Blog Details
🌿 Introduction
Commercial landscaping is rapidly expanding in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and India. Companies from office parks and hospitals to retail centers and residential communities depend on professional landscapers to maintain their properties in a clean, safe, and aesthetically pleasing manner.
But what will landscapers be making in 2026? How much do landscapers get paid by the hour, by the job, and annually? Also, how much should you charge for just mowing the lawn or for providing the entire landscaping service?
This article explains the commercial landscaping salaries, how they determine their prices, labor costs, and real-world rates with clear language, useful tables, and examples.
👷 What Does a Landscaper Do? (Roles in Commercial Landscaping)
It is helpful to know what a landscaper does before discussing a landscaper’s salary.
Landscapers are the ones who take care of the outdoor maintenance and upgrading of business properties. However, their work is not limited to mowing the grass only.
📌 Common responsibilities include:
- Lawn mowing, edging, trimming
- Tree and shrub care
- Irrigation setup and repair
- Mulching and soil treatment
- Weed and pest control
- Hardscaping (walkways, pavers, small retaining walls)
- Seasonal cleanups (fall leaves, storm debris)
Commercial landscaping is a bit different from residential landscaping (although landscapers often do both) in that the work is bigger and more frequent. Contracts are usually monthly or annual, which ensures a steady income.
💰 How Much Do Landscapers Make in 2026? (Hourly, Yearly & Per Job)
One of the most common questions people ask is “How much do landscapers make?” and “How much does a landscaper make a year?“
Here is a hypothetical picture for 2026 in the main areas:
🌍 Average Landscaper Salary by Country (2026)
| 🌍 Country | 💵 Average Pay Per Hour | 💰 Average Yearly Pay | 📝 Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 United States | $16 – $28 / hour | $34,000 – $58,000 / year | 🏙️ Higher in cities and commercial contracts |
| 🇦🇺 Australia | AUD $25 – $45 / hour | AUD $52,000 – $85,000 / year | 🛠️ Union work pays more |
| 🇳🇿 New Zealand | NZD $24 – $40 / hour | NZD $48,000 – $78,000 / year | 🌦️ Seasonal demand affects income |
| 🇮🇳 India | ₹150 – ₹500 / hour | ₹2.2 – ₹5.5 LPA | 🏗️ Higher in commercial projects |
Key insights:
- Commercial landscaping is more profitable than residential lawn care.
- Profession and having the right tools increase wages.
- Larger cities pay more because of the higher demand.
📊 Landscaper Salary vs Landscaping Business Salary
There is a significant difference between the salary of a landscaper employee and the salary of a landscaping business owner. Therefore, the table below addresses these fundamental questions more clearly.
1) 👤 Landscaper Job Salary (Employee)
Employees earn fixed hourly or yearly wages.
| 🌿 Role | 💵 Landscaping Hourly Pay | 💼 Landscaping Job Salary (Yearly) |
|---|---|---|
| 👶 Entry-level worker | $14 – $18 / hour | $28,000 – $36,000 / year |
| 🧑🌾 Experienced landscaper | $20 – $28 / hour | $42,000 – $58,000 / year |
| 👷 Crew lead / supervisor | $25 – $35 / hour | $52,000 – $72,000 / year |
This shows a landscaper’s salary & the average wage of a landscaper.
2) 🏢 Landscaping Business Salary (Owner)
Business owners earn more but carry costs.
| 🏢 Business Size | 💸 Monthly Revenue | 🏦 Owner Take-Home (After Costs) |
|---|---|---|
| 🧑🔧 Solo operator | $4,000 – $8,000 | $2,500 – $4,500 |
| 👥 Small crew (3–5 staff) | $12,000 – $25,000 | $6,000 – $12,000 |
| 🏗️ Commercial contractor | $30,000+ | $15,000+ |
This explains how much money does landscaping make for business owners.
⏱️ How Much Do Landscapers Make Per Hour?
People often inquire about “how much landscapers make per hour” and “how much is the hourly rate of a self-employed landscaper.” Hence, the chart below addresses these fundamental queries with greater clarity.
💵 Hourly Rates (2026)
| 🌱 Work Type | 💵 Landscape Labor Cost (Per Hour) |
|---|---|
| 🚜 Basic mowing | $25 – $45 / hour |
| ✂️ Hedge trimming | $35 – $60 / hour |
| 🌳 Tree care | $50 – $90 / hour |
| 🏢 Commercial maintenance | $40 – $80 / hour |
| 🧱 Hardscaping | $60 – $120 / hour |
Self-employed landscapers set higher rates as they pay for:
- Fuel
- Equipment
- Insurance
- Marketing
- Software, etc.,
✂️ How Much to Charge for Cutting Grass? Lawn Service Rates Explained
Many people on Google ask pricing questions such as “How much to charge for cutting grass?” and “How much does it cost to get your lawn mowed?“
🏡 Lawn Mowing Prices (2026)
| 🏡 Property Type | 💵 Mowing Grass Prices |
|---|---|
| 🌱 Small lawn | $30 – $50 |
| 🌿 Medium lawn | $50 – $80 |
| 🌳 Large lawn | $80 – $150 |
| 🏢 Commercial site | $120 – $300+ |
Factors that change the prices are:
- Lawn size
- Slope and obstacles
- Frequency (weekly vs monthly)
- Equipment used
🛠️ Landscaping Services Prices: Commercial Pricing Breakdown
The table exposes query of companies landscapers, for example, “landscaping services prices” & they realize from the table that the “landscaping labor costs” is what leads the most.
🧱 Typical Commercial Landscaping Prices
| 🛠️ Service | 💵 Average Cost |
|---|---|
| 🔁 Weekly maintenance | $300 – $1,200 / month |
| 🍂 Seasonal cleanup | $150 – $500 |
| 🌾 Mulching | $400 – $1,500 |
| 💧 Irrigation repair | $120 – $600 |
| 🧱 Hardscaping | $2,000 – $15,000 |
Commercial landscaping contracts not only provide stable income but also a higher average landscaping salary for employees.
🎓 How to Become a Landscaper (Career Path in 2026)
If you are asking yourself ways on how to become a landscaper, here is a basic roadmap that will help you:
🛣️ Step-by-step path:
- Begin by doing simple lawn care jobs
- Learn how to use different equipment
- Take safety courses
- Get hands-on experience by working with landscapers
- Carry out commercial projects and gain experience
- Start your own landscaping business (optional)
🧠 Skills that will come in handy:
- Managing your time well
- Helping and keeping good relations with customers
- Keeping track of simple finances
- Being able to lead a team
Some people transition from trades like plumbing or handyman services. For example, understanding licensing rules like a handyman license Florida helps when operating legally in the US.
🔍 Commercial Landscaping vs Other Home Service Jobs (Pay Comparison)
Landscaping pay is often compared with other service trades:
| 🛠️ Service Type | 💵 Average Hourly Rate |
|---|---|
| 🌿 Landscaping | $25 – $80 |
| 🔧 Handyman services | Similar to a handyman’s hourly rate |
| 🧹 Home cleaning | Linked to commercial cleaning services prices |
| 🏠 Chimney cleaning | Rates close to chimney cleaning rates |
Many landscapers branch out into various handyman services listings to boost their earnings. A few of them even operate as a retail outlet for the tools and supplies that they use while working, by offering a cleaning supplies list to their clients.
🧰 Commercial Landscaping Tools & Cost Control
Your profit depends on tools and systems.
Common cost areas:
- Fuel
- Maintenance
- Labor
- Scheduling errors
It allows landscapers to manage their teams and jobs more effectively. For example, a home improvement business’s FSM software enables its crews to get scheduled faster, track jobs in real-time, send out invoices more quickly, and cut down on no-shows.
Through home cleaning software, home cleaning companies can schedule their crews, track jobs, send out invoices, and cut down on no-shows all without juggling multiple systems. Having a unified platform, crews can be more productive at the job site while the office remains aware of billing and job progress. This alone can contribute to an increase of 15-25% in profit margins annually, partly due to a reduction in the number of errors, a faster payment cycle, and operations that run more smoothly.
Field service management software can save landscapers a lot of hassle when scheduling crews, tracking jobs, sending out invoices, and cutting down on no-shows.
💼 How Much Can You Make Cutting Lawns? Real Income Examples
So if you ask, “How much can you make cutting lawns?” & “How much does a landscaper make in a year?”, we have the answers for that as well.
Example 1: Solo landscaper (US)
- 3 jobs/day × $60/job × 22 days = $3,960/month
- Yearly: approximately $47,500
Example 2: Small commercial contract
- Monthly contract: $2,500
- 5 contracts = $12,500/month
- After costs, the owner keeps between $6,000 and $7,500/month.
📈 Commercial Landscaping Market Outlook 2026
Commercial landscaping demand is rising due to:
- Real estate growth
- Green building standards
- Property maintenance regulations
Growth trends (estimated):
- US: 4–6% yearly growth
- Australia: 5% yearly growth
- NZ: 3–4% yearly growth
- India: 8%+ yearly growth
This growth pushes landscapers’ average salary upward every year.
🧾 Final Thoughts: Is Commercial Landscaping Worth It in 2026?
Commercial landscaping provides:
- Stable demand
- Decent pay
- Growth opportunities
- Business ownership potential
The industry continues to be a decent choice for workers, who may be reviewing landscaping pay, as well as for owners, who may be calculating a landscaping business salary, in the US, Australia, New Zealand, and India.
By pricing your services wisely, keeping your expenses under control, and working with modern tools, commercial landscaping can be a dependable and scalable income source in 2026 and beyond.
❓ FAQs
How much does a landscaper make a year?
$30,000–$60,000+ depending on region and experience.
What is the average pay for a landscaper?
$16–$28/hour in developed markets.
Is commercial landscaping more profitable than residential?
Yes, contracts are larger and more stable.
How much should I charge to cut grass?
$30–$150+, based on lawn size and frequency.
Can landscaping be a full-time career?
Yes. Many earn steady incomes or run profitable businesses.
