Commercial Irrigation recruiters serving Houston.
Houston has about 14,840 landscaping and groundskeeping workers, 11th of the 112 we cover, and still 26% fewer per job than the country - so they are rarely short of offers. BLS counts 1,026 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 Houston.
BLS counts about 26,450 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Houston metro, the largest group being landscaping and groundskeeping workers (about 14,840). Relative to the size of the local economy, landscaping and groundskeeping workers are far less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.74). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Irrigation hub.
Irrigation Technician / Installer
Houston: 14,840 employed · $36,280 median, 99th-highest of 112 metros
Certified Irrigation Technician (CIT)
Irrigation System Designer
Houston: 630 employed · $103,670 median, 5th-highest of 78 metros
Backflow Prevention Specialist
Houston: 10,980 employed · $61,300 median, 64th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Service / Repair Technician
Irrigation Foreman / Crew Lead
Houston: $46,720 median, 106th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Project Manager
Houston: 16,500 employed · $103,530 median, 81st-highest of 111 metros
Irrigation Estimator
Houston: 5,660 employed · $78,200 median, 53rd-highest of 111 metros
Smart / Controller Systems Technician
Landscape Water Management Auditor
What Commercial Irrigation roles earn in Houston.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Houston earn a median $36,280, 7% under the $39,150 national figure, and 99th of 112 metros. Pay runs $29,660 at the tenth percentile to $46,700 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is landscape architects, at $103,670 against $79,870 nationally.
| Role | Houston 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) | $36,280 | $29,660–$46,700 | $39,150 | −7% | 14,840 |
| Irrigation System DesignerLandscape Architects (17-1012) | $103,670 | $63,280–$117,150 | $79,870 | +30% | 630 |
| Backflow Prevention SpecialistPlumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) | $61,300 | $39,920–$85,680 | $63,800 | −4% | 10,980 |
| Irrigation Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (37-1012) | $46,720 | $37,150–$69,180 | $58,430 | −20% | – |
| Irrigation Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $103,530 | $68,500–$170,590 | $114,990 | −10% | 16,500 |
| Irrigation EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $78,200 | $44,800–$132,450 | $78,740 | −1% | 5,660 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Houston 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 Houston's commercial irrigation market has changed since 2018.
The number of landscaping companies in Houston rose from 958 in 2018 to 1,026 in 2023, up 7%, behind the 13% growth nationally. Headcount at those firms went up 18%, to about 16,598 people. Average annual pay there went from $40,035 to $51,642 (+29%), in step with the 31% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping companies: business locations | 958 | 1,026 | +7% |
| Landscaping companies: employment | 14,043 | 16,598 | +18% |
| Landscaping companies: average annual pay | $40,035 | $51,642 | +29% |
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
Houston runs 26% fewer commercial irrigation workers per job than the country as a whole — well 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 Houston's commercial irrigation market compares
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Houston ranks 11th for headcount, 89th for median pay and 95th 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 Houston, the headline number is misleading. About 14,840 landscaping and groundskeeping workers work here, one of the larger workforces we cover, but relative to the size of the local economy the trade is thinner than average, so every other employer is drawing on the same people. Local employers are still adding headcount, which keeps competition for experienced people high. Expect to recruit people who are already employed, and to make the case for moving.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Houston 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, San Antonio, Austin, McAllen and El Paso, so candidates licensed there can work in Houston without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Confirm current rules with the agency.
We have not closed a commercial irrigation search in Houston 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 Houston than imply a record in this trade that we do not have yet.
- Commercial HVAC Service TechnicianFive to ten years of commercial HVAC experience, EPA 608, and independent troubleshooting - filled in two weeks.
- Commercial HVAC TechnicianA lead technician who can also train the rest of the bench.
- Commercial HVAC TechnicianThe second of two technician seats on the same requisition, filled in the same window as the first.
Nearby markets competing for Houston talent.
The closest metro we cover is Austin, about 145 miles away, with roughly 7,600 landscaping and groundskeeping workers (0.5 times Houston's 14,840). Austin pays the most nearby, a $38,370 median, 6% above Houston. That is the number any Houston offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | – | 14,840 | $36,280 |
| Austin | 147 mi | 7,600 | $38,370 |
| San Antonio | 190 mi | 3,760 | $35,630 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 225 mi | 19,750 | $37,680 |
| Baton Rouge | 254 mi | 2,240 | $36,260 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Houston crews.
Not commercial irrigation work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Houston in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Texas Medical Center expansion (TMC3, MD Anderson, Memorial Hermann)$5B+ aggregated2024-2030
Largest medical complex in the world keeps expanding. Hospital-grade mechanical, isolation HVAC, OR work. Mechanical PMs with healthcare experience in extreme demand.
- ExxonMobil Baytown chemical complex expansion~$2B2024-2026
Process mechanical, instrumentation, refinery-grade trades. Wages running 15-25% above standard commercial.
- Port Houston Bayport Container Terminal expansion$1B+2024-2027
Heavy civil, paving, large-scale mechanical. Crane operators and heavy electricians in tight supply.
Showing 3 of 5 projects tracked in this metro. The Houston market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for commercial irrigation, and what kills offers in Houston.
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 Houston.
What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Houston?
BLS puts the Houston median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $36,280 a year, 7% below the $39,150 national median. That ranks 99th of 112 metros with published figures, in the bottom quarter. Pay is bunched together here, $29,660 to $46,700 across the 10th to 90th percentile and only a 1.6x gap, 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 Houston?
Yes. Houston has 26% fewer landscaping and groundskeeping workers per job than the country as a whole, roughly 14,840 in the metro, so most of the people worth hiring are already employed. The 1,026 landscaping companies here average about 16 employees per location.
Which commercial irrigation roles pay the most in Houston?
Of the roles we recruit for, Irrigation System Designer pays the most in Houston, a $103,670 median. Irrigation Technician / Installer is the lowest-paid field role at $36,280. Relative to national pay, Irrigation System Designer is the strongest-paying role here (30% above). Irrigation Foreman / Crew Lead trails national pay the most (20% below).
How many landscaping companies operate in Houston?
BLS counted 1,026 landscaping companies in Houston in 2023, employing about 16,598 people between them. Up from 958 in 2018, a 7% increase against 13% growth nationally. That averages 16 people per location. They pay an average of $51,642, 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 Houston for landscaping and groundskeeping workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Austin (147 miles, about 7,600, $38,370 median), San Antonio (190 miles, about 3,760, $35,630 median) and Dallas-Fort Worth (225 miles, about 19,750, $37,680 median). Austin pays 6% more, which is where Houston employers tend to lose people.
Deep pool. Heavily fished.
Houston has 14,840 landscaping and groundskeeping workers, 11th of the 112 metros we cover, and still 26% fewer per job than the country. The pool is deep and every employer here is fishing it. Let's get to the ones worth moving first.
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