Best institutions to study Turf and Turfgrass Management
A program that focuses on turfgrasses and related groundcover plants and prepares individuals to develop ornamental or recreational grasses and related products; plant, transplant, and manage grassed areas; and to produce and store turf used for transplantation.
35 U.S. institutions graduated 385 Turf and Turfgrass Management students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 01.0607, 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 Turf and Turfgrass Management programs
A program that focuses on turfgrasses and related groundcover plants and prepares individuals to develop ornamental or recreational grasses and related products; plant, transplant, and manage grassed areas; and to produce and store turf used for transplantation. Includes instruction in applicable plant sciences, genetics of grasses, turf science, use analysis, turf management, and related economics.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Turf and Turfgrass Management program, part of Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services, focuses on the cultivation and management of turfgrasses and groundcover plants. This program is designed for individuals interested in developing ornamental or recreational grasses, managing grassed areas, and producing turf for transplantation. It provides a solid foundation for those looking to enter the field of horticulture and landscape management.
Students in this program will gain knowledge in plant sciences, turf management, and economics related to turfgrass. Coursework typically includes critical skills such as monitoring, active listening, and mathematics, which are essential for effective management and maintenance of turf areas.
Credentials awarded
What Turf and Turfgrass Management graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Associate's degree185 graduates / yr · 20 institutions48%
- Bachelor's degree79 graduates / yr · 10 institutions21%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year56 graduates / yr · 10 institutions15%
- Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years55 graduates / yr · 10 institutions14%
- Master's degree10 graduates / yr · 1 institution2.6%
Graduates over time
Turf and Turfgrass Management completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 539 |
| 2013 | 475 |
| 2014 | 440 |
| 2015 | 499 |
| 2016 | 470 |
| 2017 | 431 |
| 2018 | 391 |
| 2019 | 417 |
| 2020 | 377 |
| 2021 | 340 |
| 2022 | 334 |
| 2023 | 401 |
| 2024 | 396 |
| 2025 | 385 |
Top 35 institutions for Turf and Turfgrass Management, 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 | Pennsylvania State University - World Campus University Park, PAPublicAssociate'sBachelor'sMaster's | 47 | 34% | — | $49,872 |
| 2 | Wayne Community College Goldsboro, NCPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic yearsAssociate'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 32 | 49% | — | — |
| 3 | State Technical College of Missouri Linn, MOPublicAssociate'sAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 24 | 84% | — | — |
| 4 | Pennsylvania State University - Main Campus University Park, PAPublicBachelor's | 22 | 86% | — | $49,872 |
| 5 | Brunswick Community College Bolivia, NCPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic yearsAssociate's | 21 | 40% | — | — |
| 6 | Horry - Georgetown Technical College Conway, SCPublicAssociate's | 21 | 38% | — | — |
| 7 | Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Tifton, GAPublicBachelor's | 18 | 36% | — | $44,751 |
| 8 | Michigan State University East Lansing, MIPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 17 | 81% | — | $42,513 |
| 9 | Iowa Central Community College Fort Dodge, IAPublicAssociate'sAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 13 | 42% | — | — |
| 10 | Catawba Valley Community College Hickory, NCPublicAssociate'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 13 | 35% | — | — |
| 11 | Spokane Community College Spokane, WAPublicAssociate'sAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 12 | 33% | — | — |
| 12 | Guilford Technical Community College Jamestown, NCPublicAssociate'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 11 | 31% | — | — |
| 13 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NCPublicAssociate'sBachelor's | 11 | 85% | — | $38,339 |
| 14 | Piedmont Technical College Greenwood, SCPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 10 | 33% | — | — |
| 15 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TXPublicBachelor's | 10 | 84% | — | $41,341 |
| 16 | Southeast Technical College Sioux Falls, SDPublicAssociate's | 9 | 59% | — | — |
| 17 | University of Massachusetts - Amherst Amherst, MAPublicAssociate'sBachelor's | 8 | 83% | — | — |
| 18 | Cincinnati State Technical and Community College Cincinnati, OHPublicAssociate's | 8 | 16% | — | — |
| 19 | Western Texas College Snyder, TXPublicAssociate'sAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 8 | 53% | — | — |
| 20 | Walla Walla Community College Walla Walla, WAPublicAssociate's | 8 | 38% | — | — |
| 21 | Mt San Antonio College Walnut, CAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 6 | 45% | — | — |
| 22 | First Coast Technical College Saint Augustine, FLPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 6 | 77% | — | — |
| 23 | Chattahoochee Technical College Marietta, GAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 6 | 38% | — | — |
| 24 | East Mississippi Community College Scooba, MSPublicAssociate's | 6 | 48% | — | — |
| 25 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi Delhi, NYPublicAssociate's | 6 | 45% | — | — |
| 26 | Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute Wooster, OHPublicAssociate's | 6 | 43% | — | $34,190 |
| 27 | Delaware Valley University Doylestown, PAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 6 | 56% | $25,402 | $47,375 |
| 28 | Purdue University - Main Campus West Lafayette, INPublicBachelor's | 5 | 83% | — | — |
| 29 | College of the Desert Palm Desert, CAPublicAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic yearsAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 4 | 31% | — | — |
| 30 | Central Piedmont Community College Charlotte, NCPublicAssociate's | 3 | 31% | — | — |
| 31 | North Arkansas College Harrison, ARPublicAssociate's | 2 | 42% | — | — |
| 32 | Illinois Central College East Peoria, ILPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 2 | 49% | — | — |
| 33 | SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill Cobleskill, NYPublicBachelor's | 2 | 42% | — | — |
| 34 | University of Minnesota - Crookston Crookston, MNPublicBachelor's | 1 | 50% | — | — |
| 35 | Trident Technical College Charleston, SCPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 1 | 30% | — | — |
* 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 20 states
Where Turf and Turfgrass Management 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 Turf and Turfgrass Management program can pursue careers as Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers, among other roles. The job outlook for this field is about as fast as average, with an estimated growth rate of 3.6% and approximately 158,200 annual openings. The median wage for these positions is $38,090, with no formal educational credential typically required.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 01.0607
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 Turf and Turfgrass Management 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 - Landscaping and GroundskeepingCIP 01.0605966 graduates / yr82 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 degrees can I earn in this program?+
You can earn an Associate's degree, Bachelor's degree, or various awards based on your study duration.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop skills in critical thinking, active listening, and mathematics, among others.
What careers can I pursue after graduation?+
You can work as a Landscaping and Groundskeeping Worker or in related supervisory roles.
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 158,200 annual openings.
What is the CIP code for Turf and Turfgrass Management?+
Turf and Turfgrass Management is CIP 01.0607 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 focuses on turfgrasses and related groundcover plants and prepares individuals to develop ornamental or recreational grasses and related products; plant, transplant, and manage grassed areas; and to produce and store turf used for transplantation. Includes instruction in applicable plant sciences, genetics of grasses, turf science, use analysis, turf management, and related economics.
How many institutions offer Turf and Turfgrass Management programs?+
35 U.S. institutions reported Turf and Turfgrass Management graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 20 states, awarding 385 credentials in the year. That is 9.1% of all Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services graduates.
How much do Turf and Turfgrass Management graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers occupation, which Turf and Turfgrass Management 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 $44,751 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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