Commercial Irrigation recruiters serving Durham-Chapel Hill.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers are scarcer in Durham-Chapel Hill than in most of the country, 19% fewer per job, so the roughly 1,710 who work here are rarely short of offers. BLS counts 240 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 Durham-Chapel Hill.
BLS counts about 2,600 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Durham-Chapel Hill metro, the largest group being landscaping and groundskeeping workers (about 1,710). Relative to the size of the local economy, landscaping and groundskeeping workers are less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.81). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Irrigation hub.
Irrigation Technician / Installer
Durham-Chapel Hill: 1,710 employed · $38,610 median, 52nd-highest of 112 metros
Certified Irrigation Technician (CIT)
Irrigation System Designer
Durham-Chapel Hill: 90 employed · $84,270 median, 22nd-highest of 78 metros
Backflow Prevention Specialist
Durham-Chapel Hill: 620 employed · $60,110 median, 71st-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Service / Repair Technician
Irrigation Foreman / Crew Lead
Durham-Chapel Hill: 180 employed · $59,030 median, 42nd-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Project Manager
Durham-Chapel Hill: 760 employed · $119,980 median, 36th-highest of 111 metros
Irrigation Estimator
Durham-Chapel Hill: 360 employed · $80,800 median, 32nd-highest of 111 metros
Smart / Controller Systems Technician
Landscape Water Management Auditor
What Commercial Irrigation roles earn in Durham-Chapel Hill.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Durham-Chapel Hill earn a median $38,610, level with the $39,150 national figure, and 52nd of 112 metros. Pay runs $34,150 at the tenth percentile to $53,090 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is landscape architects, at $84,270 against $79,870 nationally.
| Role | Durham-Chapel Hill 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) | $38,610 | $34,150–$53,090 | $39,150 | −1% | 1,710 |
| Irrigation System DesignerLandscape Architects (17-1012) | $84,270 | $63,700–$120,200 | $79,870 | +6% | 90 |
| Backflow Prevention SpecialistPlumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) | $60,110 | $43,820–$76,460 | $63,800 | −6% | 620 |
| Irrigation Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (37-1012) | $59,030 | $44,820–$80,400 | $58,430 | +1% | 180 |
| Irrigation Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $119,980 | $77,550–$200,870 | $114,990 | +4% | 760 |
| Irrigation EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $80,800 | $43,800–$131,400 | $78,740 | +3% | 360 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Durham-Chapel Hill 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 Durham-Chapel Hill's commercial irrigation market has changed since 2018.
The number of landscaping companies in Durham-Chapel Hill rose from 188 in 2018 to 240 in 2023, up 28%, ahead of the 13% national rise. Headcount at those firms went up 18%, to about 1,653 people. Average annual pay there went from $34,526 to $46,414 (+34%), in step with the 31% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping companies: business locations | 188 | 240 | +28% |
| Landscaping companies: employment | 1,406 | 1,653 | +18% |
| Landscaping companies: average annual pay | $34,526 | $46,414 | +34% |
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
Durham-Chapel Hill runs 19% 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 Durham-Chapel Hill's commercial irrigation market compares
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Durham-Chapel Hill ranks 85th for headcount, 48th for median pay and 86th for concentration for landscaping and groundskeeping workers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | 8,400 | $38,630 | 1.01 | 1,223 |
| Raleigh | 5,710 | $38,500 | 1.25 | 684 |
| Winston-Salem | 1,820 | $37,420 | 1.09 | 334 |
| Greensboro | 1,730 | $37,830 | 0.77 | 337 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | 1,710 | $38,610 | 0.81 | 240 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial irrigation employers in Durham-Chapel Hill, 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, Durham-Chapel Hill metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Commercial Irrigation licensing in North Carolina.
North Carolina requires irrigation contractors to hold a state license from a dedicated board. Applicants need irrigation experience, a background check, a passing exam score and a surety bond. The same state rules apply in Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro and Winston-Salem, so candidates licensed there can work in Durham-Chapel Hill without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: North Carolina Irrigation Contractors' Licensing Board. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Durham-Chapel Hill talent.
The closest metro we cover is Raleigh, about 20 miles away, with roughly 5,710 landscaping and groundskeeping workers (3.3 times Durham-Chapel Hill's 1,710). Pay is close across the region: medians run from $37,170 in Richmond to $38,630 in Charlotte, against $38,610 here. Charlotte has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill | – | 1,710 | $38,610 |
| Raleigh | 21 mi | 5,710 | $38,500 |
| Greensboro | 50 mi | 1,730 | $37,830 |
| Winston-Salem | 75 mi | 1,820 | $37,420 |
| Charlotte | 121 mi | 8,400 | $38,630 |
| Richmond | 134 mi | 4,360 | $37,170 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Durham-Chapel Hill crews.
Not commercial irrigation work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Durham-Chapel Hill in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- AbbVie pharmaceutical manufacturing campus$1.4BConstruction begins 2026, completion by end of 2028
185 acres near Research Triangle Park - small volume parenteral drug manufacturing, next-generation labs, a warehouse, and administrative/wellness facilities. 734 direct jobs over 4 years and 2,000+ construction jobs during buildout.
- UNC-Chapel Hill Carolina North campus extensionUndisclosedSite prep ahead of a projected summer 2027 groundbreaking
A planned campus extension with initial infrastructure work now underway.
- Novartis biologics manufacturing investment$771M (across Durham and Wake counties)Multi-year buildout
Two new facilities for biologics manufacturing and sterile packaging, plus an expansion of Novartis' existing Durham facility to add sterile filling of biologics into syringes and vials - about 700 jobs.
These are the 3 projects we track in Durham-Chapel Hill. The Durham-Chapel Hill market page covers hiring conditions across every trade here.
What credentials matter for commercial irrigation, and what kills offers in Durham-Chapel Hill.
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 Durham-Chapel Hill.
What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Durham-Chapel Hill?
BLS puts the Durham-Chapel Hill median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $38,610 a year, about the same as the $39,150 national median. That ranks 52nd of 112 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Pay is bunched together here, $34,150 to $53,090 across the 10th to 90th percentile and only a 1.6x gap, so small differences in an offer are noticed. No other North Carolina metro we cover pays more for this work.
Is it hard to hire landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Yes. Durham-Chapel Hill has 19% fewer landscaping and groundskeeping workers per job than the country as a whole, roughly 1,710 in the metro, so most of the people worth hiring are already employed. The 240 landscaping companies here average about 6.9 employees per location, mostly small shops, so candidates often know every employer in town by name. With 28% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which commercial irrigation roles pay the most in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Of the roles we recruit for, Irrigation Project Manager pays the most in Durham-Chapel Hill, a $119,980 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Irrigation System Designer at $84,270, 30% below it. Irrigation Technician / Installer is the lowest-paid field role at $38,610. Relative to national pay, Irrigation System Designer is the strongest-paying role here (6% above). Backflow Prevention Specialist trails national pay the most (6% below).
How many landscaping companies operate in Durham-Chapel Hill?
BLS counted 240 landscaping companies in Durham-Chapel Hill in 2023, employing about 1,653 people between them. Up from 188 in 2018, a 28% increase against 13% growth nationally. That averages 6.9 people per location, so most are small shops. They pay an average of $46,414, 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 Durham-Chapel Hill for landscaping and groundskeeping workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Raleigh (21 miles, about 5,710, $38,500 median), Greensboro (50 miles, about 1,730, $37,830 median) and Winston-Salem (75 miles, about 1,820, $37,420 median). Raleigh has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move.
Thin market. Short list anyway.
With landscaping and groundskeeping workers this scarce in Durham-Chapel Hill, an open seat rarely fills from a job posting. Let's line up the people before the next one opens.
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