Also called: Director of Agronomy (Golf), Course Superintendent
Manages everything that grows on a golf course, keeping greens perfect for thousands of rounds a year.
You're on the course at 5 a.m. in a utility cart, checking soil moisture with a probe and deciding where crews mow, roll, and water. You battle fungus, heat stress, and geese, manage a crew of 20, and juggle a big budget. Tournament weeks are intense.
Industry surveys (GCSAA); top private clubs pay much more. BLS rolls this into landscaping supervisors.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Two- or four-year degree in turfgrass science, plus years as an assistant superintendent.
Ways in: 4-year college, 2-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Turfgrass Science, Horticulture, Agronomy.
Growing about average. Industry reports a shortage of assistants and superintendents.
Low risk for 10 years. Robot mowers and soil sensors cut routine labor; managing turf health, crews and budgets stays human.
Classes: Biology, Chemistry, Agriculture science CTE.
Official data: O*NET occupation 37-1012.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.