Commercial Irrigation recruiters serving Dayton.
About 2,080 landscaping and groundskeeping workers work in the Dayton metro, at a $37,880 median. BLS counts 269 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 Dayton.
BLS counts about 3,520 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Dayton metro, the largest group being landscaping and groundskeeping workers (about 2,080). Relative to the size of the local economy, landscaping and groundskeeping workers are less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.91). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Irrigation hub.
Irrigation Technician / Installer
Dayton: 2,080 employed · $37,880 median, 64th-highest of 112 metros
Certified Irrigation Technician (CIT)
Irrigation System Designer
Dayton: BLS does not publish a local figure for this occupation.
Backflow Prevention Specialist
Dayton: 1,130 employed · $62,940 median, 55th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Service / Repair Technician
Irrigation Foreman / Crew Lead
Dayton: 310 employed · $58,350 median, 53rd-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Project Manager
Dayton: 960 employed · $98,070 median, 105th-highest of 111 metros
Irrigation Estimator
Dayton: 590 employed · $79,020 median, 45th-highest of 111 metros
Smart / Controller Systems Technician
Landscape Water Management Auditor
What Commercial Irrigation roles earn in Dayton.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Dayton earn a median $37,880, 3% under the $39,150 national figure, and 64th of 112 metros. Pay runs $30,050 at the tenth percentile to $51,340 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters, at $62,940 against $63,800 nationally. BLS withholds Dayton pay for one occupation in the table.
| Role | Dayton 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) | $37,880 | $30,050–$51,340 | $39,150 | −3% | 2,080 |
| Irrigation System DesignerLandscape Architects (17-1012) | – | – | $79,870 | – | – |
| Backflow Prevention SpecialistPlumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) | $62,940 | $46,680–$99,180 | $63,800 | −1% | 1,130 |
| Irrigation Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (37-1012) | $58,350 | $43,680–$76,150 | $58,430 | 0% | 310 |
| Irrigation Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $98,070 | $65,990–$155,190 | $114,990 | −15% | 960 |
| Irrigation EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $79,020 | $50,520–$124,060 | $78,740 | 0% | 590 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Dayton 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 Dayton's commercial irrigation market has changed since 2018.
The number of landscaping companies in Dayton rose from 259 in 2018 to 269 in 2023, up 4%, behind the 13% growth nationally. Headcount at those firms went down 2%, to about 2,134 people, so more firms are sharing fewer workers. Average annual pay there went from $35,156 to $45,824 (+30%), in step with the 31% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping companies: business locations | 259 | 269 | +4% |
| Landscaping companies: employment | 2,183 | 2,134 | −2% |
| Landscaping companies: average annual pay | $35,156 | $45,824 | +30% |
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
Dayton runs 9% 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 Dayton's commercial irrigation market compares
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Dayton ranks 77th for headcount, 58th for median pay and 63rd 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 Dayton, the pool is about the national norm for its size, and local employers have trimmed headcount. That usually means experienced people are available but cautious, so the stability of the job matters as much as the rate.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Dayton 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, Columbus, Cleveland and Akron, so candidates licensed there can work in Dayton without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Dayton talent.
The closest metro we cover is Cincinnati, about 45 miles away, with roughly 6,610 landscaping and groundskeeping workers (3.2 times Dayton's 2,080). Pay is close across the region: medians run from $37,610 in Akron to $39,100 in Columbus, against $37,880 here. Indianapolis has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton | – | 2,080 | $37,880 |
| Cincinnati | 47 mi | 6,610 | $38,600 |
| Columbus | 65 mi | 6,820 | $39,100 |
| Indianapolis | 104 mi | 6,980 | $38,180 |
| Louisville | 134 mi | 3,130 | $37,820 |
| Akron | 168 mi | 2,250 | $37,610 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Dayton crews.
Not commercial irrigation work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Dayton in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Convergence Research Center (Wright-Patterson AFB)$250MGroundbreaking underway; first building potentially complete 2027
A 43.5-acre research campus developed by Synergy under a federal enhanced use lease - a hub for academia, government, and industry collaboration on aerospace and defense research.
- Kettering Health Greene County investment$40M ($25M new medical center + $15M hospital renovation)Groundbreaking April 2026, complete late 2028
A new Xenia medical center plus renovations at Greene Memorial Hospital - healthcare-grade MEP work across two facilities.
- Citywide Dayton development wave$1.3B+ across two dozen+ projectsOngoing
Private and public partners investing in Dayton at a level not seen in many years - the broadest capital-project signal in this metro.
Showing 3 of 4 projects tracked in this metro. The Dayton market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for commercial irrigation, and what kills offers in Dayton.
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 Dayton.
What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Dayton?
BLS puts the Dayton median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $37,880 a year, 3% below the $39,150 national median. That ranks 64th of 112 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Most of the market sits between $30,050 and $51,340, a 1.7x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. Within Ohio, Columbus pays more, at $39,100.
Is it hard to hire landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Dayton?
It is about average. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers are as common in Dayton as they are nationally (location quotient 0.91), with about 2,080 in the metro. The 269 landscaping companies here average about 7.9 employees per location, mostly small shops, so candidates often know every employer in town by name.
Which commercial irrigation roles pay the most in Dayton?
Of the roles we recruit for, Irrigation Project Manager pays the most in Dayton, a $98,070 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Backflow Prevention Specialist at $62,940, 36% below it. Irrigation Technician / Installer is the lowest-paid field role at $37,880. Irrigation Project Manager trails national pay the most (15% below).
How many landscaping companies operate in Dayton?
BLS counted 269 landscaping companies in Dayton in 2023, employing about 2,134 people between them. Up from 259 in 2018, a 4% increase against 13% growth nationally. That averages 7.9 people per location, so most are small shops. They pay an average of $45,824, 5% below the $48,279 national average for the same kind of employer. BLS counts irrigation contractors under landscaping companies.
Which nearby metros compete with Dayton for landscaping and groundskeeping workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Cincinnati (47 miles, about 6,610, $38,600 median), Columbus (65 miles, about 6,820, $39,100 median) and Indianapolis (104 miles, about 6,980, $38,180 median). Cincinnati has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move.
The seat is open. The pipeline should not be.
269 landscaping companies in Dayton are drawing on the same 2,080 landscaping and groundskeeping workers. Let's get your next hire lined up first.
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