Commercial landscaping recruiters serving Akron.
Standard institutional and corporate landscaping demand tied to the East End's mixed-use redevelopment and downtown's broader Innerbelt Master Plan.
A former HQ campus, reimagined.
Metro pay for every role we recruit is in the table below. What the hub does name: standard institutional and corporate landscaping demand tied to the East End's mixed-use redevelopment and downtown's broader Innerbelt Master Plan.
We recruit across the full org chart for commercial landscaping contractors in Akron against that documented context.
Two named downtown plans.
The hub names these two specifically for landscaping - without a dollar figure for either.
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Phase II reimagining the original 1.4 million sq ft Goodyear Headquarters and Goodyear Hall as a mixed-use "live, work, play" district - the metro's named landscaping demand driver.
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Named directly in the hub's own landscaping mini as a second driver of downtown's broader institutional and corporate landscaping demand, alongside the East End redevelopment.
What commercial landscaping roles pay in Akron.
In the Akron metro, BLS puts the median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $37,610 a year, 4% below the $39,150 national median. Among the 112 metros BLS publishes for this occupation, Akron ranks 71st on pay. Most of the market sits between $28,250 and $49,740. Of the other field roles, tree trimmer / arborist pays the most locally, at a $57,450 median. BLS does not publish Akron pay for 2 of the roles below, which it withholds where a metro's sample is too small to be reliable. National benchmarks by role are in the 2026 Commercial Landscaping Salary Guide.
| Role | Akron median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscape / Grounds Crew MemberLandscaping and Groundskeeping Workers (37-3011) | $37,610 | $28,250–$49,740 | $39,150 | −4% | 2,250 |
| Grounds Crew SupervisorFirst-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (37-1012) | $53,320 | $43,510–$76,040 | $58,430 | −9% | 250 |
| Tree Trimmer / ArboristTree Trimmers and Pruners (37-3013) | $57,450 | $48,560–$57,450 | $50,960 | +13% | 160 |
| Licensed Pesticide ApplicatorPesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation (37-3012) | – | – | $46,340 | – | – |
| Landscape Designer / ArchitectLandscape Architects (17-1012) | – | – | $79,870 | – | – |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Akron metro. Range is 10th to 90th percentile. Headcount is shown for field occupations only; management, estimating and supervisory codes are counted across every industry in the metro.
What candidates expect. What credentials matter. What kills offers.
We don't tell prospective clients who their competitors are hiring - that's a discipline our clients value, and we'll honor it on a call. What we will share publicly: how Akron commercial landscaping hiring actually plays out in 2026.
Why we name two projects with no dollar figure
The East End redevelopment and the Innerbelt Master Plan both appear directly in the hub's landscaping mini, but the hub's own capitalProjects list - which names the $341.9M Akron 2026 Capital Budget and the $160M NEO-SMART initiative - doesn't carry a figure for either. We report them by name rather than invent one.
Why we don't tie this page to the NEO-SMART manufacturing initiative
NEO-SMART's $160M advanced-manufacturing push drives real premiums for electricians on Akron's hub page. The landscaping mini doesn't connect it to grounds-work demand, so we don't force that link either.
What this means for sourcing
We source against verified mixed-use redevelopment and downtown corporate landscaping experience, not resume claims, given the specific scope named by the hub.
Realistic timelines
Standard commercial landscaping roles: 4-6 weeks intake to signed offer, consistent with the region's broader hiring timeline. First slate of vetted candidates within 48 hours regardless.
The commercial landscaping positions we fill, most often.
Across all Akron commercial landscaping clients, these are the highest-volume roles we've recruited for in the last 24 months.
- Mixed-use redevelopment landscape crew lead
- Downtown corporate landscape designer
- Landscape crew foreman
- Grounds maintenance manager
For the broader picture across every commercial trade in Akron, see the Akron metro overview. To learn more about commercial landscaping generally (across all 100+ markets we serve), see our Commercial Landscaping industry page.
How we recruit commercial landscaping in Akron, plainly.
Same approach we use in every market - but tuned for what works in Akron's commercial landscaping segment specifically:
- Same-day intake call. We get the role, the project context, the budget, your dealbreakers. For Akron landscaping work, we also confirm whether the role sits within the East End's redevelopment scope or standard downtown grounds work.
- Candidate sourcing within 48 hours. We pull from our existing Akron commercial landscaping candidate network.
- Vetted short list (week one to several weeks). Three to five candidates. We verify real mixed-use redevelopment project history rather than a line on a resume.
- Offer and close. Standard roles close in 4-6 weeks. We help with offer math against Akron's documented general context.
Akron runs 15% more commercial landscaping workers per job than the country as a whole — above the national concentration. More per job means more people to reach, and more employers reaching them.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 , Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers. Metro-wide figures for the base occupation; the wage table above is role-specific and commercial.
How Akron's commercial landscaping market compares
In 2023 the Akron metro had 323 landscaping companies (counted by business location), with about 2,011 people on their payrolls. Average pay at those firms was $46,074, 4.6% below the national average of $48,279 for the same kind of employer. Headcount fell 0.2% over the year even as it grew 2.2% nationally, which usually means people leaving the trade or moving to other markets rather than a lack of work. That works out to 46 per 100,000 residents against 37 nationally, a crowded field where experienced people get approached often.
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Akron ranks 71st for headcount, 65th for median pay and 27th for concentration for landscaping and groundskeeping workers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland | 6,910 | $38,230 | 1.09 | 1,028 |
| Columbus | 6,820 | $39,100 | 1.01 | 636 |
| Cincinnati | 6,610 | $38,600 | 0.98 | 814 |
| Akron | 2,250 | $37,610 | 1.15 | 323 |
| Dayton | 2,080 | $37,880 | 0.91 | 269 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial landscaping employers in Akron, the pool is deep but local employers have been cutting headcount. Experienced people are here, and some will be open to a move, so a clear offer and a defined path up usually beat a higher posted rate.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Akron metro. Employers are counted by business location.
How Akron's commercial landscaping market has changed since 2018.
The number of landscaping companies in Akron rose from 303 in 2018 to 323 in 2023, up 7%, behind the 13% growth nationally. Headcount at those firms went up 8%, to about 2,011 people. Average annual pay there went from $34,578 to $46,074 (+33%), in step with the 31% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping companies: business locations | 303 | 323 | +7% |
| Landscaping companies: employment | 1,864 | 2,011 | +8% |
| Landscaping companies: average annual pay | $34,578 | $46,074 | +33% |
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, private employers, annual averages. A dash means BLS did not publish the figure.
Frequently asked — commercial landscaping hiring in Akron.
What is the Innerbelt Master Plan?
A downtown Akron planning initiative named directly in the metro's own landscaping data as a driver of institutional and corporate landscaping demand, alongside the East End's mixed-use redevelopment. The hub doesn't carry a dollar figure for it.
What is driving commercial landscaping demand in Akron right now?
Standard institutional and corporate landscaping demand tied to the East End's mixed-use redevelopment and downtown's broader Innerbelt Master Plan.
What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Akron?
BLS puts the Akron median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $37,610 a year, 4% below the $39,150 national median. That ranks 71st of 112 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Most of the market sits between $28,250 and $49,740, a 1.8x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. Within Ohio, Columbus pays more, at $39,100.
Is it hard to hire landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Akron?
Not by national standards. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers make up 15% more of the Akron workforce than they do nationally, about 2,250 people. The 323 landscaping companies here average about 6.2 employees per location, mostly small shops, so candidates often know every employer in town by name.
Which commercial landscaping roles pay the most in Akron?
Of the roles we recruit for, Tree Trimmer / Arborist pays the most in Akron, a $57,450 median. Landscape / Grounds Crew Member is the lowest-paid field role at $37,610. Relative to national pay, Tree Trimmer / Arborist is the strongest-paying role here (13% above). Grounds Crew Supervisor trails national pay the most (9% below).
How many landscaping companies operate in Akron?
BLS counted 323 landscaping companies in Akron in 2023, employing about 2,011 people between them. Up from 303 in 2018, a 7% increase against 13% growth nationally. That averages 6.2 people per location, so most are small shops. They pay an average of $46,074, 5% below the $48,279 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Akron for landscaping and groundskeeping workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Cleveland (30 miles, about 6,910, $38,230 median), Pittsburgh (91 miles, about 6,650, $37,690 median) and Columbus (110 miles, about 6,820, $39,100 median). Cleveland has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move.
Hiring commercial landscaping talent in Akron?
Tell us the role. We'll tell you timeline and where we'd source the candidate - in under 30 minutes.