How much to charge for lawn care
Lawn care is won or lost on route density — the same mow earns very differently depending on how far you drove to reach it.
Based on Bureau of Labor Statistics wages for lawn care providers in the national average:
Covers costs and tax with zero profit. Below this you are paying to work.
Pays you properly, covers overhead and self-employment tax, and leaves a 15% margin.
Specialised, in-demand, or booked out. Achievable once you are turning work away.
- Effective hourly rate
- $62.47/hr
- Billable hours per year
- 1,200
- Revenue at this rate
- $74,959
- Employee equivalentBLS wage for this work in your state
- $19.08/hr
How lawn care providers actually price their work
There is no single right structure — but there is usually a right one for each kind of job.
Per visit / per cut
The standard for residential mowing. $35–$80 typical for an average suburban lot.
Seasonal contract
A fixed monthly fee across the growing season. Smooths income and secures the route.
Per square foot
Large or commercial properties, and for fertilisation and treatment work.
The mistake that costs lawn care providers the most
Taking every job regardless of location. Two properties on the same street at $45 each beat two properties twenty minutes apart at $60. Density, not headline price, is what makes a lawn route profitable.
What lawn care overhead actually looks like
These are the defaults behind the calculator. Yours will differ — change the overhead figure above to match.
| Cost | Typical / year |
|---|---|
| Mower, trimmer, blower depreciation | $2,500 |
| Fuel and maintenance | $2,000 |
| Trailer and vehicle costs | $3,000 |
| Insurance and licensing | $800 |
| Total | $8,300 |
Where lawn care providers earn the most
Median hourly wage by state, from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.
| State | Median |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $22.75 |
| Massachusetts | $22.62 |
| Minnesota | $22.47 |
| Alaska | $22.36 |
| Washington | $22.21 |
| Maine | $21.86 |
| Colorado | $21.61 |
| Connecticut | $21.59 |
| Hawaii | $21.54 |
| New York | $21.49 |
Common questions about lawn care pricing
How much should I charge to mow a lawn?
A typical suburban lot runs $35–$60 per cut, larger properties $60–$120. Set a minimum charge no matter how small the lot — the drive and setup cost the same either way.
Should I offer seasonal contracts?
Yes. They stabilise cash flow, secure your route for the season, and reduce the weekly scheduling churn that quietly consumes unbillable hours.
Do I need a licence for lawn care?
Basic mowing usually needs no occupational licence, but applying pesticides or fertiliser generally requires state certification. Check your state requirements before offering treatments.
How this calculator works
The starting point is the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey (May 2024), which reports what lawn care providers earn as employees in each state.
An employee wage is not a business rate, and treating it as one is the most common reason home-based operators price below cost. An employer covers half your payroll tax, your benefits, your paid leave, and every non-billable hour of your day. Self-employed, all four come out of the same rate.
So the calculator grosses the wage up for self-employment tax (15.3% on 92.35% of net earnings), adds roughly 28% for benefits you now self-fund, adds your overhead, applies a 15% margin, and then divides by billable hours only — not hours worked.
These are estimates. Your market, specialisation and reputation move the number, and every assumption above is adjustable so you can disagree with ours.
Other pricing calculators
Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2024 (released 2026). This tool provides estimates only and is not financial advice.