Commercial Irrigation recruiters serving Knoxville.
Knoxville has 16% more landscaping and groundskeeping workers per job than the country as a whole, about 3,020 in the metro. BLS counts 352 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 Knoxville.
BLS counts about 5,140 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Knoxville metro, the largest group being landscaping and groundskeeping workers (about 3,020). Relative to the size of the local economy, landscaping and groundskeeping workers are more concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 1.16). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Irrigation hub.
Irrigation Technician / Installer
Knoxville: 3,020 employed · $36,040 median, 104th-highest of 112 metros
Certified Irrigation Technician (CIT)
Irrigation System Designer
Knoxville: 50 employed
Backflow Prevention Specialist
Knoxville: 1,700 employed · $59,860 median, 74th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Service / Repair Technician
Irrigation Foreman / Crew Lead
Knoxville: 370 employed · $54,550 median, 75th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Project Manager
Knoxville: 730 employed · $101,910 median, 92nd-highest of 111 metros
Irrigation Estimator
Knoxville: 540 employed · $72,900 median, 91st-highest of 111 metros
Smart / Controller Systems Technician
Landscape Water Management Auditor
What Commercial Irrigation roles earn in Knoxville.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Knoxville earn a median $36,040, 8% under the $39,150 national figure, and 104th of 112 metros. Pay runs $29,450 at the tenth percentile to $46,390 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters, at $59,860 against $63,800 nationally. BLS withholds Knoxville pay for one occupation in the table.
| Role | Knoxville 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) | $36,040 | $29,450–$46,390 | $39,150 | −8% | 3,020 |
| Irrigation System DesignerLandscape Architects (17-1012) | – | – | $79,870 | – | 50 |
| Backflow Prevention SpecialistPlumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) | $59,860 | $38,940–$79,560 | $63,800 | −6% | 1,700 |
| Irrigation Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (37-1012) | $54,550 | $36,790–$83,020 | $58,430 | −7% | 370 |
| Irrigation Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $101,910 | $62,210–$169,550 | $114,990 | −11% | 730 |
| Irrigation EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $72,900 | $42,760–$115,860 | $78,740 | −7% | 540 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Knoxville 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 Knoxville's commercial irrigation market has changed since 2018.
The number of landscaping companies in Knoxville rose from 269 in 2018 to 352 in 2023, up 31%, ahead of the 13% national rise. Headcount at those firms went up 15%, to about 2,984 people. Average annual pay there went from $30,662 to $44,813 (+46%), faster than the 31% national increase, a sign employers here have had to bid up.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping companies: business locations | 269 | 352 | +31% |
| Landscaping companies: employment | 2,603 | 2,984 | +15% |
| Landscaping companies: average annual pay | $30,662 | $44,813 | +46% |
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
Knoxville runs 16% 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 Knoxville's commercial irrigation market compares
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Knoxville ranks 56th for headcount, 94th for median pay and 25th for concentration for landscaping and groundskeeping workers. Pay here is among the lowest we see, which makes relocation offers from higher-paying metros a real retention risk.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville | 6,270 | $37,910 | 0.93 | 749 |
| Memphis | 3,100 | $36,500 | 0.83 | 325 |
| Knoxville | 3,020 | $36,040 | 1.16 | 352 |
| Chattanooga | 1,460 | $36,190 | 0.89 | 142 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial irrigation employers in Knoxville, the pool is deep and still growing, so the constraint is competition rather than supply. Move fast on good candidates, because another local firm is probably talking to them too.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Knoxville metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Commercial Irrigation licensing in Tennessee.
Tennessee's contractor license classifications include BC-33 Irrigation. The Department of Environment and Conservation runs a state certification program for backflow prevention assembly testers through its Fleming Training Center. The same state rules apply in Nashville, Memphis and Chattanooga, so candidates licensed there can work in Knoxville without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (irrigation); Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (backflow). Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Knoxville talent.
The closest metro we cover is Chattanooga, about 100 miles away, with roughly 1,460 landscaping and groundskeeping workers (0.5 times Knoxville's 3,020). Atlanta pays the most nearby, a $38,500 median, 7% above Knoxville. That is the number any Knoxville offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. Atlanta has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville | – | 3,020 | $36,040 |
| Chattanooga | 101 mi | 1,460 | $36,190 |
| Greenville | 115 mi | 2,420 | $36,610 |
| Atlanta | 155 mi | 15,300 | $38,500 |
| Nashville | 161 mi | 6,270 | $37,910 |
| Huntsville | 173 mi | 1,550 | $37,510 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Knoxville crews.
Not commercial irrigation work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Knoxville in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- DOE Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus (finalist)Undisclosed, federalSite selection ongoing
Tennessee is one of just 5 states selected as a finalist out of 26 applicants for a major Department of Energy nuclear research campus - a signal of the region's growing strategic importance to the nuclear-energy sector.
- Y-12 demolition and cleanup programFederal EM programAlpha-2 completed January 2026; Beta-1 and Old Steam Plant ongoing
DOE completed demolition of the 325,000 sq ft Alpha-2 facility (the largest demolition in Y-12's history, clearing 2.5+ acres) in January 2026, and crews are preparing the 210,000 sq ft Beta-1 facility and the Old Steam Plant for removal. Clears contaminated Manhattan Project/Cold War-era sites for new missions and community reuse.
- Oak Ridge federal land reuse~$10B in announced capital investmentOngoing
More than 2,500 acres of federal property transferred to the community for economic reuse, with businesses locating on those sites announcing a combined ~$10B in projected capital investment.
Showing 3 of 4 projects tracked in this metro. The Knoxville market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for commercial irrigation, and what kills offers in Knoxville.
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 Knoxville.
What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Knoxville?
BLS puts the Knoxville median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $36,040 a year, 8% below the $39,150 national median. That ranks 104th of 112 metros with published figures, in the bottom quarter. Pay is bunched together here, $29,450 to $46,390 across the 10th to 90th percentile and only a 1.6x gap, so small differences in an offer are noticed. Within Tennessee, Nashville pays more, at $37,910.
Is it hard to hire landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Knoxville?
Not by national standards. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers make up 16% more of the Knoxville workforce than they do nationally, about 3,020 people. The 352 landscaping companies here average about 8.5 employees per location. With 31% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which commercial irrigation roles pay the most in Knoxville?
Of the roles we recruit for, Irrigation Project Manager pays the most in Knoxville, a $101,910 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Backflow Prevention Specialist at $59,860, 41% below it. Irrigation Technician / Installer is the lowest-paid field role at $36,040. Irrigation Project Manager trails national pay the most (11% below).
How many landscaping companies operate in Knoxville?
BLS counted 352 landscaping companies in Knoxville in 2023, employing about 2,984 people between them. Up from 269 in 2018, a 31% increase against 13% growth nationally. That averages 8.5 people per location. They pay an average of $44,813, 7% below the $48,279 national average for the same kind of employer. BLS counts irrigation contractors under landscaping companies.
Which nearby metros compete with Knoxville for landscaping and groundskeeping workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Chattanooga (101 miles, about 1,460, $36,190 median), Greenville (115 miles, about 2,420, $36,610 median) and Atlanta (155 miles, about 15,300, $38,500 median). Atlanta has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Atlanta pays 7% more, which is where Knoxville employers tend to lose people.
Plenty of people. Few of them looking.
Knoxville has one of the deeper pools of landscaping and groundskeeping workers we cover, but the best of them are already working. Let's find the ones ready to move.
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