by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 82 U.S. colleges awarded 977 degrees and certificates in L&scaping & Groundskeeping. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 49% of graduates. College Factual ranks 25 schools in its 2027 Best L&scaping & Groundskeeping Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $39,255 one year after completing, rising to $55,793 after four years.
A degree in L&scaping & Groundskeeping explores Landscaping And Groundskeeping. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Manage And Maintain Indoor And/or Outdoor Ornamental And Recreational Plants And Groundcovers And Related Conceptual Designs Established By Landscape Architects, Interior Designers, Enterprise Owners Or Managers, And Individual Clients. Includes Instruction In Applicable Principles Of Horticulture, Gardening, Plant And Soil Irrigation And Nutrition, Turf Maintenance, Plant Maintenance, Equipment Operation And Maintenance, Personnel Supervision, And Purchasing. Examples: [Greenspace].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, l&scaping & groundskeeping is a popular field of study, with 977 degrees awarded annually. 82 colleges award l&scaping & groundskeeping degrees, an average of 12 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 102.
By level, the 977 awards include 131 certificates, 271 associate degrees, 93 bachelor’s degrees and 476 master’s degrees.
Women earned 49% of l&scaping & groundskeeping degrees and certificates in the latest year (478 of 977). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (627) and Hispanic or Latino (217), and international students earned 14.
College Factual ranks 25 schools in its 2027 Best L&scaping & Groundskeeping Schools ranking, including 10 for associate degrees and 3 for bachelor’s degrees. It also ranks l&scaping & groundskeeping schools within 3 states. In all, 82 colleges offer l&scaping & groundskeeping programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value L&scaping & Groundskeeping Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common l&scaping & groundskeeping credential is the master’s degree: 476 of the 977 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to l&scaping & groundskeeping call most for Speaking, Active Listening and Critical Thinking, and for knowledge of English Language, Customer and Personal Service and Administration and Management, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Oral Comprehension and Problem Sensitivity.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a l&scaping & groundskeeping degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 131 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 271 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 93 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 476 |
Doctoral degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to l&scaping & groundskeeping, at 21.0%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 21.0% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 16.4% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 13.0% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 11.8% |
| Post-doctoral training | 10.2% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 10.1% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 5.9% |
| Master’s degree | 5.3% |
| Some college courses | 3.7% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 2.6% |
Source: O*NET Online.
4 occupations are related to L&scaping & Groundskeeping, with an average median salary of $42,114; the strongest outlook belongs to Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, at 4.5% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Junior Landscape Crew Leader, Agronomy Teacher, Agronomy Professor and Agribusiness Professor.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to l&scaping & groundskeeping, at 297,433.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | 297,433 | 4.5% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers | 276,926 | 4.4% |
| Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 139,205 | -2.2% |
| Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation | 59,660 | 1.1% |
L&scaping & Groundskeeping graduates earn a median $39,255 one year after completing their program, $55,793 after four years and $48,970 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $39,255 |
| 4 years | $55,793 |
| 5 years | $48,970 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to l&scaping & groundskeeping, with a median salary of $66,903.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | $66,903 |
| Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | $43,138 |
| Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation | $34,037 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers | $24,378 |
L&scaping & Groundskeeping has 8 similar majors in the Agriculture field, which together award 3,265 degrees a year; the largest are Applied Horticulture/Horticulture Operations, General (2,251), Turf and Turfgrass Management (385) and Plant Nursery Operations and Management (156). Browse all Agriculture majors or the full list of college majors.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
