Best institutions to study 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.
82 U.S. institutions graduated 966 Landscaping and Groundskeeping students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 01.0605, a specialization of Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services (CIP 01.06), and leads most directly to the Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers occupation (BLS SOC 37-3011).
About Landscaping and Groundskeeping programs
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.
See also: 04.0601 - Landscape Architecture.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Landscaping and Groundskeeping program, part of the Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services field, prepares individuals to manage and maintain both indoor and outdoor ornamental and recreational plants. This program is ideal for those interested in working with landscape architects, designers, and clients to create and sustain beautiful green spaces.
Students in this program will gain essential skills in horticulture principles, gardening techniques, plant and soil care, turf maintenance, and equipment operation. Coursework also covers personnel supervision and purchasing, equipping graduates with a well-rounded understanding of the landscaping industry.
Credentials awarded
What Landscaping and Groundskeeping graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year476 graduates / yr · 53 institutions49%
- Associate's degree260 graduates / yr · 41 institutions27%
- Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years127 graduates / yr · 20 institutions13%
- Bachelor's degree93 graduates / yr · 7 institutions9.6%
- Award of less than 12 weeks6 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.6%
- Award of at least 2 but less than 4 academic years4 graduates / yr · 2 institutions0.4%
Graduates over time
Landscaping and Groundskeeping completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 988 |
| 2013 | 1,072 |
| 2014 | 972 |
| 2015 | 1,070 |
| 2016 | 1,017 |
| 2017 | 955 |
| 2018 | 878 |
| 2019 | 932 |
| 2020 | 877 |
| 2021 | 778 |
| 2022 | 790 |
| 2023 | 914 |
| 2024 | 872 |
| 2025 | 966 |
Top 50 institutions for Landscaping and Groundskeeping, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valencia College Orlando, FLPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic yearsAssociate's | 102 | 48% | — | — |
| 2 | Merritt College Oakland, CAPublicAssociate'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 49 | 26% | — | — |
| 3 | Palm Beach State College Lake Worth, FLPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAssociate'sAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 49 | 41% | — | — |
| 4 | Brigham Young University - Idaho Rexburg, IDPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sAssociate's | 45 | 55% | $6,760 | $26,238 |
| 5 | Mt San Antonio College Walnut, CAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 44 | 45% | — | — |
| 6 | Cuyahoga Community College District Cleveland, OHPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAssociate'sAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 43 | 31% | — | — |
| 7 | Portland Community College Portland, ORPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAssociate'sAward of less than 12 weeks | 35 | 18% | — | — |
| 8 | Cincinnati State Technical and Community College Cincinnati, OHPublicAssociate'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 31 | 16% | — | — |
| 9 | Florida Gateway College Lake City, FLPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 30 | 54% | — | — |
| 10 | Palo Alto College San Antonio, TXPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic yearsAssociate's | 28 | 33% | — | — |
| 11 | Hennepin Technical College Brooklyn Park, MNPublicAssociate'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAward of at least 2 but less than 4 academic years | 26 | 42% | — | — |
| 12 | Sandhills Community College Pinehurst, NCPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAssociate's | 25 | 53% | — | — |
| 13 | Saddleback College Mission Viejo, CAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAssociate's | 24 | 48% | — | — |
| 14 | Chattahoochee Technical College Marietta, GAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 22 | 38% | — | — |
| 15 | Spartanburg Community College Spartanburg, SCPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 22 | 28% | — | $29,260 |
| 16 | Brigham Young University Provo, UTPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 21 | 81% | $13,712 | $46,439 |
| 17 | Milwaukee Area Technical College Milwaukee, WIPublicAssociate'sAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 18 | 25% | — | — |
| 18 | Cuyamaca College El Cajon, CAPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic yearsAssociate's | 17 | 41% | — | — |
| 19 | Miami Dade College Miami, FLPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAssociate's | 16 | 46% | — | — |
| 20 | Pennsylvania College of Technology Williamsport, PAPublicAssociate's | 16 | 53% | — | $30,185 |
| 21 | Mesa Community College Mesa, AZPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 14 | 16% | — | — |
| 22 | Michigan Career and Technical Institute Plainwell, MIPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 13 | 38% | — | — |
| 23 | Michigan State University East Lansing, MIPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 12 | 81% | — | $42,513 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania State University - Main Campus University Park, PAPublicBachelor's | 12 | 86% | — | $49,872 |
| 25 | Cape Fear Community College Wilmington, NCPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAssociate's | 11 | 34% | — | — |
| 26 | Indian River State College Fort Pierce, FLPublicAssociate'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 10 | 45% | — | — |
| 27 | Parkland College Champaign, ILPublicAssociate'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 10 | 32% | — | — |
| 28 | Madison Area Technical College Madison, WIPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 10 | 29% | — | — |
| 29 | American River College Sacramento, CAPublicAssociate'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 9 | 37% | — | — |
| 30 | Piedmont Technical College Greenwood, SCPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 9 | 33% | — | — |
| 31 | Edmonds College Lynnwood, WAPublicAssociate'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 9 | 29% | — | — |
| 32 | Lanier Technical College Gainesville, GAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 8 | 34% | — | — |
| 33 | Owens Community College Perrysburg, OHPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic yearsAssociate's | 8 | 35% | — | — |
| 34 | Cabrillo College Aptos, CAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAssociate's | 7 | 38% | — | — |
| 35 | College of the Sequoias Visalia, CAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 7 | 39% | — | — |
| 36 | Delaware Technical Community College - Terry Dover, DEPublicAssociate's | 7 | 22% | — | — |
| 37 | Gwinnett Technical College Lawrenceville, GAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 7 | 32% | — | — |
| 38 | Mississippi State University Mississippi State, MSPublicBachelor's | 7 | 67% | — | — |
| 39 | Western Technical College La Crosse, WIPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic yearsAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 7 | 34% | — | — |
| 40 | Enterprise State Community College Enterprise, ALPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 6 | 42% | — | — |
| 41 | City College of San Francisco San Francisco, CAPublicAssociate'sAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 6 | 40% | — | — |
| 42 | College of Lake County Grayslake, ILPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 6 | 37% | — | — |
| 43 | University of Nebraska - Lincoln Lincoln, NEPublicBachelor's | 6 | 67% | — | $46,289 |
| 44 | Clackamas Community College Oregon City, ORPublicAssociate'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 6 | 23% | — | — |
| 45 | Illinois Central College East Peoria, ILPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 5 | 49% | — | — |
| 46 | Springfield Technical Community College Springfield, MAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAssociate's | 5 | 32% | — | — |
| 47 | Fox Valley Technical College Appleton, WIPublicAssociate's | 5 | 65% | — | — |
| 48 | Gateway Technical College Kenosha, WIPublicAssociate's | 5 | 51% | — | — |
| 49 | Fullerton College Fullerton, CAPublicAssociate's | 4 | 34% | — | — |
| 50 | Santa Barbara City College Santa Barbara, CAPublicAssociate's | 4 | 34% | — | — |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services field (CIP 01.06) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 28 states
Where Landscaping and Groundskeeping graduates come from. Each state links to all Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services programs offered there.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 37-3011, Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Landscaping and Groundskeeping program can pursue careers as Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers, with an average annual wage of $38,090. The job outlook is promising, with a growth rate of 3.6% and approximately 158,200 annual openings, making it a stable career choice.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 01.0605
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workersprimary SOC 37-3011 | $39,150 | +3.6% About as fast as average | ~158,200 | No formal educational credential |
First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers SOC 37-1012 | $58,430 | +2.3% About as fast as average | ~23,200 | High school diploma or equivalent |
Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation SOC 37-3012 | $46,340 | +3.8% About as fast as average | ~4,100 | High school diploma or equivalent |
Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1041 | $98,700 | +4.1% About as fast as average | ~800 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Landscaping and Groundskeeping programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Gather and remove litter.
- Use hand tools, such as shovels, rakes, pruning saws, saws, hedge or brush trimmers, or axes.
- Operate vehicles or powered equipment, such as mowers, tractors, twin-axle vehicles, snow blowers, chainsaws, electric clippers, sod cutters, or pruning saws.
- Water lawns, trees, or plants, using portable sprinkler systems, hoses, or watering cans.
- Prune or trim trees, shrubs, or hedges, using shears, pruners, or chain saws.
- Mix and spray or spread fertilizers, herbicides, or insecticides onto grass, shrubs, or trees, using hand or automatic sprayers or spreaders.
Tools and technology used
Other Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services specializations
The 9 other 6-digit CIP codes under Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services (CIP 01.06).
- Applied Horticulture/CIP 01.0601
Horticulture Operations 2,248 graduates / yr141 institutions - Turf and Turfgrass ManagementCIP 01.0607385 graduates / yr35 institutions
- Plant Nursery Operations and ManagementCIP 01.0606156 graduates / yr26 institutions
- Greenhouse Operations and ManagementCIP 01.0604133 graduates / yr18 institutions
- Floriculture/CIP 01.0608
Floristry Operations and Management 119 graduates / yr19 institutions - Applied Horticulture/CIP 01.0699
Horticultural Business Services partial data95 graduates / yr9 institutions - Ornamental HorticultureCIP 01.060394 graduates / yr15 institutions
- Urban and Community HorticultureCIP 01.0610partial data26 graduates / yr5 institutions
Show 1 more CIP codes with no U.S. programs reported+
- Public Horticulture01.0609
No institution reported completions for these codes in the latest IPEDS year, so they have no page.
See all Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services programs →
Common questions
What types of credentials can I earn?+
You can earn various credentials, including an Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year, an Associate's degree, or an Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop critical thinking, active listening, and mathematics skills, along with knowledge in customer service and chemistry.
What tasks will I be trained to perform?+
Training includes tasks such as operating landscaping equipment, watering plants, and pruning trees and shrubs.
What is the job outlook for this field?+
The job outlook is about as fast as average, with a growth rate of 3.6% and around 158,200 openings each year.
What is the CIP code for Landscaping and Groundskeeping?+
Landscaping and Groundskeeping is CIP 01.0605 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services (CIP 01.06). NCES defines it as: 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.
How many institutions offer Landscaping and Groundskeeping programs?+
82 U.S. institutions reported Landscaping and Groundskeeping graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 28 states, awarding 966 credentials in the year. That is 22.9% of all Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services graduates.
How much do Landscaping and Groundskeeping graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers occupation, which Landscaping and Groundskeeping most directly leads to, pays a median of $39,150 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services field report median earnings of $42,513 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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