by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying Turf & Turfgrass Management covers 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. Includes Instruction In Applicable Plant Sciences, Genetics Of Grasses, Turf Science, Use Analysis, Turf Management, And Related Economics. Examples: [Golf And Sports Turf Management]. Continue reading for the key facts every turf & turfgrass management student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering turf & turfgrass management programs.
Nationwide, turf & turfgrass management draws strong interest, with 396 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Turf & Turfgrass Management Schools ranking analyzes these 39 schools to determine the best overall colleges for turf & turfgrass management students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of turf & turfgrass management programs later in this article.
Studies in Turf & Turfgrass Management emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations turf & turfgrass management graduates commonly enter.
Skills developed in a turf & turfgrass management program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a turf & turfgrass management major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several turf & turfgrass management degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 73 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 177 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 68 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 78 |
People currently working in careers related to turf & turfgrass management tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 21.0% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 16.4% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 13.0% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 11.8% |
| Post-doctoral training | 10.2% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 10.1% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 5.9% |
| Master’s degree | 5.3% |
| Some college courses | 3.7% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 2.6% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in turf & turfgrass management careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
A degree in turf & turfgrass management prepares you for many career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to turf & turfgrass management.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to turf & turfgrass management.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | 297,433 | 4.5% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers | 276,926 | 4.4% |
| Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 139,205 | -2.2% |
| Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation | 59,660 | 1.1% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of turf & turfgrass management graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $37,555 |
| 4 years | $43,505 |
| 5 years | $48,599 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for turf & turfgrass management graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers turf & turfgrass management grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | $66,903 |
| Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | $43,138 |
| Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation | $34,037 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers | $24,378 |
With 39 different turf & turfgrass management programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased turf & turfgrass management school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in turf & turfgrass management, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
