Superintendent salaries continue to rise according to new GCSAA report

Superintendents and their crews saw an average salary increase of 14 percent from 2021 according to a GCSAA report.

A new report from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) shows golf course superintendents and their teams continue to see salary increases outpacing the national average. The average salary for superintendents has climbed to $109,621 annually.

“Superintendents and their teams bring the essential knowledge and expertise driving the enjoyment of the game of golf and providing environmental, economic and recreational benefits to their communities,” said Rhett Evans, GCSAA CEO. “The substantial rise in their salaries acknowledges golf course management teams for the highly skilled professionals that they are and the essential role they play in golf’s success.”

The salary data, from the GCSAA’s biennial Compensation and Benefits Report shows an average salary of $109,621. More than 3,200 GCSAA-member superintendents responded to the survey — a response rate of 40 percent — providing salary, budget, benefits and staffing information.

The new average salary is an increase of 12.6 percent over the 2021 report and continues a trend of increases since GCSAA began tracking the data in 1993. Superintendents’ salaries have risen more than 146 percent since the first report when the average salary was $44,500.

Assistant superintendents and golf course equipment managers saw even higher increases in their incomes. Average assistant salaries rose 15.3 percent to $56,299, and equipment managers saw a 14.2 percent increase to $60,584.

Certified Golf Course Superintendents (CGCS), saw their average salary rise to $128,731 in 2023, or 16 percent higher than the survey’s average for a superintendent.

Another element of the report is the profile of GCSAA superintendents and their operations. The average age of a superintendent is 47.1 years, with 16.6 years in the profession. The average number of years superintendents have spent in their current position decreased slightly to 10.3 years.