Commercial landscaping recruiters serving Des Moines.
Corporate campus landscaping for the region's multiple concurrent data center campuses, plus standard institutional demand.
One of the country's top data center hubs.
Metro pay for every role we recruit is in the table below. What the hub does name: corporate campus landscaping for the region's multiple concurrent data center campuses, plus standard institutional demand.
We recruit across the full org chart for commercial landscaping contractors in Des Moines against that documented context.
Three concurrent hyperscale campuses.
Microsoft's two builds and a separate Weitz campus, all named directly by the hub.
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Microsoft's fifth-plus data center campus in West Des Moines and a separate ~188-acre campus planned for 1.8 million sq ft - two concurrent Microsoft builds adding corporate campus landscaping demand.
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A 192-megawatt data center campus under construction for a confidential client - a third concurrent data center project named alongside Microsoft's two campuses.
What commercial landscaping roles pay in Des Moines.
In the Des Moines metro, BLS puts the median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $45,180 a year, 15% above the $39,150 national median. Among the 112 metros BLS publishes for this occupation, Des Moines ranks 18th on pay. Most of the market sits between $30,020 and $58,980. Of the other field roles, grounds crew supervisor pays the most locally, at a $58,690 median. BLS does not publish Des Moines pay for landscape designer / architect, 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 | Des Moines median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscape / Grounds Crew MemberLandscaping and Groundskeeping Workers (37-3011) | $45,180 | $30,020–$58,980 | $39,150 | +15% | 2,230 |
| Grounds Crew SupervisorFirst-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (37-1012) | $58,690 | $45,260–$83,880 | $58,430 | 0% | 280 |
| Tree Trimmer / ArboristTree Trimmers and Pruners (37-3013) | $42,080 | $21,340–$68,530 | $50,960 | −17% | 160 |
| Licensed Pesticide ApplicatorPesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation (37-3012) | $46,900 | $39,540–$55,750 | $46,340 | +1% | 100 |
| Landscape Designer / ArchitectLandscape Architects (17-1012) | – | – | $79,870 | – | – |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Des Moines 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 Des Moines commercial landscaping hiring actually plays out in 2026.
Why we name three concurrent data center campuses
The hub's landscaping mini credits the region's multiple concurrent data center campuses - Microsoft's two projects plus Weitz's separate 192-MW campus - as the corporate campus landscaping driver, not a single anchor site.
Why Des Moines is becoming a top data center hub matters here too
The hub describes Des Moines as emerging as one of the country's top data center hubs. That scale means corporate campus landscaping demand here isn't a one-time hiring push - it's sustained across multiple concurrent builds.
What this means for sourcing
We source against verified large-scale corporate/data-center campus 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 Des Moines commercial landscaping clients, these are the highest-volume roles we've recruited for in the last 24 months.
- Data center campus landscape crew lead
- Corporate campus landscape designer
- Landscape crew foreman
- Grounds maintenance manager
For the broader picture across every commercial trade in Des Moines, see the Des Moines 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 Des Moines, plainly.
Same approach we use in every market - but tuned for what works in Des Moines's commercial landscaping segment specifically:
- Same-day intake call. We get the role, the project context, the budget, your dealbreakers. For Des Moines landscaping work, we also confirm which of the three concurrent data center campuses the role sits within, or whether it's standard institutional grounds work.
- Candidate sourcing within 48 hours. We pull from our existing Des Moines commercial landscaping candidate network, filtered for verified large-scale corporate/data-center campus credentials where relevant.
- Vetted short list (week one to several weeks). Three to five candidates. We verify real large-campus grounds project history rather than a line on a resume - timeline depends on the project scope involved.
- Offer and close. Standard roles close in 4-6 weeks. We help with offer math against Des Moines's documented general context.
Des Moines runs 10% fewer commercial landscaping workers per job than the country as a whole — below the national concentration. Fewer per job means the people you want are already working, and usually for someone who would rather keep 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 Des Moines's commercial landscaping market compares
In 2023 the Des Moines metro had 264 landscaping companies (counted by business location), with about 2,015 people on their payrolls. Average pay at those firms was $46,282, 4.1% below the national average of $48,279 for the same kind of employer. Headcount at these firms held flat over the year, while nationally it grew 2.2%. That works out to 37 per 100,000 residents, close to the 37 national rate.
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Des Moines ranks 73rd for headcount, 16th for median pay and 70th for concentration for landscaping and groundskeeping workers.
What this means for hiring:For commercial landscaping employers in Des Moines, the local pool is thinner than most, so plan on recruiting some roles in from outside the metro.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Des Moines metro. Employers are counted by business location.
How Des Moines's commercial landscaping market has changed since 2018.
The number of landscaping companies in Des Moines rose from 235 in 2018 to 264 in 2023, up 12%, close to the 13% national change.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping companies: business locations | 235 | 264 | +12% |
| Landscaping companies: employment | – | 2,015 | – |
| Landscaping companies: average annual pay | – | $46,282 | – |
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 Des Moines.
How many data center campuses are underway in Des Moines right now?
At least three, concurrently: two Microsoft campuses (part of $6B+ in total Microsoft investment) and a separate 192-MW Weitz data center campus - all named directly in the metro's own landscaping data.
What is driving commercial landscaping demand in Des Moines right now?
Corporate campus landscaping for the region's multiple concurrent data center campuses, plus standard institutional demand.
What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Des Moines?
BLS puts the Des Moines median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $45,180 a year, 15% above the $39,150 national median. That ranks 18th of 112 metros with published figures, in the top quarter. Most of the market sits between $30,020 and $58,980, a 2.0x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience.
Is it hard to hire landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Des Moines?
It is about average. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers are as common in Des Moines as they are nationally (location quotient 0.90), with about 2,230 in the metro. The 264 landscaping companies here average about 7.6 employees per location, mostly small shops, so candidates often know every employer in town by name. With 12% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which commercial landscaping roles pay the most in Des Moines?
Of the roles we recruit for, Grounds Crew Supervisor pays the most in Des Moines, a $58,690 median. Tree Trimmer / Arborist is the lowest-paid field role at $42,080. Relative to national pay, Landscape / Grounds Crew Member is the strongest-paying role here (15% above). Tree Trimmer / Arborist trails national pay the most (17% below).
How many landscaping companies operate in Des Moines?
BLS counted 264 landscaping companies in Des Moines in 2023, employing about 2,015 people between them. Up from 235 in 2018, a 12% increase against 13% growth nationally. That averages 7.6 people per location, so most are small shops. They pay an average of $46,282, 4% below the $48,279 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Des Moines for landscaping and groundskeeping workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Omaha (123 miles, about 3,870, $45,970 median), Kansas City (180 miles, about 6,660, $41,450 median) and Minneapolis (234 miles, about 11,820, $47,160 median). Omaha has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Des Moines out-pays Kansas City, an advantage when recruiting from there.
Hiring commercial landscaping talent in Des Moines?
Tell us the role. We'll tell you timeline and where we'd source the candidate - in under 30 minutes.