A Survey of Two-Year and Four-Year Turfgrass Management Teaching Programs in the United States: I. Enrollment Trends, Job Opportunities, and Starting Salaries

Abstract

Instruction in turfgrass management throughout the USA varies from 2-yr programs that offer either a Certificate of Completion or an Associate of Applied Science (AS) degree to 4-yr Bachelor of Science (BS) programs. No published information, however, is available that compares these programs regarding enrollment trends, job opportunities, and starting salaries. Therefore, a questionnaire was mailed to 50 land-grant institutions that offer formal instruction in turfgrass management at the 4-yr BS degree level. At the same time, a similar questionnaire was mailed to 42 colleges and universities that offer instruction in turfgrass management at the 2-yr AS degree level. Overall response to the 4-yr questionnaire was 92%, whereas response to the 2-yr questionnaire was 52%. Enrollment in 1988 averaged 48 students in 2-yr programs compared with 14 students in 4-yr programs. From 1985 to 1987, 2-yr schools averaged 20.2 graduates and had 4.4 job opportunities per graduate. Four-year schools averaged 4.0 graduates and had 4.2 job opportunities per graduate. Two-year graduates were employed equally by golf course and lawn care industries at a starting salary of $17 218. Four-year graduates were employed predominately by the golf course industry at a starting salary of $19 500. Instructors at both schools reported that the trend in number of turf graduates over the years will remain unchanged or increase and that the current graduation rate was inadequate to meet industry needs. With the exception of enrollments, differences between programs were minor.