Commercial Irrigation recruiters serving Birmingham.
About 2,880 landscaping and groundskeeping workers work in the Birmingham metro, at a $36,600 median. BLS counts 400 business locations of landscaping companies across the metro. 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 Birmingham.
BLS counts about 5,200 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Birmingham metro, the largest group being landscaping and groundskeeping workers (about 2,880). Relative to the size of the local economy, landscaping and groundskeeping workers are less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.90). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Irrigation hub.
Irrigation Technician / Installer
Birmingham: 2,880 employed · $36,600 median, 90th-highest of 112 metros
Certified Irrigation Technician (CIT)
Irrigation System Designer
Birmingham: 70 employed · $109,010 median, 3rd-highest of 78 metros
Backflow Prevention Specialist
Birmingham: 1,840 employed · $60,090 median, 73rd-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Service / Repair Technician
Irrigation Foreman / Crew Lead
Birmingham: 410 employed · $56,690 median, 67th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Project Manager
Birmingham: 2,460 employed · $102,170 median, 89th-highest of 111 metros
Irrigation Estimator
Birmingham: 810 employed · $79,330 median, 41st-highest of 111 metros
Smart / Controller Systems Technician
Landscape Water Management Auditor
What Commercial Irrigation roles earn in Birmingham.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Birmingham earn a median $36,600, 7% under the $39,150 national figure, and 90th of 112 metros. Pay runs $27,410 at the tenth percentile to $48,800 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is landscape architects, at $109,010 against $79,870 nationally.
| Role | Birmingham 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) | $36,600 | $27,410–$48,800 | $39,150 | −7% | 2,880 |
| Irrigation System DesignerLandscape Architects (17-1012) | $109,010 | $63,300–$113,430 | $79,870 | +36% | 70 |
| Backflow Prevention SpecialistPlumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) | $60,090 | $38,620–$76,290 | $63,800 | −6% | 1,840 |
| Irrigation Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (37-1012) | $56,690 | $39,220–$84,500 | $58,430 | −3% | 410 |
| Irrigation Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $102,170 | $63,340–$162,950 | $114,990 | −11% | 2,460 |
| Irrigation EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $79,330 | $48,290–$129,330 | $78,740 | +1% | 810 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Birmingham metro. Range is 10th to 90th percentile; management and office roles are metro-wide. A metro ranking counts only the metros where BLS publishes that occupation.
How Birmingham's commercial irrigation market has changed since 2018.
The number of landscaping companies in Birmingham rose from 349 in 2018 to 400 in 2023, up 15%, close to the 13% national change.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping companies: business locations | 349 | 400 | +15% |
| Landscaping companies: employment | – | 2,765 | – |
| Landscaping companies: average annual pay | – | $47,611 | – |
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, private employers, annual averages. A dash means BLS did not publish the figure.
Free Commercial Irrigation hiring resources.
Definitive Guide to Commercial Irrigation · 2026 Commercial Irrigation Salary Guide · 3-Step Interview Guide for Commercial Irrigation
Birmingham runs 10% fewer commercial irrigation workers per job than the country as a whole — below the national concentration. Fewer per job 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 Birmingham's commercial irrigation market compares
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Birmingham ranks 58th for headcount, 81st for median pay and 70th for concentration for landscaping and groundskeeping workers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | 2,880 | $36,600 | 0.90 | 400 |
| Huntsville | 1,550 | $37,510 | 0.95 | 184 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial irrigation employers in Birmingham, 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, Birmingham metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Commercial Irrigation licensing in Alabama.
Alabama has no irrigation contractor license. Commercial irrigation work is caught by the general contractor law instead: Alabama defines a general contractor as one who undertakes construction or site work where the cost including labor and materials is one hundred thousand dollars or more, and that license is issued by the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors with classifications and bid limits. Plumbing connections require certification from the Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board, though that board expressly exempts testing of backflow devices from certification as long as the device is not removed. Cross connections are prohibited under ADEM rule 335-7-9 with responsibility placed on the supplier of water, so the tester credential a crew needs comes from the local water system rather than the state. The same state rules apply in Huntsville, so candidates licensed there can work in Birmingham without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors; Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board; Alabama Department of Environmental Management and local water suppliers. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Birmingham talent.
The closest metro we cover is Huntsville, about 85 miles away, with roughly 1,550 landscaping and groundskeeping workers (0.5 times Birmingham's 2,880). Atlanta pays the most nearby, a $38,500 median, 5% above Birmingham. That is the number any Birmingham offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. Atlanta has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | – | 2,880 | $36,600 |
| Huntsville | 84 mi | 1,550 | $37,510 |
| Chattanooga | 135 mi | 1,460 | $36,190 |
| Atlanta | 140 mi | 15,300 | $38,500 |
| Nashville | 183 mi | 6,270 | $37,910 |
| Pensacola | 216 mi | 1,220 | $36,160 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Birmingham crews.
Not commercial irrigation work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Birmingham in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- UAB Biomedical Research and Psychology Building$190MBroke ground June 2024, completing summer 2026
An 8-story, 228,735 sq ft research facility housing wet and dry labs for the Heersink School of Medicine and the Department of Psychology. Lab-grade mechanical, electrical, and process-utility construction at a scale most Birmingham contractors rarely see.
- UAB Hospital North Pavilion / emergency department overhaul$73M ($38M North Pavilion permit)Multi-year, phased
Adds 59 new exam rooms and 66,030 sq ft of new construction to boost emergency-care capacity. Hospital-grade mechanical, medical gas plumbing, and ICRA-compliant construction.
These are the 2 projects we track in Birmingham. The Birmingham market page covers hiring conditions across every trade here.
What credentials matter for commercial irrigation, and what kills offers in Birmingham.
The 4 credentials that gate the work and the 4 things that most often end a commercial irrigation offer are the same in every market, kept in one place: Commercial Irrigation credentials and offer risks, each linked to the body that issues it. What is local is the licensing rule above and the pay further up this page.
Frequently asked - Commercial Irrigation hiring in Birmingham.
What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Birmingham?
BLS puts the Birmingham median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $36,600 a year, 7% below the $39,150 national median. That ranks 90th of 112 metros with published figures, in the bottom quarter. Most of the market sits between $27,410 and $48,800, a 1.8x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. No other Alabama metro we cover pays more for this work (Huntsville: $37,510).
Is it hard to hire landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Birmingham?
It is about average. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers are as common in Birmingham as they are nationally (location quotient 0.90), with about 2,880 in the metro. The 400 landscaping companies here average about 6.9 employees per location, mostly small shops, so candidates often know every employer in town by name. With 15% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which commercial irrigation roles pay the most in Birmingham?
Of the roles we recruit for, Irrigation System Designer pays the most in Birmingham, a $109,010 median. Irrigation Technician / Installer is the lowest-paid field role at $36,600. Relative to national pay, Irrigation System Designer is the strongest-paying role here (36% above). Irrigation Project Manager trails national pay the most (11% below).
How many landscaping companies operate in Birmingham?
BLS counted 400 landscaping companies in Birmingham in 2023, employing about 2,765 people between them. Up from 349 in 2018, a 15% increase against 13% growth nationally. That averages 6.9 people per location, so most are small shops. They pay about the national average of $48,279. BLS counts irrigation contractors under landscaping companies.
Which nearby metros compete with Birmingham for landscaping and groundskeeping workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Huntsville (84 miles, about 1,550, $37,510 median), Chattanooga (135 miles, about 1,460, $36,190 median) and Atlanta (140 miles, about 15,300, $38,500 median). Atlanta has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Atlanta pays 5% more, which is where Birmingham employers tend to lose people.
The seat is open. The pipeline should not be.
400 landscaping companies in Birmingham are drawing on the same 2,880 landscaping and groundskeeping workers. Let's get your next hire lined up first.
Schedule a Discovery Call →