How To Become A Nursery Manager: What It Is and Career Path

What is a nursery manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted Expert

Dr. Neil Anderson

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a nursery manager. For example, did you know that they make an average of $19.48 an hour? That's $40,526 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow -3% and produce -23,600 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a Nursery Manager?

Dr. Neil Anderson

Professor, University of Minnesota

As you take courses, talk with your cohort colleagues and professors to learn more about each topic area. Identify one that excites you and that you're passionate about and take more courses in that field. Do they still spark your passion for this topic? Maybe this is the professional area for you! If so, land an internship in your junior year in that specific area so you can learn more about it as well as see if this is something you could do full time in your future profession.

ScoreNursery ManagerUS Average

Salary

3.2

Avg. Salary $40,526

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

6.0

Growth Rate -3%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.56%

Asian 1.51%

Black or African American 1.04%

Hispanic or Latino 7.19%

Unknown 2.87%

White 86.82%

Gender

female 45.21%

male 54.79%

Age - 48

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 48

Stress Level

6.0

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

7.5

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

4.8

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a nursery manager

Explore nursery manager education requirements

Most common nursery manager degrees

Bachelor's

57.1 %

Associate

24.5 %

High School Diploma

8.8 %

Start to develop specific nursery manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	20.02%
Greenhouse	12.23%
Nursery Stock	6.74%
Plant Care	4.47%
Plant Material	4.16%

Complete relevant nursery manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New nursery managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a nursery manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real nursery manager resumes.

Research nursery manager duties and responsibilities

Develop and manage plant propagation using hydroponic and soil systems at the college greenhouse.
Manage and maintain permaculture gardens and environmental educator.
Leaf blowers, sidewalk sweepers, and bushhogs.
Direct liaison for state, USDA, and county inspectors.

Prepare your nursery manager resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your nursery manager resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a nursery manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Nursery Manager Resume templates

Build a professional Nursery Manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Nursery Manager resume.

Apply for nursery manager jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a nursery manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do nursery managers rate their job?