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Gardener Salary in the United States

How much does a Gardener make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Gardener in the United States is $36,897 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $18.

However, a Gardener's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $43,463
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $33,410 to $40,334
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $30,236
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Gardener Salaries

A Gardener's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Gardener Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Gardener's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $37,623
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $42,491
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $60,945
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $78,279
  • Expert (over 8 years): $86,608
Levels Salary
Gardener Level Gardener$37,623
Groundske... Level Gardener$42,491
Building ... Level Gardener$60,945
Building ... Level Gardener$78,279
Building ... Level Gardener$86,608
View as Graph

How Do Gardener Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Gardeners. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $40,852.
  • California: $40,697.
  • Massachusetts: $40,155.

Top Paying Cities for Gardeners

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $46,538
  • San Francisco: $46,028
  • Oakland: $45,058

What Skills Can Increase a Gardener's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 15.21% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Painting (Mentioned in 2.44% Job Postings): Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and airbrushes, can be used. The final work is also called a painting. Painting is an important form in the visual arts, bringing in elements such as drawing, gesture (as in gestural painting), composition, narration (as in narrative art), or abstraction (as in abstract art). Paintings can be naturalistic and representational (as in a still life or landscape painting), photographic, abstract, narrative, symbolistic (as in Symbolist art), emotive (as in Expressionism), or political in nature (as in Artivism). A portion of the history of painting in both Eastern and Western art is dominated by religious art. Examples of this kind of painting range from artwork depicting mythological figures on pottery, to Biblical scenes Sistine Chapel ceiling, to scenes from the life of Buddha or other images of Eastern religious origin.
  • First Aid (Mentioned in 1.56% Job Postings): First aid refers to medical attention that is usually administered immediately after the injury occurs and at the location where it occurred.
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 15.21%
Painting 2.44%
First Aid 1.56%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Gardener's salary.

  • Energy Management: Can increase your salary by up to 22%.
  • Resource Management: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Energy Management $45,014
22%
Resource Management $39,848
8%
Leadership $39,479
7%
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Gardener Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Gardener roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Aerospace & Defense sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Gardener positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Transportation typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Gardener as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Gardener

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology$47,966$23.030%

How Education impacts a Gardener's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Gardeners enter the field with a No Diploma degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Gardener with a No Diploma is between $38,679 and $42,226).

Gardener Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Gardener
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.8%
High School 50.9%
Associates 12.3%
Bachelors 33.3%
Masters 1.8%
Doctorate 1.8%
View as Graph

Gardener Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Gardener's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$33,410
Average $36,897/year
$40,334
$2,784
Average $3,075/month
$3,361
$643
Average $710/week
$776
$16
Average $18/hour
$19
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $40,334 $3,361 $776 $19
Average $36,897 $3,075 $710 $18
25th Percentile $33,410 $2,784 $643 $16

Most common benefits for Gardener

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Gardener

Here are companies hiring for Gardener and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Gardener

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Gardener?

The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Gardener roles, with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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