What Does it Take to Be a Nursery Worker?
Nursery Worker Definition Work in nursery facilities or at customer location planting, cultivating, harvesting, and transplanting trees, shrubs, or plants.
A Day in the Life of a Nursery Worker
- Maintain inventory, ordering materials as required.
- Dig, cut, and transplant seedlings, cuttings, trees, and shrubs.
- Fill growing tanks with water.
- Haul and spread topsoil, fertilizer, peat moss, and other materials to condition soil, using wheelbarrows or carts and shovels.
- Inspect plants and bud ties to assess quality.
- Provide information and advice to the public regarding the selection, purchase, and care of products.
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Nursery Worker Needed Skills
When polled, Nursery Workers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Types of Nursery Worker Jobs
- Flower Planter
- Planting Material Remover
- Planting Material Unloader
- Picker
- Bulb Packer
Is There Job Demand for Nursery Workers?
There were about 503,700 jobs for Nursery Worker in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 1.1% which is below the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 5,500 new jobs for Nursery Worker by 2026. The BLS estimates 76,800 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Nursery Worker are Alaska, Nevada, and Vermont. Watch out if you plan on working in South Carolina, Florida, or Hawaii. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Nursery Worker Average Salary
The average yearly salary of a Nursery Worker ranges between $21,900 and $35,200.

Nursery Workers who work in District of Columbia, Wyoming, or Vermont, make the highest salaries.
How much do Nursery Workers make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $22,820 |
Alaska | $26,030 |
Arizona | $25,120 |
Arkansas | $22,020 |
California | $26,240 |
Colorado | $31,870 |
Connecticut | $29,760 |
Delaware | $28,390 |
District of Columbia | $38,760 |
Florida | $24,520 |
Georgia | $23,410 |
Hawaii | $32,740 |
Idaho | $24,340 |
Illinois | $30,020 |
Indiana | $24,820 |
Iowa | $30,630 |
Kansas | $28,450 |
Kentucky | $27,180 |
Louisiana | $26,060 |
Maine | $29,520 |
Maryland | $31,900 |
Massachusetts | $34,500 |
Michigan | $25,130 |
Minnesota | $31,510 |
Mississippi | $25,040 |
Missouri | $29,010 |
Montana | $24,850 |
Nebraska | $31,430 |
Nevada | $24,720 |
New Hampshire | $28,640 |
New Jersey | $27,810 |
New Mexico | $21,360 |
New York | $32,720 |
North Carolina | $24,770 |
North Dakota | $30,830 |
Ohio | $25,730 |
Oklahoma | $29,930 |
Oregon | $26,440 |
Pennsylvania | $29,270 |
South Carolina | $27,700 |
South Dakota | $28,560 |
Tennessee | $22,700 |
Texas | $22,120 |
Utah | $26,870 |
Vermont | $31,680 |
Virginia | $27,910 |
Washington | $29,430 |
West Virginia | $25,430 |
Wisconsin | $26,870 |
Wyoming | $35,260 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Nursery Workers
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Nursery Workers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- IBM Lotus Notes
How to Become a Nursery Worker
Individuals working as a Nursery Worker have obtained the following education levels:

What work experience do I need to become a Nursery Worker?

Who Employs Nursery Workers?

The table below shows the approximate number of Nursery Workers employed by various industries.

Similar Careers
Those interested in being a Nursery Worker may also be interested in:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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