US greenkeepers see average salaries rise

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Golf course superintendents and their teams in the USA are being recognised for the value they bring to their facilities and communities with salary increases outpacing the national average. The average salary for superintendents has climbed to $109,621 (£88,000) annually.

The salary data comes from the latest biennial Compensation and Benefits Report from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA).

The new average salary is an increase of 12.6 percent over the 2021 report. This compares to the national average of all private sector occupations increasing 10.1 percent over the past two calendar years and continues the trend of increases in every two-year period for superintendents since the data was first tracked in 1993. Superintendents’ salaries have risen more than 146 percent since that first report.

Assistant superintendents and golf course equipment managers saw even higher increases in their incomes since 2021. Average assistant salaries rose 15.3 percent to $56,299 (£45,000), and equipment managers saw a 14.2 percent increase to $60,584 (nearly £49,000) from the average salary two years ago.

Certified Golf Course Superintendents (CGCS), saw their average salary rise to $128,731 (£103,500) in 2023 or 16 percent higher than the survey’s average for a superintendent. CGCS is GCSAA’s highest level of certification recognising a superintendent’s education, experience, and service.

“Superintendents and their teams bring the essential knowledge and expertise driving the enjoyment of the game of golf and providing environmental, economic and recreational benefits to their communities,” said Rhett Evans, GCSAA CEO. “The substantial rise in their salaries acknowledges golf course management teams for the highly skilled professionals that they are and the essential role they play in golf’s success.”

Another element of the report is the profile of GCSAA superintendents and their operations. The average age of a superintendent is 47.1 years, with 16.6 years in the profession. The average number of years superintendents have spent in their current position decreased slightly to 10.3 years.