Groundskeeping Degree: Career Options for Graduates with a Groundskeeping Degree

Published Aug 29, 2009

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According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, graduates with degrees or certificates in groundskeeping or landscaping should expect above-average job growth in the field and find work at golf courses, athletic fields, gardens, parks and other indoor and outdoor areas. Many groundskeeping positions are seasonal, and workers sometimes work under the pressure of deadlines. Entry-level groundskeepers frequently work with mechanical tools, pesticide spray machines and other instruments that require training or certification. Those with more advanced degrees may become contractors or managers of their own companies

Certificate in Groundskeeping Career Summary

Technical schools and community colleges around the country offer certificates in groundskeeping, and these programs may include courses on topics such as horticulture, horticulture machines, soils and pest control. While entry-level positions in groundskeeping often don't require a degree or certificate, students who complete a groundskeeping certificate program may be looked upon more favorably by employers as they begin their careers in a variety of jobs including city gardener, golf course maintenance person and irrigation specialist.

Associate's Degree in Groundskeeping Career Summary

Groundskeepers who complete associate's degrees, often in programs referred to as landscaping or landscaping horticulture, may find work as managers and specialists in landscape design companies, nurseries, gardens or other groundskeeping businesses. Many community colleges and technical schools offer associate's degree programs in groundskeeping, landscaping or horticulture.

Bachelor's Degree in Groundskeeping Career Summary

Many bachelor's degree programs in groundskeeping prepare students to run their own landscaping businesses. In addition to courses in horticulture, grounds maintenance and pest management, a bachelor's degree program includes a few business-related classes. Graduates with bachelor's degrees in landscaping, landscape architecture or horticulture typically find work as landscape designers, landscape architects or managers of companies responsible for large groundskeeping projects.

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