Commercial Irrigation recruiters serving Hartford.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Hartford earn a $44,860 median, 15% above the national figure, and about 4,060 of them work in the metro. BLS counts 715 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 Hartford.
BLS counts about 6,550 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Hartford metro, the largest group being landscaping and groundskeeping workers (about 4,060). Relative to the size of the local economy, landscaping and groundskeeping workers are more concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 1.11). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Irrigation hub.
Irrigation Technician / Installer
Hartford: 4,060 employed · $44,860 median, 21st-highest of 112 metros
Certified Irrigation Technician (CIT)
Irrigation System Designer
Hartford: 70 employed · $79,490 median, 41st-highest of 78 metros
Backflow Prevention Specialist
Hartford: 1,850 employed · $77,190 median, 18th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Service / Repair Technician
Irrigation Foreman / Crew Lead
Hartford: 570 employed · $60,540 median, 30th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Project Manager
Hartford: 1,480 employed · $120,230 median, 34th-highest of 111 metros
Irrigation Estimator
Hartford: 890 employed · $80,560 median, 34th-highest of 111 metros
Smart / Controller Systems Technician
Landscape Water Management Auditor
What Commercial Irrigation roles earn in Hartford.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Hartford earn a median $44,860, 15% over the $39,150 national figure, and 21st of 112 metros. Pay runs $35,510 at the tenth percentile to $57,080 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is landscape architects, at $79,490 against $79,870 nationally.
| Role | Hartford 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) | $44,860 | $35,510–$57,080 | $39,150 | +15% | 4,060 |
| Irrigation System DesignerLandscape Architects (17-1012) | $79,490 | $49,450–$117,050 | $79,870 | 0% | 70 |
| Backflow Prevention SpecialistPlumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) | $77,190 | $43,260–$102,180 | $63,800 | +21% | 1,850 |
| Irrigation Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (37-1012) | $60,540 | $48,210–$97,950 | $58,430 | +4% | 570 |
| Irrigation Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $120,230 | $79,990–$196,960 | $114,990 | +5% | 1,480 |
| Irrigation EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $80,560 | $49,270–$132,140 | $78,740 | +2% | 890 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Hartford 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 Hartford's commercial irrigation market has changed since 2018.
The number of landscaping companies in Hartford rose from 657 in 2018 to 715 in 2023, up 9%, behind the 13% growth nationally. Headcount at those firms went up 6%, to about 3,926 people. Average annual pay there went from $38,073 to $51,700 (+36%), faster than the 31% national increase, a sign employers here have had to bid up.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping companies: business locations | 657 | 715 | +9% |
| Landscaping companies: employment | 3,719 | 3,926 | +6% |
| Landscaping companies: average annual pay | $38,073 | $51,700 | +36% |
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
Hartford runs 11% more commercial irrigation workers per job than the country as a whole — above the national concentration. More per job means more people to reach, and more employers reaching 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 Hartford's commercial irrigation market compares
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Hartford ranks 47th for headcount, 19th for median pay and 31st for concentration for landscaping and groundskeeping workers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport | 4,920 | $46,430 | 1.99 | 818 |
| Hartford | 4,060 | $44,860 | 1.11 | 715 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial irrigation employers in Hartford, the pool is deep but local employers have been cutting headcount. Experienced people are here, and some will be open to a move, so a clear offer and a defined path up usually beat a higher posted rate.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Hartford metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Commercial Irrigation licensing in Connecticut.
Connecticut issues limited lawn sprinkler licenses: a J-3 contractor license and a J-4 journeyperson license. The journeyperson may work only for a contractor licensed for that work. The same state rules apply in Bridgeport, so candidates licensed there can work in Hartford without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Confirm current rules with the agency.
We have not closed a commercial irrigation search in Hartford yet. Here is what we have closed.
These are other trades in the same market. We would rather show you the searches we have actually run in Hartford than imply a record in this trade that we do not have yet.
- Senior Manager of SalesA decade of HVAC-specific sales leadership, placed into an owner-direct commercial sales seat in three weeks.
- Commercial Mechanical EstimatorForty years of construction behind the takeoffs - an estimator who knows what the numbers are describing.
Nearby markets competing for Hartford talent.
The closest metro we cover is Bridgeport, about 50 miles away, with roughly 4,920 landscaping and groundskeeping workers (1.2 times Hartford's 4,060). Boston pays the most nearby, a $49,030 median, 9% above Hartford. That is the number any Hartford offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. Boston has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hartford | – | 4,060 | $44,860 |
| Bridgeport | 48 mi | 4,920 | $46,430 |
| Worcester | 57 mi | 2,170 | $47,980 |
| Providence | 66 mi | 5,530 | $45,250 |
| Albany | 82 mi | 2,400 | $41,290 |
| Boston | 93 mi | 15,120 | $49,030 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Hartford crews.
Not commercial irrigation work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Hartford in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Manchester Memorial and Rockville General Hospital acquisitionsPart of the $850M bond packageMulti-year integration
Hartford HealthCare's acquisition of two additional hospitals brings more facilities into the system's capital-improvement pipeline, extending mechanical and electrical demand beyond the main Hartford Hospital campus.
- Hartford HealthCare $850M bond issue$850M ($424M for systemwide capital projects)Multi-year, funding secured
The largest health-system capital financing in the region's recent history, funding a new 470,000 sq ft patient tower at Hartford Hospital, parking-garage demolition/replacement, medical office building renovation, energy-infrastructure upgrades, and expanded patient-care areas.
- Connecticut biennial capital program$5B+ in bond authorizations, FY2024-2025Ongoing
Statewide bond funding driving healthcare, education, and adaptive-reuse construction - a broad tailwind for commercial contractors across the Hartford metro beyond the healthcare-specific projects.
These are the 3 projects we track in Hartford. The Hartford market page covers hiring conditions across every trade here.
What credentials matter for commercial irrigation, and what kills offers in Hartford.
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 Hartford.
What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Hartford?
BLS puts the Hartford median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $44,860 a year, 15% above the $39,150 national median. That ranks 21st of 112 metros with published figures, in the top quarter. Pay is bunched together here, $35,510 to $57,080 across the 10th to 90th percentile and only a 1.6x gap, so small differences in an offer are noticed. Within Connecticut, Bridgeport pays more, at $46,430.
Is it hard to hire landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Hartford?
It is about average. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers are as common in Hartford as they are nationally (location quotient 1.11), with about 4,060 in the metro. The 715 landscaping companies here average about 5.5 employees per location, mostly small shops, so candidates often know every employer in town by name.
Which commercial irrigation roles pay the most in Hartford?
Of the roles we recruit for, Irrigation Project Manager pays the most in Hartford, a $120,230 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Irrigation System Designer at $79,490, 34% below it. Irrigation Technician / Installer is the lowest-paid field role at $44,860. Relative to national pay, Backflow Prevention Specialist is the strongest-paying role here (21% above).
How many landscaping companies operate in Hartford?
BLS counted 715 landscaping companies in Hartford in 2023, employing about 3,926 people between them. Up from 657 in 2018, a 9% increase against 13% growth nationally. That averages 5.5 people per location, so most are small shops. They pay an average of $51,700, 7% above the $48,279 national average for the same kind of employer. BLS counts irrigation contractors under landscaping companies.
Which nearby metros compete with Hartford for landscaping and groundskeeping workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Bridgeport (48 miles, about 4,920, $46,430 median), Worcester (57 miles, about 2,170, $47,980 median) and Providence (66 miles, about 5,530, $45,250 median). Worcester pays 7% more, which is where Hartford employers tend to lose people.
The seat is open. The pipeline should not be.
715 landscaping companies in Hartford are drawing on the same 4,060 landscaping and groundskeeping workers. Let's get your next hire lined up first.
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