Life As a Nursery Worker
Example of Nursery Worker Job Work in nursery facilities or at customer location planting, cultivating, harvesting, and transplanting trees, shrubs, or plants.
Life As a Nursery Worker: What Do They Do?
- Cut, roll, and stack sod.
- Fill growing tanks with water.
- Clean work areas, and maintain grounds and landscaping.
- Feel plants’ leaves and note their coloring to detect the presence of insects or disease.
- Sell and deliver plants and flowers to customers.
- Maintain and repair irrigation and climate control systems.
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Nursery Worker Skills
When polled, Nursery Workers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Types of Nursery Worker Jobs
- Grounds and Nursery Specialist
- Bulb Packer
- Transplant Worker
- Horticultural Worker
- Ground Worker
Is There Job Demand for Nursery Workers?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 503,700 jobs in the United States for Nursery Worker. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 1.1% which is below the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 5,500 new jobs for Nursery Worker by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 76,800 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Nursery Worker are Alaska, Nevada, and Vermont. Watch out if you plan on working in South Carolina, Florida, or Hawaii. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Do Nursery Workers Make A Lot Of Money?
The typical yearly salary for Nursery Workers is somewhere between $21,900 and $35,200.

Nursery Workers who work in District of Columbia, Wyoming, or Vermont, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Nursery Workers in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $22,820 |
Alaska | $26,030 |
Arizona | $25,120 |
Arkansas | $22,020 |
California | $26,240 |
Colorado | $31,870 |
Connecticut | $29,760 |
Delaware | $28,390 |
District of Columbia | $38,760 |
Florida | $24,520 |
Georgia | $23,410 |
Hawaii | $32,740 |
Idaho | $24,340 |
Illinois | $30,020 |
Indiana | $24,820 |
Iowa | $30,630 |
Kansas | $28,450 |
Kentucky | $27,180 |
Louisiana | $26,060 |
Maine | $29,520 |
Maryland | $31,900 |
Massachusetts | $34,500 |
Michigan | $25,130 |
Minnesota | $31,510 |
Mississippi | $25,040 |
Missouri | $29,010 |
Montana | $24,850 |
Nebraska | $31,430 |
Nevada | $24,720 |
New Hampshire | $28,640 |
New Jersey | $27,810 |
New Mexico | $21,360 |
New York | $32,720 |
North Carolina | $24,770 |
North Dakota | $30,830 |
Ohio | $25,730 |
Oklahoma | $29,930 |
Oregon | $26,440 |
Pennsylvania | $29,270 |
South Carolina | $27,700 |
South Dakota | $28,560 |
Tennessee | $22,700 |
Texas | $22,120 |
Utah | $26,870 |
Vermont | $31,680 |
Virginia | $27,910 |
Washington | $29,430 |
West Virginia | $25,430 |
Wisconsin | $26,870 |
Wyoming | $35,260 |
What Tools do Nursery Workers Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Nursery Workers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- IBM Lotus Notes
How do I Become a Nursery Worker?
What education is needed to be a Nursery Worker?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where Nursery Workers Work

Nursery Workers work in the following industries:

Related Careers
Those interested in being a Nursery Worker may also be interested in:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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