How Much Should You Pay Someone to Mow Your Lawn?

Unless you live in a HOA community, then mowing the lawn is a responsibility that falls on you. While you could buy a lawnmower and trim it yourself, that can be time-consuming and difficult — perhaps you don’t own a lawnmower, or you don’t have the time or energy to trim it yourself. Luckily, there are people out there — both professional landscapers and non-professionals — who can do this service for you in a timely and efficient manner. This raises the question of how much to pay for lawn mowing.

Ahead, we spoke with a lawn mowing expert about how much to pay for lawn mowing and the factors to consider when it comes to finding someone to get the job done — here’s what he had to say.

How Much Should I Pay a Non-Professional to Mow My Lawn?

It’s likely that a teenager in the neighborhood may knock on your door if your grass is growing out and ask to mow your lawn. In some cases, an overeager teen might say they’ll do the whole thing for $20 — in that case, you found yourself a pretty good deal. If they don’t have a price in mind, Steve Corcoran, CEO of Lawn Love, says $30 is pretty average for a non-professional. For those larger lawns, you could bump that price up to $40 as a nice gesture.

Even though they may not be professional per se, they are doing work for you and deserve a tip, too, so don’t forget that — an extra $5 or $10 can go a long way, especially if they did a great job. You may even find that they come back to help shovel in the winter, too, so it’s a win-win, and you have someone you trust, too.

How Much Should I Pay a Professional to Mow My Lawn?

As you can imagine, paying a professional to mow your lawn will be more expensive. That said, you aren’t just paying them for their time but also their expertise.

“Professionals tend to have more in-depth or expansive knowledge about lawn care and landscaping, while non-professionals may just know how to mow lawns with a mower and their expertise ends at that,” says Corcoran. “Professionals also typically have more formal training and certifications.”

According to Corcoran, the overall average across the country for hiring a lawn mower is about $77 – with it going as low as about $30 for small yards and non-professionals or upwards of $250 for professionals and large yards.

Additionally, other factors can influence the cost, such as the size of your yard, its specific needs, average labor costs in your area, the time it takes to complete the job, how many people come out to do the job and more. “Where you live plays a big factor too; for example, it will cost more in southern California than in Mississippi,” Corcoran says.

When it comes to paying a professional lawn mower, flat rates are generally preferred over hourly rates. For those bigger yards and lawns, more than one professional may come out to do the job. In this case, an equal rate is expected for each individual and separate tips so everyone goes home satisfied.

Should You Tip a Landscaping Service for Mowing the Lawn?

Yes, similar to any other industry where someone else completes a service for you, a tip is customary. “The appropriate tip depends on the cost of the job, but the average tip for a single job is about $7,” says Corcoran.

You can’t go wrong with tipping 20 percent, just like you would at a restaurant or nail salon. If it’s super hot outside, then maybe tack on a few extra dollars to show your gratitude for the hustle and effort put in.

At the end of the day, having a well-maintained lawn is essential to making sure your home looks its best all year round (especially during the spring and summer months) and helps minimize the risk of pests such as ticks and fleas. Whether you opt for a professional landscaper to get the job done or a neighborhood teen, be sure to pay them appropriately and treat them with respect.

About the Experts

• Steve Corcoran, CEO of Lawn Love; email interview, March 28, 2025.