FederalPay.org
Gardener - Federal Salaries of 2021
Pay Rates for "Gardener"
How much does a Gardener in the federal government get paid? $55,143.52* *Based on the 2021 average.Gardener was the 262nd most popular job in the U.S. Government in 2021, with 373 employed. The most common payscale was the nonsupervisory pay schedules - federal wage system payscale.
In 2021, the Veterans Health Administration hired the most employees titled Gardening, with an average salary of $50,433.
Government Gardening jobs are classified under the Federal Wage Schedule, Wage Grade (FWS) payscale. The minimum paygrade for a Gardening job is FWS-4, and the highest paygrade that can be attained within this job series is FWS-8. Remember that the starting and maximum yearly pay listed above reflect base pay only - your actual salary will be higher based on the Locality Pay Adjustment for the area in which you work.
This standard covers nonsupervisory work requiring knowledge of gardening procedures and skill in growing and tending lawns, flowers, shrubs, and trees. The work includes preparing soil for plants, seeding, thinning, transplanting, trimming, pruning, fertilizing, aerating, mulching, spraying, and dusting of grass, ground cover, flowers, shrubs, and trees.
Agencies that have hired a Gardener
| Agency | Employees Hired | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Health Administration | 179 | $50,432.66 |
| National Park Service | 78 | $61,572.14 |
| National Cemetery Administration | 46 | $55,533.46 |
| Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System | 13 | $71,282.23 |
| National Institute of Standards and Technology | 11 | $53,966.82 |
| Presidio Trust | 11 | $69,836.73 |
| Agricultural Research Service | 7 | $49,046.00 |
| National Gallery of Art | 7 | $58,200.14 |
| Smithsonian Institution (Exchange Sep Boards of Trust) | 6 | $58,910.83 |
| U.S. Coast Guard | 5 | $53,617.20 |
| Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service | 4 | $56,123.75 |
| 3 | $45,093.00 | |
| Public Buildings Service | 1 | $68,203.00 |
| Bureau of Land Management | 1 | $53,130.00 |
| Indian Health Service | 1 | $42,032.00 |
Gardener Pay Distribution
The average pay for a Gardener is $55,143.52. The highest paid Gardener made $97,212 in 2021.
Common Gardener Payscales
| Payscale | Number of Gardening Employees |
|---|---|
| WG - Nonsupervisory Pay Schedules - Federal Wage System | 302 |
| WS - Supervisory Pay Schedules - Federal Wage System | 45 |
| WL - Leader Pay Schedule - Federal Wage System | 15 |
| AD - Administratively Determined Rates, Not Elsewhere Specified | 11 |
| Starting Paygrade: | $8.78 to $21.06 / hour at paygrade FWS-4 |
| Maximum Paygrade: | $10.68 to $28.58 / hour at paygrade FWS-8 |
| Occupation Family: | PLANT AND ANIMAL WORK FAMILY |
Other Jobs at the FWS-4 Paygrade
FWS-4 is the starting paygrade for Gardening jobs. Here are some other Federal Government jobs that can be held by employees at the FWS-4 paygrade.
| Occupation | Starting Paygrade | Maximum Paygrade |
|---|---|---|
| Small Craft Operating | FWS-4 | FWS-12 |
| Fabric Working | FWS-1 | FWS-9 |
| Masonry | FWS-1 | FWS-10 |
| Animal Caretaking | FWS-4 | FWS-5 |
| Cemetery Caretaking | FWS-2 | FWS-6 |
Average Gardening Pay Trend from 2004 to 2021
In 2004, the average pay for a Gardener was $41,098. Since then, the average pay has increased to $55,144 in 2021.
Data Sources
The information provided on these pages is sourced from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) 
Enterprise Human Resources Integration (EHRI) dataset. Postal Service data is managed exclusively by the USPS . All information is displayed unmodified and as provided by the source agency.
Federal employee salaries are public information under open government laws (5 U.S.C. § 552). FederalPay provides this data in the interest of government transparency — employee data may not be used for commercial soliciting or vending of any kind. Learn more about the FederalPay Employees Dataset here.
The series code of this occupation is 5003.