Commercial Irrigation recruiters serving Columbus.
About 6,820 landscaping and groundskeeping workers work in the Columbus metro, at a $39,100 median. BLS counts 636 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 Columbus.
BLS counts about 10,930 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Columbus metro, the largest group being landscaping and groundskeeping workers (about 6,820). Relative to the size of the local economy, landscaping and groundskeeping workers are about as concentrated here as nationally (location quotient 1.01). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Irrigation hub.
Irrigation Technician / Installer
Columbus: 6,820 employed · $39,100 median, 47th-highest of 112 metros
Certified Irrigation Technician (CIT)
Irrigation System Designer
Columbus: 180 employed · $64,660 median, 73rd-highest of 78 metros
Backflow Prevention Specialist
Columbus: 3,060 employed · $63,260 median, 52nd-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Service / Repair Technician
Irrigation Foreman / Crew Lead
Columbus: 870 employed · $58,390 median, 52nd-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Project Manager
Columbus: 4,000 employed · $105,200 median, 74th-highest of 111 metros
Irrigation Estimator
Columbus: 1,570 employed · $79,990 median, 38th-highest of 111 metros
Smart / Controller Systems Technician
Landscape Water Management Auditor
What Commercial Irrigation roles earn in Columbus.
In the Columbus metro, the median wage for landscaping and groundskeeping workers is $39,100 a year, in line with the $39,150 national median. Most earn between $31,870 and $49,230. Of the other roles listed, landscape architects earn the most locally, at a $64,660 median.
| Role | Columbus 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) | $39,100 | $31,870–$49,230 | $39,150 | 0% | 6,820 |
| Irrigation System DesignerLandscape Architects (17-1012) | $64,660 | $51,430–$119,860 | $79,870 | −19% | 180 |
| Backflow Prevention SpecialistPlumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) | $63,260 | $40,820–$103,000 | $63,800 | −1% | 3,060 |
| Irrigation Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (37-1012) | $58,390 | $46,880–$78,240 | $58,430 | 0% | 870 |
| Irrigation Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $105,200 | $74,800–$165,770 | $114,990 | −9% | 4,000 |
| Irrigation EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $79,990 | $49,440–$128,020 | $78,740 | +2% | 1,570 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Columbus metro. Range is 10th to 90th percentile; management and office roles are metro-wide.
How Columbus's commercial irrigation market has changed since 2018.
The number of landscaping companies in Columbus rose from 613 in 2018 to 636 in 2023, up 4%, behind the 13% growth nationally. Headcount and pay for those firms are withheld in Columbus, so the occupation figures above are the better guide to what hiring costs.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping companies: business locations | 613 | 636 | +4% |
| Landscaping companies: employment | 6,590 | – | – |
| Landscaping companies: average annual pay | $38,500 | – | – |
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
Columbus sits at about the national rate for commercial irrigation — neither unusually deep nor unusually thin.
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 Columbus's commercial irrigation market compares
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Columbus ranks 29th for headcount, 43rd for median pay and 43rd for concentration for landscaping and groundskeeping workers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland | 6,910 | $38,230 | 1.09 | 1,028 |
| Columbus | 6,820 | $39,100 | 1.01 | 636 |
| Cincinnati | 6,610 | $38,600 | 0.98 | 814 |
| Akron | 2,250 | $37,610 | 1.15 | 323 |
| Dayton | 2,080 | $37,880 | 0.91 | 269 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial irrigation employers in Columbus, the pool is about the national norm for its size, so difficulty depends on the role more than the market.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Columbus metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Commercial Irrigation licensing in Ohio.
Ohio certifies backflow technicians in three classes. Class B covers backflow devices on lawn irrigation systems, and certification requires training, experience and a state exam. The same state rules apply in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dayton and Akron, so candidates licensed there can work in Columbus without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Columbus talent.
The closest metro we cover is Dayton, about 65 miles away, with roughly 2,080 landscaping and groundskeeping workers (0.3 times Columbus's 6,820). Columbus pays more than every metro we cover within reach ($39,100 median), which helps when recruiting people in from Akron at $37,610.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus | – | 6,820 | $39,100 |
| Dayton | 65 mi | 2,080 | $37,880 |
| Cincinnati | 99 mi | 6,610 | $38,600 |
| Akron | 110 mi | 2,250 | $37,610 |
| Cleveland | 126 mi | 6,910 | $38,230 |
| Pittsburgh | 162 mi | 6,650 | $37,690 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
Frequently asked - Commercial Irrigation hiring in Columbus.
What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Columbus?
BLS puts the Columbus median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $39,100 a year, about the same as the $39,150 national median. That ranks 47th of 112 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Most of the market sits between $31,870 and $49,230, a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. No other Ohio metro we cover pays more for this work.
Is it hard to hire landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Columbus?
It is about average. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers are as common in Columbus as they are nationally (location quotient 1.01), with about 6,820 in the metro.
Which commercial irrigation roles pay the most in Columbus?
Of the roles we recruit for, Irrigation Project Manager pays the most in Columbus, a $105,200 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Irrigation System Designer at $64,660, 39% below it. Irrigation Technician / Installer is the lowest-paid field role at $39,100. Irrigation System Designer trails national pay the most (19% below).
How many landscaping companies operate in Columbus?
BLS counted 636 landscaping companies in Columbus in 2023. Up from 613 in 2018, a 4% increase against 13% growth nationally. BLS withholds their combined headcount and pay here, which it does when a category is small enough that the figures could identify individual employers. BLS counts irrigation contractors under landscaping companies.
Which nearby metros compete with Columbus for landscaping and groundskeeping workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Dayton (65 miles, about 2,080, $37,880 median), Cincinnati (99 miles, about 6,610, $38,600 median) and Akron (110 miles, about 2,250, $37,610 median).
The seat is open. The pipeline should not be.
636 landscaping companies in Columbus are drawing on the same 6,820 landscaping and groundskeeping workers. Let's get your next hire lined up first.
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