Landscape architects held more than 16,000 jobs in 1996. Two out of every five landscape architects worked for firms that provide landscape-architecture services, while most others worked for architectural firms. Still others worked for the federal government, primarily in the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Defense and Interior.

In 1996, about 3 out of every 10 landscape architects were self-employed. In the same year, nearly 1 out of every 4 landscapers, groundskeepers and nursery workers were self-employed and provided landscape maintenance directly to customers on a contract basis.

The future should bring excellent job opportunities for people interested in landscaping, groundskeeping, nursery, greenhouse and lawn-service occupations, as employment is expected to increase 10 to 20 percent between 1996 and 2006. "Because of high turnover, a large number of job openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force. These occupations attract many part-time workers and people who under-estimate the amount of hard physical labor and are not committed to this work."

Grounds Maintenance conducted a salary survey in March 1996. From the results, we drew a composite of a typical grounds manager based on the median values of responses received and discovered that he or she: * Is one of five grounds-care employees at the operation * Supervises four employees * Has been in his/her present job for 9 years * Earns $37,410 annually * Manages 100 acres * Has an operating budget of $231,776 * Gets a 4.5-percent annual salary increase * Gets 14 paid vacation days after 5 years * Receives 8 paid holidays each year. Source: 1996 Grounds Maintenance Salary Survey.

For a copy of the complete 1996 Grounds Maintenance Salary Survey, mail a $50 check or money order along with your shipping address to: Grounds Maintenance, Marketing Department, 9800 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park, KS 66212-2216. For more information, call Molly McKane, marketing manager, (913) 967-1959.