Over the past two years, industry experts say the demand for landscaping has reached “record highs” as homeowners spend more time at home and reimagine how to use their yards and outdoor space.1 With so much demand, you may be considering breaking ground on your own landscaping business in 2022. But how much do landscapers make? According to our survey of 1,000 small business owners, a landscaper’s salary is between $25,000 and $100,000.
The take-home pay for landscapers can vary widely, depending on the work they can take on, their experience, and how much salary they choose to pay themselves out of their business profits. For example, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shares the following salary estimates for landscapers:2
Average Landscaper Salary
| Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|
| $24,170 | $34,430 | $47,630 |
Is the grass really greener as a self-employed landscaper? We review the average salaries and revenue for landscaping businesses and share tips for making more green.
How much do landscapers make per day?
According to the BLS, there were 892,450 landscapers in the United States in 2021. The average pay for the job was $16.94 per hour, which translates to $35,240 per year. The top 10% of landscapers earned more than $47,630.3
The BLS predicts the landscaping industry will grow about 8% over the next ten years, signaling robust growth for the industry.4 With demand particularly hot at the moment, 92% of landscapers we surveyed said they were optimistic about their company’s success in 2022.
Where do landscapers make the most money?
Where can you maximize your earnings as a landscaper or groundskeeper? The city of Washington, D.C. has the highest salary for landscapers at $46,780 per year. The three states with the highest average salaries for landscapers are:5
- Massachusetts: $42,890 per year
- Washington: $42,020 per year
- Vermont: $41,350 per year
However, landscapers are particularly in demand in the following states, which boast the highest employment numbers for landscapers:6
- California: 94,560 landscapers
- Florida: 83,2380 landscapers
- Texas: 67,860 landscapers
- New York: 45,160 landscapers
- Illinois: 36,880 landscapers
How much revenue can landscapers make?
Roughly 60% of the surveyed landscapers said they made up to $50,000 in gross revenue. Around 20% said they made $50,000 to $100,000 in gross revenue. The remaining 20% reported between $100,000 to over $500,000 in gross revenue!
The landscaping businesses with higher revenues tended to be larger operations, with a few landscapers on their staff besides the business owner. They were also more likely to be planning to both grow their staff in 2022 and give their current staff raises. Overall, landscapers feel positive about 2022, with 71% expecting their gross revenue to increase by 10% to 50% this year.
What do landscapers do?
Landscapers help design and maintain outdoor spaces. Typically, their work involves planting trees and flowers, fertilizing, trimming, and watering those plants. Some landscapers also create hardscapes or install lawns and sprinkler systems. Landscapers can work with different clients, including individual homeowners, apartment or office buildings, hotels, and commercial shopping sites.
The majority of landscapers we surveyed enjoy being self-employed and are happy with their work. They love being their own boss and having a say over their hours, rates, and the types of work they take on. Many went into business for themselves because they wanted a different work/life business than what was available in the traditional workforce. For example, one landscaper told us, “[My] quality of life has grown exponentially, being able to work for myself with my fiancé on our own time. We make more money without having to work a 9-to-5 traditional job.”
How can landscapers increase their salary?
Your landscaping salary depends in large part on how much you bill. To increase your salary, you’ll need to increase your rates, which can be possible with the following strategies:
Increase your expertise: Landscapers with larger skill sets can take on more projects. Consider learning how to use landscape design software or grow your skills in energy-efficient landscaping. Or, hire people skilled in the areas you are not, so you can expand the range of services.
Change your location or clientele: Landscapers who work in more affluent areas with lots of green space – residential and commercial – will have a larger client base. Also, seek out areas where demand outpaces supply. If you’re one of the few landscapers in town, you can charge higher rates.
Scale your business: There is only so much work you can accept as a solo landscaper. By increasing the size of your staff, you can take on more projects. Nearly 60% of the landscapers we surveyed plan to hire new employees in 2022 to scale their business.
How much does it cost to run a landscaping business?
There are costs to running a landscaping business. These include:
Landscaping equipment – To do a great job, you need the right tools of the trade. Invest in professional landscaping equipment, including lawn mowers, leaf blowers, weed trimmers, shovels, and other equipment.
Marketing costs – Successful landscapers who succeed know how. They network with other home contractors, request reviews from their satisfied clients, and distribute flyers to grow their business. You’ll also need to pay for website hosting to market your landscaping business.
Business insurance – Like any job, landscaping carries some risk. Protect your company with business liability insurance. Ideally, purchase coverage for your equipment, too. As your business grows, you’ll also want to invest in workers’ comp insurance.
Make your business blossom
The landscaping industry will keep on growing. Use this opportunity to maximize your salary through marketing, building out your business services, and adjusting the areas or clients you work with.
Protect your profit with Landscaping Insurance from Thimble. It’s insurance that grows with you. You can get coverage by the job, month, or year, so you only pay for insurance when you’re actually working. Plus, you can add optional Business Equipment Protection for your landscaping tools. Get your quote now.
Sources:
- ForConstructionPros.com. Lawn, Landscaping Industry Outlook Positive for 2022.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Grounds Maintenance Workers.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers.
