Commercial Irrigation recruiters serving Albany.
About 2,400 landscaping and groundskeeping workers work in the Albany metro, at a $41,290 median. BLS counts 380 business locations of landscaping companies across the metro. We recruit Commercial Irrigation talent in Albany from a standing, credential-verified pipeline. Below: local pay for every role we staff, the state licensing rules that apply and the nearby markets competing for the same people.
Positions we recruit for in Albany.
BLS counts about 4,230 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Albany metro, the largest group being landscaping and groundskeeping workers (about 2,400). Relative to the size of the local economy, landscaping and groundskeeping workers are less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.87). Local headcount and median pay are shown on each role.
Irrigation Technician / Installer
BLS 37-3011 - Grounds Maintenance Workers; no dedicated BLS code for irrigation installation specifically
Albany: 2,400 employed · $41,290 median, 37th-highest of 112 metros
Certified Irrigation Technician (CIT)
BLS 37-3011 - Grounds Maintenance Workers; CIT is an Irrigation Association credential, not a separate BLS occupation
Albany: 2,400 employed · $41,290 median, 37th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation System Designer
BLS 17-1012 - Landscape Architects is the nearest tracked occupation; the working credential is the Irrigation Association's Certified Irrigation Designer (CID)
Albany: 90 employed · $83,590 median, 25th-highest of 78 metros
Backflow Prevention Specialist
BLS 47-2152 - Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters; backflow/cross-connection testing runs on the ASSE 5110 credential
Albany: 1,470 employed · $77,460 median, 17th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Service / Repair Technician
BLS 37-3011 - Grounds Maintenance Workers
Albany: 2,400 employed · $41,290 median, 37th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Foreman / Crew Lead
BLS 37-1012 - First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers
Albany: 270 employed · $64,900 median, 13th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Project Manager
BLS 11-9021 - Construction Managers; bid-to-build oversight on irrigation and site-water scopes
Albany: 570 employed · $130,980 median, 13th-highest of 111 metros
Irrigation Estimator
BLS 13-1051 - Cost Estimators; irrigation takeoffs and bid pricing
Albany: 620 employed · $81,290 median, 29th-highest of 111 metros
Smart / Controller Systems Technician
BLS 37-3011 - Grounds Maintenance Workers is the nearest tracked occupation; no dedicated BLS code exists for irrigation-automation specialists
Albany: 2,400 employed · $41,290 median, 37th-highest of 112 metros
Landscape Water Management Auditor
BLS 37-3011 - Grounds Maintenance Workers is the nearest tracked occupation; the working credential is the Irrigation Association's CLIA, recognized by EPA WaterSense
Albany: 2,400 employed · $41,290 median, 37th-highest of 112 metros
What Commercial Irrigation roles earn in Albany.
In the Albany metro, the median wage for landscaping and groundskeeping workers is $41,290 a year, 5% above the $39,150 national median. Most earn between $35,590 and $54,600. Of the other roles listed, landscape architects earn the most locally, at a $83,590 median.
| Role | Albany median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irrigation Technician / Installer · Certified Irrigation Technician (CIT) · Irrigation Service / Repair TechnicianLandscaping and Groundskeeping Workers (37-3011) | $41,290 | $35,590–$54,600 | $39,150 | +5% | 2,400 |
| Irrigation System DesignerLandscape Architects (17-1012) | $83,590 | $61,380–$127,820 | $79,870 | +5% | 90 |
| Backflow Prevention SpecialistPlumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) | $77,460 | $47,050–$116,550 | $63,800 | +21% | 1,470 |
| Irrigation Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (37-1012) | $64,900 | $47,590–$88,640 | $58,430 | +11% | 270 |
| Irrigation Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $130,980 | $79,020–$219,090 | $114,990 | +14% | 570 |
| Irrigation EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $81,290 | $49,470–$130,060 | $78,740 | +3% | 620 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Albany metro. Range is 10th to 90th percentile; management and office roles are metro-wide.
Albany runs 13% fewer commercial irrigation workers per job than the country as a whole — below the national concentration. A thinner local pool means the people you want are already working, and usually for someone who would rather keep them.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 , Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers (nearest published occupation for this trade). Metro-wide figures for the base occupation; the wage table above is role-specific and commercial.
How Albany's commercial irrigation market compares
In 2023 the Albany metro had 380 landscaping companies (counted by business location), with about 1,892 people on their payrolls. BLS counts irrigation contractors under landscaping companies. Average pay at those firms was $49,417, in line with the national average of $48,279 for the same kind of employer. Headcount grew 3.5% over the year, faster than the 2.2% national increase, so local employers were adding people quicker than most of the country. That works out to 42 per 100,000 residents against 37 nationally, a crowded field where experienced people get approached often.
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Albany ranks 65th for headcount, 33rd for median pay and 78th for concentration for landscaping and groundskeeping workers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 50,410 | $45,530 | 0.87 | 8,422 |
| Rochester | 3,060 | $39,680 | 1.01 | 473 |
| Buffalo | 2,870 | $41,770 | 0.88 | 587 |
| Albany | 2,400 | $41,290 | 0.87 | 380 |
| Syracuse | 1,670 | $40,010 | 0.91 | 289 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial irrigation employers in Albany, the local pool is thin but growing. Expect a mix of local candidates and people recruited in from nearby metros, and budget for relocation on senior roles.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Albany metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Commercial Irrigation licensing in New York.
New York requires backflow testers to be certified. Since March 2011, initial certifications have been issued by training providers the Department of Health approves. The same state rules apply in New York, Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse, so candidates licensed there can work in Albany without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: New York State Department of Health. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Albany talent.
The closest metro we cover is Hartford, about 80 miles away, with roughly 4,060 landscaping and groundskeeping workers (1.7 times Albany's 2,400). Worcester pays the most nearby, a $47,980 median, 16% above Albany. That is the number any Albany offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. Bridgeport has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albany | – | 2,400 | $41,290 |
| Hartford | 82 mi | 4,060 | $44,860 |
| Worcester | 103 mi | 2,170 | $47,980 |
| Bridgeport | 106 mi | 4,920 | $46,430 |
| Syracuse | 124 mi | 1,670 | $40,010 |
| Scranton | 130 mi | 1,330 | $37,330 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
Frequently asked - Commercial Irrigation hiring in Albany.
What does it cost to hire commercial irrigation staff in Albany?
Median pay for landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Albany is $41,290 a year, per BLS. That is the midpoint for the metro, so half the market is paid above it — an offer at or below the median asks someone to move for no raise. Specialty and supervisory roles sit well above it, and the wage table on this page breaks those out by role.
How hard is it to hire commercial irrigation staff in Albany?
Albany has 13% fewer landscaping and groundskeeping workers per job than the country as a whole, below the national concentration. Albany employs about 2,400 of them. A thinner pool means the people you want already have jobs, usually with someone who would rather keep them. Filling these seats is outbound work, not a posting.
How many commercial irrigation employers are there in Albany?
In 2023 the Albany metro had 380 landscaping companies (counted by business location), with about 1,892 people on their payrolls. BLS counts irrigation contractors under landscaping companies. Source: BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2023.
How does Albany compare with other metros for irrigation hiring?
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Albany ranks 65th for headcount, 33rd for median pay and 78th for concentration for landscaping and groundskeeping workers.
How does Albany compare with other New York metros for irrigation talent?
Albany has the 4th-largest landscaping and groundskeeping workers workforce of the 5 New York metros we cover, with about 2,400. For comparison: New York (50,410), Rochester (3,060), Buffalo (2,870). Candidates often move between these metros, so a search here usually reaches into them too.
What Commercial Irrigation positions does My Trade Talent recruit for in Albany?
We maintain a standing pipeline across 10 Commercial Irrigation roles in the Albany market - from Irrigation Technician / Installer through Landscape Water Management Auditor. The largest of these occupations in the Albany metro is landscaping and groundskeeping workers, with about 2,400 people employed; each role above shows its local headcount and median pay.
What do Commercial Irrigation roles pay in Albany?
In the Albany metro, BLS puts the median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $41,290 a year (most earn $35,590 to $54,600). Local medians for other roles we staff: landscape architects $83,590; plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters $77,460; first-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers $64,900. Figures are BLS OEWS, May 2025. The wage table on this page covers every role listed, and the free Salary Guide breaks pay down further.
Can you staff smart-irrigation controller specialists?
Yes - Smart/Controller Systems Technicians who work with irrigation automation are part of our standing pipeline.
How fast can My Trade Talent fill a Commercial Irrigation role in Albany?
Albany has a thinner pool of landscaping and groundskeeping workers than most metros (location quotient 0.87, about 2,400 people), so senior and certified roles often mean recruiting people who are already employed, or from nearby metros. Because we keep a standing Commercial Irrigation pipeline, most Albany searches still start with a first slate of vetted candidates within 48 hours rather than a cold posting.
Every hire from zero is a tax on your team.
Every week a seat sits open in Albany, the rest of your crew is covering for it. Let's build your Commercial Irrigation pipeline.
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