that may support both new entrants and experienced workers seeking new roles or locations.
Location makes a noticeable difference for grounds maintenance workers, all other, in both pay and concentration of jobs. Among the top states by CareerGPS opportunity score, California combines a median salary of $48,870 with the largest listed employment at 3,710. Colorado offers $48,280 with 850 employed, while Maryland and Virginia provide higher median salaries of $52,280 and $54,990, respectively, but with smaller employment levels of 190 and 120. New York stands out with the highest listed state-level median salary at $60,150, though employment is reported at 220. At the metro level, the New York-Newark-Jersey City area shows a median salary of $62,570, the highest among the highlighted metros, and an opportunity score of 77.27. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara follows closely with a $56,840 median salary and the highest metro opportunity score of 77.42. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim has the largest listed metro employment at 1,030, with a median salary of $50,480. These differences allow workers to weigh salary, job numbers, and opportunity scores when deciding where to focus their search.
The typical education requirement for grounds maintenance workers, all other, is no formal educational credential. This makes the occupation accessible to individuals who may not have completed traditional academic programs but are ready to develop practical, job-related abilities. Although formal education is not required, several key skills are highlighted as important for success. Physical strength and stamina are central, reflecting the active nature of the work. Fine motor and mechanical skills also play a significant role, alongside science knowledge. Interpersonal and customer service skills support working with others and serving clients or stakeholders. Creativity and innovation, leadership, adaptability, and project management skills round out the profile, indicating that workers can benefit from both hands-on capabilities and strong soft skills. People interested in this field can focus on building these competencies through experience, on-the-job learning, and informal training pathways. They may also consider similar occupations such as landscaping and groundskeeping workers, paperhangers, cleaners of vehicles and equipment, agricultural equipment operators, and fishing and hunting workers.
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