Commercial landscaping recruiters serving San Francisco.
Corporate tech campuses and mixed-use podium plazas drive high-spec demand, with drought-tolerant and water-recapture design expertise a genuine market differentiator.
Tech campuses, and podium-level plaza design.
Metro pay for every role we recruit is in the table below. What the hub does name: corporate tech campuses and mixed-use podium plazas driving high-spec commercial landscape work, with drought-tolerant and water-recapture design as a genuine differentiator.
We recruit across the full org chart for commercial landscaping contractors in San Francisco against that documented context.
A real tech pipeline, and a real downtown district.
Fast-timeline campus work, plus podium-level plaza design at scale.
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Corporate HQ campuses and downtown tenant fit-outs on fast timelines, requiring high-spec landscape work as part of the same aggressive schedule as the buildings themselves.
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The Salesforce Tower district build-out continues with adjacent office and residential towers, phased through 2032, including podium-level plaza landscape design.
What commercial landscaping roles pay in San Francisco.
In the San Francisco metro, BLS puts the median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $48,040 a year, 23% above the $39,150 national median. Among the 112 metros BLS publishes for this occupation, San Francisco ranks 4th on pay. The range runs from $40,260 at the 10th percentile to $77,750 at the 90th, so experience is priced well above the middle of the market. Of the other field roles, landscape designer / architect pays the most locally, at a $119,730 median. National benchmarks by role are in the 2026 Commercial Landscaping Salary Guide.
| Role | San Francisco median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscape / Grounds Crew MemberLandscaping and Groundskeeping Workers (37-3011) | $48,040 | $40,260–$77,750 | $39,150 | +23% | 12,270 |
| Grounds Crew SupervisorFirst-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (37-1012) | $76,990 | $50,790–$109,910 | $58,430 | +32% | 1,570 |
| Tree Trimmer / ArboristTree Trimmers and Pruners (37-3013) | $75,980 | $47,940–$100,750 | $50,960 | +49% | 990 |
| Licensed Pesticide ApplicatorPesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation (37-3012) | $54,420 | $43,570–$76,270 | $46,340 | +17% | 100 |
| Landscape Designer / ArchitectLandscape Architects (17-1012) | $119,730 | $71,970–$230,340 | $79,870 | +50% | 610 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, San Francisco 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 San Francisco commercial landscaping hiring actually plays out in 2026.
Why water-recapture design is a real differentiator, not a nice-to-have
The hub names drought-tolerant and water-recapture design expertise as a market differentiator - a designer without this knowledge is at a real disadvantage bidding tech campus and podium-plaza work here.
Why podium plaza work is a distinct design challenge
Mixed-use podium plazas sit atop structural decks with load and drainage constraints ground-level landscaping doesn't face - a genuine technical differentiator tied directly to the Transbay district's continued buildout.
What this means for sourcing
We source against verified water-recapture design and podium-plaza 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 San Francisco commercial landscaping clients, these are the highest-volume roles we've recruited for in the last 24 months.
- Commercial landscape designer (water-recapture/drought-tolerant)
- Podium plaza landscape specialist
- Landscape crew foreman
- Grounds maintenance manager
For the broader picture across every commercial trade in San Francisco, see the San Francisco 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 San Francisco, plainly.
Same approach we use in every market - but tuned for what works in San Francisco's commercial landscaping segment specifically:
- Same-day intake call. We get the role, the project context, the budget, your dealbreakers. For San Francisco landscaping work, we also confirm whether the role sits within podium-plaza scope or standard tech-campus grounds work.
- Candidate sourcing within 48 hours. We pull from our existing San Francisco commercial landscaping candidate network, filtered for verified water-recapture design credentials and relevant project history.
- Vetted short list (week one to several weeks). Three to five candidates. We verify real design portfolios and podium-plaza 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 San Francisco documented general context.
San Francisco runs 16% 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 San Francisco's commercial landscaping market compares
In 2023 the San Francisco metro had 1,164 landscaping companies (counted by business location), with about 11,723 people on their payrolls. Average pay at those firms was $59,388, 23% above the national average of $48,279 for the same kind of employer. Headcount fell 0.4% 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 25 per 100,000 residents against 37 nationally. Fewer local employers means experienced people are easier to identify, but many work for firms based outside the metro.
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, San Francisco ranks 14th for headcount, 4th for median pay and 83rd for concentration for landscaping and groundskeeping workers. Pay here is among the highest we see, so offers need to start near the top of the range.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 27,860 | $44,650 | 0.73 | 2,053 |
| Riverside | 13,190 | $43,650 | 1.25 | 1,009 |
| San Francisco | 12,270 | $48,040 | 0.84 | 1,164 |
| San Diego | 10,870 | $45,560 | 1.15 | 966 |
| Sacramento | 7,410 | $45,110 | 1.12 | 766 |
| San Jose | 6,000 | $48,330 | 0.86 | 519 |
| Fresno | 3,040 | $40,710 | 1.04 | 211 |
| Bakersfield | 1,630 | $43,770 | 0.79 | 151 |
| Stockton | 1,390 | $44,280 | 0.78 | 168 |
| Modesto | 1,080 | $45,740 | 0.90 | 120 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial landscaping employers in San Francisco, the headline number is misleading. About 12,270 landscaping and groundskeeping workers work here, one of the larger workforces we cover, but relative to the size of the local economy the trade is thinner than average, so every other employer is drawing on the same people. Local employers have been shedding headcount, so the experienced people who remain are usually well placed and slow to move. Expect to recruit people who are already employed, and to make the case for moving.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, San Francisco metro. Employers are counted by business location.
How San Francisco's commercial landscaping market has changed since 2018.
The number of landscaping companies in San Francisco rose from 1,115 in 2018 to 1,164 in 2023, up 4%, behind the 13% growth nationally. Their combined payroll headcount barely moved, at about 11,723. Average annual pay there went from $47,658 to $59,388 (+25%), slower than the 31% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping companies: business locations | 1,115 | 1,164 | +4% |
| Landscaping companies: employment | 11,542 | 11,723 | +2% |
| Landscaping companies: average annual pay | $47,658 | $59,388 | +25% |
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 San Francisco.
What is driving commercial landscaping demand in San Francisco right now?
The tech campus build-out pipeline and the Transbay district high-rise towers are the named drivers - both real, ongoing trends with no verified regional dollar total.
Why does water-recapture design matter so much in this market?
The metro's own data names drought-tolerant and water-recapture design expertise as a real differentiator, given California's water constraints and the scale of tech campus development.
What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in San Francisco?
BLS puts the San Francisco median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $48,040 a year, 23% above the $39,150 national median. That ranks 4th of 112 metros with published figures, in the top quarter. Most of the market sits between $40,260 and $77,750, a 1.9x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. No other California metro we cover pays more for this work.
Is it hard to hire landscaping and groundskeeping workers in San Francisco?
Yes. San Francisco has 16% fewer landscaping and groundskeeping workers per job than the country as a whole, roughly 12,270 in the metro, so most of the people worth hiring are already employed. The 1,164 landscaping companies here average about 10 employees per location.
Which commercial landscaping roles pay the most in San Francisco?
Of the roles we recruit for, Landscape Designer / Architect pays the most in San Francisco, a $119,730 median. Landscape / Grounds Crew Member is the lowest-paid field role at $48,040. Relative to national pay, Landscape Designer / Architect is the strongest-paying role here (50% above).
How many landscaping companies operate in San Francisco?
BLS counted 1,164 landscaping companies in San Francisco in 2023, employing about 11,723 people between them. Up from 1,115 in 2018, a 4% increase against 13% growth nationally. That averages 10 people per location. They pay an average of $59,388, 23% above the $48,279 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with San Francisco for landscaping and groundskeeping workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are San Jose (42 miles, about 6,000, $48,330 median), Stockton (63 miles, about 1,390, $44,280 median) and Sacramento (75 miles, about 7,410, $45,110 median). San Francisco out-pays Stockton and Sacramento, an advantage when recruiting from there.
We have not closed a commercial landscaping search in San Francisco yet. Here is what we have closed.
These are other trades in the same market. We would rather show you the searches we have actually run in San Francisco than imply a record in this trade that we do not have yet.
- Roofing ShinglerThree weeks to add a safety-conscious shingler to a crew the client keeps building year-round.
- Roofing Project ManagerTwo decades of superintendent and project management experience against a five-year bar - placed in days.
- Commercial Construction ForemanFifteen years of construction with foreman-level crew leadership on both commercial and residential builds.
Hiring commercial landscaping talent in San Francisco?
Tell us the role. We'll tell you timeline and where we'd source the candidate - in under 30 minutes.