Landscaping Services Revenue Benchmarks
The average landscaping services business in the United States generates $566K in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 113,083 landscaping services businesses in the U.S., employing 741,293 workers with an average profit margin of 8.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $48K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Landscaping Business Actually Do?
Businesses that design, install, and maintain outdoor plantings and hardscape. Services span one-time landscape installation to weekly mowing to seasonal cleanups. Some also offer irrigation, lighting, and tree services.
Who buys: Homeowners (recurring maintenance and one-time projects), commercial property managers (contracted maintenance), and HOAs.
Average Revenue
$566K
per year
Profit Margin
8.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$86K
per year
Total Businesses
113,083
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$45K
small business avg
Labor Cost
55.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$48K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
34.1
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Landscaping Services Charge?
Landscapers charge for one-time projects and recurring maintenance separately.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Lawn mowing (per visit) | $40–120/visit |
Monthly maintenance package | $150–500/month |
Sod installation | $1.50–4.00/sqft |
Landscape design | $50–150/hour or $2,000–8,000 flat |
Tree removal (per tree) | $400–2,500 |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete landscaping business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a landscaping services business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the landscaping services industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Direct service costs | $7 | $42K | Cleaning supplies, uniforms, equipment consumables — depends on service type. |
Wages & benefits | $55 | $311K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $6 | $31K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $21K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $20 | $115K | Insurance, background checks, training, transportation, admin. |
Net profit | $8 | $45K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
14.45%
openings/year
Closure Rate
12.75%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+2.52%
annual
Businesses Closed
19,840
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Landscaping Business?
Startup Cost
$5K – $50K
Break-Even
7 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a landscaping services business do?
- Businesses that design, install, and maintain outdoor plantings and hardscape. Services span one-time landscape installation to weekly mowing to seasonal cleanups. Some also offer irrigation, lighting, and tree services. Homeowners (recurring maintenance and one-time projects), commercial property managers (contracted maintenance), and HOAs.
- How much do landscaping services charge?
- Landscapers charge for one-time projects and recurring maintenance separately. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average landscaping services make per year?
- The average landscaping services business generates $566K in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $45K per year at a 8.0% profit margin.
- How many landscaping services businesses are there in the US?
- There are 113,083 landscaping services businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 741,293 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a landscaping services business?
- Startup costs for a landscaping services business typically range from $5K to $50K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the landscaping services industry?
- The average employee in the landscaping services industry earns $48K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The landscaping services industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 2.5% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (14.4% entry vs 12.7% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 51% of landscaping services businesses survive their first 5 years. This is near the national average (~50%), with typical business risk. In 2023, 19,840 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the landscaping services industry earns $48,279/year. This is below the national average of ~$65K — typical for this sector. With 122,438 establishments employing 878,894 people, the typical business has about 7 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The landscaping services industry has grown 53% since 2000 (from 115,655 to 177,110 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Landscaping Services revenue with other industries: