GCSAA Survey shows rise in salaries for Golf Course Superintendents
Employers of golf course superintendents continue to reinforce the value they place in golf course facility leaders as the average annual salary for the profession climbed to more than US$93,000 (£72,750) in 2019.
Salaries are on the rise for golf course superintendents. Picture by Paul Lakatos/R&A
The average salary and additional data come from the latest biennial Compensation and Benefits Report from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA).
The 2019 report showed that the US$93,176 average salary was an increase of 4.5% over the 2017 report, continuing the trend of increases in every two-year period since GCSAA began tracking the data in 1993. Superintendents' salaries have more than doubled in the last quarter century since that first report, when the average salary was US$44,500 (£34,816).
Certified golf course superintendents, those who have achieved the highest level of recognition through education, experience and service, saw an increase of more than one per cent over 2017. Their average salary rose to US$111,250 (£87,000), an increase of US$1,630 (£1,275) over 2017.
Assistant superintendents and golf course equipment managers also saw increases in their incomes. Assistant salaries rose 7.3%, and equipment managers saw a seven per cent increase from the average salary two years ago.
Rhett Evans, GCSAA CEO
"It is heartening to see golf course owners continue to invest in golf course superintendents and their staffs," said Rhett Evans, GCSAA CEO. "They know the value of these highly educated professionals who oversee the golf facility's top asset."
The report also gives a good picture of the profile of GCSAA superintendents and their operations. The average age of a superintendent is 46.5 years, and they have spent 16.4 years in the profession. The average number of years superintendents have spent in their current position stayed steady at 10.5 years.
Between December 2018 and January 2019, the association research firm Industry Insights sent the 2019 survey to all GCSAA Class A and Class B members and the response rate was 45%, with a margin of error of +/-1.3% and a 95% level of confidence.
