Commercial landscaping recruiters serving San Jose.
Corporate tech-campus landscaping at scale, with stormwater management a real consideration on the large new data-center pads being developed.
The AI boom, expanding into a new grounds-work category.
Metro pay for every role we recruit is in the table below. What the hub does name: corporate tech-campus landscaping at scale, with stormwater management as a real consideration on the large new data-center pads being developed.
We recruit across the full org chart for commercial landscaping contractors in San Jose against that documented context.
A logistics developer moving into hyperscale data centers.
Evidence the boom now reaches beyond the traditional tech giants.
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A major logistics/industrial developer moving into hyperscale data-center construction - evidence the AI-driven data-center boom is creating large new impervious pads requiring dedicated stormwater management grounds work.
What commercial landscaping roles pay in San Jose.
In the San Jose metro, BLS puts the median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $48,330 a year, 23% above the $39,150 national median. Among the 112 metros BLS publishes for this occupation, San Jose ranks 3rd on pay. The range runs from $42,350 at the 10th percentile to $73,980 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 $119,910 median. National benchmarks by role are in the 2026 Commercial Landscaping Salary Guide.
| Role | San Jose median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscape / Grounds Crew MemberLandscaping and Groundskeeping Workers (37-3011) | $48,330 | $42,350–$73,980 | $39,150 | +23% | 6,000 |
| Grounds Crew SupervisorFirst-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (37-1012) | $69,590 | $49,020–$105,660 | $58,430 | +19% | 830 |
| Tree Trimmer / ArboristTree Trimmers and Pruners (37-3013) | $63,630 | $47,840–$97,310 | $50,960 | +25% | 650 |
| Licensed Pesticide ApplicatorPesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation (37-3012) | $47,430 | $44,640–$65,350 | $46,340 | +2% | 70 |
| Landscape Designer / ArchitectLandscape Architects (17-1012) | $119,910 | $77,390–$167,250 | $79,870 | +50% | 70 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, San Jose 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 Jose commercial landscaping hiring actually plays out in 2026.
Why stormwater management on data-center pads is the specific scope
The hub names stormwater management directly for the large new data-center pads being developed - functional site drainage design, not decorative corporate landscaping.
Why the AI-driven boom is pulling in new developers, not just the usual tech giants
Prologis moving into hyperscale data-center construction is named by the hub as evidence the boom now extends beyond traditional tech-campus landscaping into an entirely new category of large-pad grounds work.
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 San Jose 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 San Jose, see the San Jose 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 Jose, plainly.
Same approach we use in every market - but tuned for what works in San Jose's commercial landscaping segment specifically:
- Same-day intake call. We get the role, the project context, the budget, your dealbreakers. For San Jose landscaping work, we also confirm whether the role sits within data-center pad scope or standard tech-campus work.
- Candidate sourcing within 48 hours. We pull from our existing San Jose commercial landscaping candidate network, filtered for verified hyperscale-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 San Jose documented general context.
San Jose runs 14% 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 Jose's commercial landscaping market compares
In 2023 the San Jose metro had 519 landscaping companies (counted by business location), with about 6,381 people on their payrolls. Average pay at those firms was $57,909, 19.9% above the national average of $48,279 for the same kind of employer. Headcount grew 2.7% 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 26 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 Jose ranks 36th for headcount, 3rd for median pay and 80th 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 Jose, the local pool is thin but growing. Expect a mix of local candidates and people recruited in from nearby metros, and budget for relocation on senior roles.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, San Jose metro. Employers are counted by business location.
How San Jose's commercial landscaping market has changed since 2018.
The number of landscaping companies in San Jose rose from 489 in 2018 to 519 in 2023, up 6%, behind the 13% growth nationally. Headcount at those firms went up 25%, to about 6,381 people. Average annual pay there went from $44,818 to $57,909 (+29%), in step with the 31% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping companies: business locations | 489 | 519 | +6% |
| Landscaping companies: employment | 5,109 | 6,381 | +25% |
| Landscaping companies: average annual pay | $44,818 | $57,909 | +29% |
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 Jose.
What is driving commercial landscaping demand in San Jose right now?
The Prologis South San Jose data center is the named driver - a major logistics developer entering hyperscale data-center construction, creating large new impervious pads.
Why does stormwater management matter for data-center campuses in San Jose?
The metro's own data names stormwater management as a real consideration on the large new data-center pads being developed, given the scale of impervious surface involved.
What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in San Jose?
BLS puts the San Jose median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $48,330 a year, 23% above the $39,150 national median. That ranks 3rd of 112 metros with published figures, in the top quarter. Most of the market sits between $42,350 and $73,980, a 1.7x 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 Jose?
It is about average. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers are as common in San Jose as they are nationally (location quotient 0.86), with about 6,000 in the metro. The 519 landscaping companies here average about 12 employees per location.
Which commercial landscaping roles pay the most in San Jose?
Of the roles we recruit for, Landscape Designer / Architect pays the most in San Jose, a $119,910 median. Licensed Pesticide Applicator is the lowest-paid field role at $47,430. Relative to national pay, Landscape Designer / Architect is the strongest-paying role here (50% above).
How many landscaping companies operate in San Jose?
BLS counted 519 landscaping companies in San Jose in 2023, employing about 6,381 people between them. Up from 489 in 2018, a 6% increase against 13% growth nationally. That averages 12 people per location. They pay an average of $57,909, 20% above the $48,279 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with San Jose for landscaping and groundskeeping workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are San Francisco (42 miles, about 12,270, $48,040 median), Modesto (53 miles, about 1,080, $45,740 median) and Stockton (54 miles, about 1,390, $44,280 median). San Francisco has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. San Jose out-pays Modesto and Stockton, an advantage when recruiting from there.
Hiring commercial landscaping talent in San Jose?
Tell us the role. We'll tell you timeline and where we'd source the candidate - in under 30 minutes.