Commercial Irrigation recruiters serving Des Moines.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Des Moines earn a $45,180 median, 15% above the national figure, and about 2,230 of them work in the metro. BLS counts 264 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 Des Moines.
BLS counts about 4,660 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Des Moines metro, the largest group being landscaping and groundskeeping workers (about 2,230). 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
Des Moines: 2,230 employed · $45,180 median, 18th-highest of 112 metros
Certified Irrigation Technician (CIT)
Irrigation System Designer
Des Moines: BLS does not publish a local figure for this occupation.
Backflow Prevention Specialist
Des Moines: 2,150 employed · $75,040 median, 23rd-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Service / Repair Technician
Irrigation Foreman / Crew Lead
Des Moines: 280 employed · $58,690 median, 49th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Project Manager
Des Moines: 1,020 employed · $103,920 median, 77th-highest of 111 metros
Irrigation Estimator
Des Moines: 550 employed · $78,500 median, 52nd-highest of 111 metros
Smart / Controller Systems Technician
Landscape Water Management Auditor
What Commercial Irrigation roles earn in Des Moines.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Des Moines earn a median $45,180, 15% over the $39,150 national figure, and 18th of 112 metros. Pay runs $30,020 at the tenth percentile to $58,980 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters, at $75,040 against $63,800 nationally. BLS withholds Des Moines pay for one occupation in the table.
| Role | Des Moines 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) | $45,180 | $30,020–$58,980 | $39,150 | +15% | 2,230 |
| Irrigation System DesignerLandscape Architects (17-1012) | – | – | $79,870 | – | – |
| Backflow Prevention SpecialistPlumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) | $75,040 | $47,720–$99,570 | $63,800 | +18% | 2,150 |
| Irrigation Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (37-1012) | $58,690 | $45,260–$83,880 | $58,430 | 0% | 280 |
| Irrigation Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $103,920 | $65,560–$201,450 | $114,990 | −10% | 1,020 |
| Irrigation EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $78,500 | $48,940–$121,400 | $78,740 | 0% | 550 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Des Moines 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 Des Moines's commercial irrigation market has changed since 2018.
The number of landscaping companies in Des Moines rose from 235 in 2018 to 264 in 2023, up 12%, close to the 13% national change.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping companies: business locations | 235 | 264 | +12% |
| Landscaping companies: employment | – | 2,015 | – |
| Landscaping companies: average annual pay | – | $46,282 | – |
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
Des Moines 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 Des Moines's commercial irrigation market compares
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Des Moines ranks 73rd for headcount, 16th for median pay and 70th for concentration for landscaping and groundskeeping workers.
What this means for hiring:For commercial irrigation employers in Des Moines, the local pool is thinner than most, so plan on recruiting some roles in from outside the metro.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Des Moines metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Commercial Irrigation licensing in Iowa.
Iowa requires a state registration for backflow prevention assembly testers, issued by the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing.
Licensing authority: Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Des Moines talent.
The closest metro we cover is Omaha, about 125 miles away, with roughly 3,870 landscaping and groundskeeping workers (1.7 times Des Moines's 2,230). Minneapolis pays the most nearby, a $47,160 median, 4% above Des Moines. That is the number any Des Moines offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. Minneapolis has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines | – | 2,230 | $45,180 |
| Omaha | 123 mi | 3,870 | $45,970 |
| Kansas City | 180 mi | 6,660 | $41,450 |
| Minneapolis | 234 mi | 11,820 | $47,160 |
| Madison | 238 mi | 2,330 | $44,440 |
| St. Louis | 273 mi | 9,600 | $39,040 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Des Moines crews.
Not commercial irrigation work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Des Moines in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Microsoft Project Ginger West Data Center$1B+Multi-year buildout
A separate ~188-acre campus planned for approximately 1.8 million sq ft of data center space across multiple buildings.
- Weitz data center campusUndisclosed (192-MW capacity)Under construction
A 192-megawatt data center campus in West Des Moines being built for a confidential client.
- The Iowa Clinic West Des Moines expansion$12M+Construction proposed for fall 2026, complete summer 2028
A two-story, 27,000 sq ft medical building on 2.42 acres - healthcare-grade MEP work.
Showing 3 of 4 projects tracked in this metro. The Des Moines market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for commercial irrigation, and what kills offers in Des Moines.
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 Des Moines.
What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Des Moines?
BLS puts the Des Moines median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $45,180 a year, 15% above the $39,150 national median. That ranks 18th of 112 metros with published figures, in the top quarter. Most of the market sits between $30,020 and $58,980, a 2.0x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience.
Is it hard to hire landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Des Moines?
It is about average. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers are as common in Des Moines as they are nationally (location quotient 0.90), with about 2,230 in the metro. The 264 landscaping companies here average about 7.6 employees per location, mostly small shops, so candidates often know every employer in town by name. With 12% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which commercial irrigation roles pay the most in Des Moines?
Of the roles we recruit for, Irrigation Project Manager pays the most in Des Moines, a $103,920 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Backflow Prevention Specialist at $75,040, 28% below it. Irrigation Technician / Installer is the lowest-paid field role at $45,180. Relative to national pay, Backflow Prevention Specialist is the strongest-paying role here (18% above). Irrigation Project Manager trails national pay the most (10% below).
How many landscaping companies operate in Des Moines?
BLS counted 264 landscaping companies in Des Moines in 2023, employing about 2,015 people between them. Up from 235 in 2018, a 12% increase against 13% growth nationally. That averages 7.6 people per location, so most are small shops. They pay an average of $46,282, 4% below the $48,279 national average for the same kind of employer. BLS counts irrigation contractors under landscaping companies.
Which nearby metros compete with Des Moines for landscaping and groundskeeping workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Omaha (123 miles, about 3,870, $45,970 median), Kansas City (180 miles, about 6,660, $41,450 median) and Minneapolis (234 miles, about 11,820, $47,160 median). Omaha has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Des Moines out-pays Kansas City, an advantage when recruiting from there.
The seat is open. The pipeline should not be.
264 landscaping companies in Des Moines are drawing on the same 2,230 landscaping and groundskeeping workers. Let's get your next hire lined up first.
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