Commercial landscaping recruiters serving Richmond.
Corporate tech-campus landscaping for the data-center corridor, with stormwater management a real consideration on the large new data-center pads.
The fastest data-center growth of any US city.
Metro pay for every role we recruit is in the table below. What the hub does name: corporate tech-campus landscaping for the data-center corridor, with stormwater management a real consideration on the large new data-center pads.
We recruit across the full org chart for commercial landscaping contractors in Richmond against that documented context.
Part of a $9B statewide investment, right in Chesterfield County.
Google's first Richmond-area facility, with more planned.
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Google's first Richmond-area data center, in Chesterfield County's Meadowville Technology Park, with two more county sites planned - part of the fastest data-center growth of any US city, requiring dedicated stormwater management on large new pads.
What commercial landscaping roles pay in Richmond.
In the Richmond metro, BLS puts the median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $37,170 a year, 5% below the $39,150 national median. Among the 112 metros BLS publishes for this occupation, Richmond ranks 80th on pay. Most of the market sits between $31,150 and $47,940. Of the other field roles, landscape designer / architect pays the most locally, at a $81,380 median. BLS does not publish Richmond pay for licensed pesticide applicator, 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 | Richmond median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscape / Grounds Crew MemberLandscaping and Groundskeeping Workers (37-3011) | $37,170 | $31,150–$47,940 | $39,150 | −5% | 4,360 |
| Grounds Crew SupervisorFirst-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (37-1012) | $58,590 | $44,470–$80,730 | $58,430 | 0% | 570 |
| Tree Trimmer / ArboristTree Trimmers and Pruners (37-3013) | $45,600 | $40,040–$53,980 | $50,960 | −11% | 170 |
| Licensed Pesticide ApplicatorPesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation (37-3012) | – | – | $46,340 | – | – |
| Landscape Designer / ArchitectLandscape Architects (17-1012) | $81,380 | $57,570–$147,740 | $79,870 | +2% | 60 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Richmond 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 Richmond commercial landscaping hiring actually plays out in 2026.
Why Richmond's data-center growth outpaces nearly every other US market
The hub names Richmond's capacity surge from 100 to 800+ megawatts in just six months as faster than Dallas and Chicago combined - that pace of buildout translates directly into sustained stormwater and grounds demand.
Why stormwater management is the specific landscaping scope here
The hub names stormwater management directly for the large new data-center pads - functional site drainage design, not decorative corporate landscaping, at a scale matching the region's unprecedented growth.
What this means for sourcing
We source against verified data-center-pad stormwater management project history, 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 Richmond commercial landscaping clients, these are the highest-volume roles we've recruited for in the last 24 months.
- Data-center pad stormwater management crew lead
- Corporate tech-campus landscape designer
- Landscape crew foreman
- Grounds maintenance manager
For the broader picture across every commercial trade in Richmond, see the Richmond 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 Richmond, plainly.
Same approach we use in every market - but tuned for what works in Richmond's commercial landscaping segment specifically:
- Same-day intake call. We get the role, the project context, the budget, your dealbreakers. For Richmond landscaping work, we also confirm whether the role sits within Google/Chesterfield County scope or standard commercial grounds work.
- Candidate sourcing within 48 hours. We pull from our existing Richmond commercial landscaping candidate network, filtered for verified data-center-pad stormwater management credentials.
- Vetted short list (week one to several weeks). Three to five candidates. We verify real large-pad drainage 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 Richmond documented general context.
Richmond runs 8% 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 Richmond's commercial landscaping market compares
In 2023 the Richmond metro had 483 landscaping companies (counted by business location), with about 4,303 people on their payrolls. Average pay at those firms was $50,197, 4% above the national average of $48,279 for the same kind of employer. Headcount grew 2.6% over the year, faster than the 2.2% national increase, so local employers were adding people quicker than most of the country. That works out to 36 per 100,000 residents, close to the 37 national rate.
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Richmond ranks 46th for headcount, 74th for median pay and 37th for concentration for landscaping and groundskeeping workers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach | 4,410 | $36,520 | 0.94 | 584 |
| Richmond | 4,360 | $37,170 | 1.08 | 483 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial landscaping employers in Richmond, the pool is about the national norm for its size and local employers are adding people, so expect competing offers on experienced candidates and keep the process short.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Richmond metro. Employers are counted by business location.
How Richmond's commercial landscaping market has changed since 2018.
The number of landscaping companies in Richmond rose from 427 in 2018 to 483 in 2023, up 13%, close to the 13% national change. Headcount at those firms went up 13%, to about 4,303 people. Average annual pay there went from $35,729 to $50,197 (+40%), faster than the 31% national increase, a sign employers here have had to bid up.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping companies: business locations | 427 | 483 | +13% |
| Landscaping companies: employment | 3,811 | 4,303 | +13% |
| Landscaping companies: average annual pay | $35,729 | $50,197 | +40% |
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 Richmond.
What is driving commercial landscaping demand in Richmond right now?
Google's Chesterfield County data center, part of a $9B Virginia-wide investment, is the named driver, tied to Richmond's data-center capacity surge from 100 to more than 800 megawatts in six months.
Why does Richmond need stormwater management specifically for data-center pads?
The metro's own data names stormwater management as a real consideration on the large new data-center pads, given the pace and scale of the buildout.
What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Richmond?
BLS puts the Richmond median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $37,170 a year, 5% below the $39,150 national median. That ranks 80th of 112 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Pay is bunched together here, $31,150 to $47,940 across the 10th to 90th percentile and only a 1.5x gap, so small differences in an offer are noticed. No other Virginia metro we cover pays more for this work (Virginia Beach: $36,520).
Is it hard to hire landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Richmond?
It is about average. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers are as common in Richmond as they are nationally (location quotient 1.08), with about 4,360 in the metro. The 483 landscaping companies here average about 8.9 employees per location. With 13% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which commercial landscaping roles pay the most in Richmond?
Of the roles we recruit for, Landscape Designer / Architect pays the most in Richmond, a $81,380 median. Landscape / Grounds Crew Member is the lowest-paid field role at $37,170. Tree Trimmer / Arborist trails national pay the most (11% below).
How many landscaping companies operate in Richmond?
BLS counted 483 landscaping companies in Richmond in 2023, employing about 4,303 people between them. Up from 427 in 2018, a 13% increase against 13% growth nationally. That averages 8.9 people per location. They pay an average of $50,197, 4% above the $48,279 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Richmond for landscaping and groundskeeping workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Virginia Beach (95 miles, about 4,410, $36,520 median), Washington, D.C. (95 miles, about 17,140, $42,700 median) and Baltimore (128 miles, about 7,480, $39,620 median). Washington, D.C. has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Washington, D.C. pays 15% more, which is where Richmond employers tend to lose people.
Hiring commercial landscaping talent in Richmond?
Tell us the role. We'll tell you timeline and where we'd source the candidate - in under 30 minutes.