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How Education Level Impacts Average Turf Manager Salaries
Education plays a substantial role in expected golf course superintendent salaries. The chart below shows the average annual base salaries of golf course superintendents based on their level of education. You’ll see that the average base salary for 2-year certificate holders is only slightly below the average base salary for those who have earned bachelors degrees. In short, golf course superintendents with a Two-Year Certificate are among the top earners nationwide, according to the 2023 GCSAA Compensation & Benefits Report.
National Average Base Salary of a Golf Course Superintendent, Shown in Relation to Education Level – Bar Chart
Source: Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) 2023 Compensation and Benefits Report
National Average Base Salary of a Golf Course Superintendent, Shown in Relation to Education Level – Table
The table below displays the same data as the bar chart above to ensure accessibility for all website visitors.
| High School | $75,886 |
| Some College | $87,189 |
| 1-Year Certificate | $94,974 |
| 2-Year Certificate | $107,125 |
| Associates Degree | $103,820 |
| Bachelors Degree | $116,088 |
Average Turf Manager Salaries
Interns and entry level groundscrew members can expect to earn anywhere between minimum wage and upwards of $20 an hour. With experience and education, novice greenskeepers can work up the career ladder. There are many greens team positions to grow into, such as equipment manager, spray technician, irrigation technician, foreman, assistant superintendent, and superintendent.
According to the 2023 Compensation and Benefits report by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), golf course superintendents make an average of $109,621 annually (a 12.6% increase from the 2021 survey responses), whereas the average base salary for an assistant superintendent is $56,299 (a 15.3% increase from the 2021 survey responses).
Other Factors that Affect Average Golf Turf Manager Salaries
Golf course superintendent salaries vary widely by state. According to the 2023 GCSAA Compensation and Benefits report, the mean salary for New Jersey golf course superintendents is $135,558—the fourth highest in the nation (after California, Connecticut, and Rhode Island). In Pennsylvania, the average golf course superintendent salary is $104,851, while in North Dakota it is $73,402.
In addition to education level and course location, the type of facility plays a role in how much staff members earn. A turf manager’s salary depends on whether he or she works on a private, public, or municipal golf course. Private courses offer the highest salaries.
Increase Your Earning Potential by Attending Rutgers Professional Golf Turf Management School
As is often said, there is no substitute for hard work. Years of experience, years of loyalty to a particular golf course, management skills, talent for motivating crews, and countless other factors affect the salary a golf course turf manager or superintendent may earn.
The Rutgers Professional Golf Turf Management School is designed to help up-and-coming turf managers, like you, do their jobs better, so they can advance their careers and grow their salaries. We teach our students to work smarter, not harder, by offering the education that turf managers need to succeed in the greens industry. Our curriculum is focused on the math (calculating area, fractions for pesticide calibration, etc.) and science (insect life cycles, PH levels of soil, etc.) behind turfgrass management. In addition, our expert instructors cover budgeting and management techniques, the very skills which often differentiate superintendents from assistants.
If you have a high school diploma/GED and at least one season of work experience on a golf course or sports field, we invite you to apply now for our Two-Year Certificate Program! Our Three-Week Preparatory Course is a great option for those who do not meet these prerequisites.
Questions about our programs? Contact us!
Suzanne Hills, Program Coordinator
848-932-7234 | 2yearturf@njaes.rutgers.edu | 3weekturf@njaes.rutgers.edu
