Commercial Irrigation recruiters serving El Paso.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers are scarcer in El Paso than in most of the country, 42% fewer per job, so the roughly 1,200 who work here are rarely short of offers. BLS counts 88 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 El Paso.
BLS counts about 1,950 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the El Paso metro, the largest group being landscaping and groundskeeping workers (about 1,200). Relative to the size of the local economy, landscaping and groundskeeping workers are far less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.58). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Irrigation hub.
Irrigation Technician / Installer
El Paso: 1,200 employed · $30,640 median, 111th-highest of 112 metros
Certified Irrigation Technician (CIT)
Irrigation System Designer
El Paso: BLS does not publish a local figure for this occupation.
Backflow Prevention Specialist
El Paso: 640 employed · $53,560 median, 99th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Service / Repair Technician
Irrigation Foreman / Crew Lead
El Paso: 110 employed · $41,170 median, 112th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Project Manager
El Paso: 1,000 employed · $84,030 median, 110th-highest of 111 metros
Irrigation Estimator
El Paso: 410 employed · $60,880 median, 111th-highest of 111 metros
Smart / Controller Systems Technician
Landscape Water Management Auditor
What Commercial Irrigation roles earn in El Paso.
In the El Paso metro, the median wage for landscaping and groundskeeping workers is $30,640 a year, 22% below the $39,150 national median. Most earn between $23,460 and $37,820. Of the other roles listed, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters earn the most locally, at a $53,560 median. BLS does not publish El Paso pay for one occupation below, usually because too few people hold the job locally.
| Role | El Paso 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) | $30,640 | $23,460–$37,820 | $39,150 | −22% | 1,200 |
| Irrigation System DesignerLandscape Architects (17-1012) | – | – | $79,870 | – | – |
| Backflow Prevention SpecialistPlumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) | $53,560 | $35,600–$88,370 | $63,800 | −16% | 640 |
| Irrigation Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (37-1012) | $41,170 | $30,610–$65,120 | $58,430 | −30% | 110 |
| Irrigation Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $84,030 | $57,270–$137,990 | $114,990 | −27% | 1,000 |
| Irrigation EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $60,880 | $35,340–$99,930 | $78,740 | −23% | 410 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, El Paso metro. Range is 10th to 90th percentile; management and office roles are metro-wide.
How El Paso's commercial irrigation market has changed since 2018.
The number of landscaping companies in El Paso rose from 83 in 2018 to 88 in 2023, up 6%, behind the 13% growth nationally. Headcount at those firms went up 2%, to about 961 people. Average annual pay there went from $23,756 to $33,279 (+40%), faster than the 31% national increase, a sign employers here have had to bid up.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping companies: business locations | 83 | 88 | +6% |
| Landscaping companies: employment | 939 | 961 | +2% |
| Landscaping companies: average annual pay | $23,756 | $33,279 | +40% |
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
El Paso runs 42% fewer commercial irrigation workers per job than the country as a whole — well below the national concentration. A thinner local pool 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 El Paso's commercial irrigation market compares
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, El Paso ranks 98th for headcount, 99th for median pay and 97th for concentration for landscaping and groundskeeping workers. That makes it one of the thinnest commercial irrigation labor markets we recruit in.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 19,750 | $37,680 | 0.80 | 1,629 |
| Houston | 14,840 | $36,280 | 0.74 | 1,026 |
| Austin | 7,600 | $38,370 | 0.96 | 610 |
| San Antonio | 3,760 | $35,630 | 0.55 | 467 |
| El Paso | 1,200 | $30,640 | 0.58 | 88 |
| McAllen | 680 | $29,060 | 0.37 | 33 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial irrigation employers in El Paso, the local pool is thin and local employers have been cutting headcount. Senior hires often come from outside the metro or from adjacent trades, so start searches earlier than you would elsewhere.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, El Paso metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Commercial Irrigation licensing in Texas.
Texas licenses landscape irrigators, irrigation technicians and irrigation inspectors at the state level through TCEQ. TCEQ also issues a separate Backflow Prevention Assembly Tester (BPAT) license. The same state rules apply in Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, Austin and McAllen, so candidates licensed there can work in El Paso without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for El Paso talent.
The closest metro we cover is Albuquerque, about 230 miles away, with roughly 2,270 landscaping and groundskeeping workers (1.9 times El Paso's 1,200). Albuquerque pays the most nearby, a $37,760 median, 23% above El Paso. That is the number any El Paso offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. Tucson has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Paso | – | 1,200 | $30,640 |
| Albuquerque | 230 mi | 2,270 | $37,760 |
| Tucson | 262 mi | 2,710 | $36,840 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
Frequently asked - Commercial Irrigation hiring in El Paso.
What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in El Paso?
BLS puts the El Paso median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $30,640 a year, 22% below the $39,150 national median. That ranks 111th of 112 metros with published figures, in the bottom quarter. Pay is bunched together here, $23,460 to $37,820 across the 10th to 90th percentile, so small differences in an offer are noticed. Within Texas, Austin pays more, at $38,370.
Is it hard to hire landscaping and groundskeeping workers in El Paso?
Yes. El Paso has 42% fewer landscaping and groundskeeping workers per job than the country as a whole, roughly 1,200 in the metro, so most of the people worth hiring are already employed. The 88 landscaping companies here average about 11 employees per location.
Which commercial irrigation roles pay the most in El Paso?
Of the roles we recruit for, Irrigation Project Manager pays the most in El Paso, a $84,030 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Backflow Prevention Specialist at $53,560, 36% below it. Irrigation Technician / Installer is the lowest-paid field role at $30,640. Irrigation Foreman / Crew Lead trails national pay the most (30% below).
How many landscaping companies operate in El Paso?
BLS counted 88 landscaping companies in El Paso in 2023, employing about 961 people between them. Up from 83 in 2018, a 6% increase against 13% growth nationally. That averages 11 people per location. They pay an average of $33,279, 31% below the $48,279 national average for the same kind of employer. BLS counts irrigation contractors under landscaping companies.
Which nearby metros compete with El Paso for landscaping and groundskeeping workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Albuquerque (230 miles, about 2,270, $37,760 median) and Tucson (262 miles, about 2,710, $36,840 median). Albuquerque has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Albuquerque pays 23% more, which is where El Paso employers tend to lose people.
Thin market. Short list anyway.
With landscaping and groundskeeping workers this scarce in El Paso, an open seat rarely fills from a job posting. Let's line up the people before the next one opens.
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