Commercial Irrigation recruiters serving Lakeland.
Lakeland has 51% more landscaping and groundskeeping workers per job than the country as a whole, about 2,450 in the metro. BLS counts 345 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 Lakeland.
BLS counts about 3,520 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Lakeland metro, the largest group being landscaping and groundskeeping workers (about 2,450). Relative to the size of the local economy, landscaping and groundskeeping workers are far more concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 1.51). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Irrigation hub.
Irrigation Technician / Installer
Lakeland: 2,450 employed · $35,490 median, 107th-highest of 112 metros
Certified Irrigation Technician (CIT)
Irrigation System Designer
Lakeland: 30 employed · $77,220 median, 52nd-highest of 78 metros
Backflow Prevention Specialist
Lakeland: 740 employed · $51,220 median, 104th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Service / Repair Technician
Irrigation Foreman / Crew Lead
Lakeland: 300 employed · $48,370 median, 100th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Project Manager
Lakeland: 630 employed · $106,140 median, 68th-highest of 111 metros
Irrigation Estimator
Lakeland: 360 employed · $70,640 median, 100th-highest of 111 metros
Smart / Controller Systems Technician
Landscape Water Management Auditor
What Commercial Irrigation roles earn in Lakeland.
In the Lakeland metro, the median wage for landscaping and groundskeeping workers is $35,490 a year, 9% below the $39,150 national median. Most earn between $29,720 and $46,550. Of the other roles listed, landscape architects earn the most locally, at a $77,220 median.
| Role | Lakeland 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) | $35,490 | $29,720–$46,550 | $39,150 | −9% | 2,450 |
| Irrigation System DesignerLandscape Architects (17-1012) | $77,220 | $53,960–$102,560 | $79,870 | −3% | 30 |
| Backflow Prevention SpecialistPlumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) | $51,220 | $38,130–$69,430 | $63,800 | −20% | 740 |
| Irrigation Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (37-1012) | $48,370 | $36,100–$81,420 | $58,430 | −17% | 300 |
| Irrigation Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $106,140 | $60,840–$176,860 | $114,990 | −8% | 630 |
| Irrigation EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $70,640 | $42,250–$122,850 | $78,740 | −10% | 360 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Lakeland metro. Range is 10th to 90th percentile; management and office roles are metro-wide.
How Lakeland's commercial irrigation market has changed since 2018.
The number of landscaping companies in Lakeland rose from 285 in 2018 to 345 in 2023, up 21%, ahead of the 13% national rise. Headcount at those firms went up 12%, to about 2,318 people. Average annual pay there went from $31,127 to $42,438 (+36%), faster than the 31% national increase, a sign employers here have had to bid up.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping companies: business locations | 285 | 345 | +21% |
| Landscaping companies: employment | 2,071 | 2,318 | +12% |
| Landscaping companies: average annual pay | $31,127 | $42,438 | +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
Lakeland runs 51% more commercial irrigation workers per job than the country as a whole — well above the national concentration. A deeper local pool 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 Lakeland's commercial irrigation market compares
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Lakeland ranks 63rd for headcount, 96th for median pay and 8th for concentration for landscaping and groundskeeping workers. That puts it among the deepest commercial irrigation labor markets in the country.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami | 21,170 | $37,430 | 1.23 | 2,385 |
| Orlando | 11,430 | $36,310 | 1.32 | 1,303 |
| Tampa | 9,860 | $37,210 | 1.11 | 1,546 |
| Jacksonville | 6,140 | $37,320 | 1.31 | 876 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers | 5,080 | $36,790 | 2.72 | 624 |
| North Port-Sarasota | 4,740 | $37,200 | 2.27 | 740 |
| Deltona-Daytona | 2,610 | $36,600 | 1.94 | 462 |
| Lakeland | 2,450 | $35,490 | 1.51 | 345 |
| Port St. Lucie | 2,330 | $36,480 | 2.23 | 363 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne | 1,870 | $36,570 | 1.24 | 368 |
| Pensacola | 1,220 | $36,160 | 1.05 | 220 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial irrigation employers in Lakeland, 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, Lakeland metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Commercial Irrigation licensing in Florida.
Florida offers a voluntary state-certified irrigation specialty contractor license. It is an alternative to a local irrigation certificate of competency or a full plumbing license, and it does not create a mandatory statewide requirement. The same state rules apply in Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, North Port-Sarasota, Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Deltona-Daytona, Palm Bay-Melbourne, Port St. Lucie and Pensacola, so candidates licensed there can work in Lakeland without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Construction Industry Licensing Board. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Lakeland talent.
The closest metro we cover is Tampa, about 30 miles away, with roughly 9,860 landscaping and groundskeeping workers (4.0 times Lakeland's 2,450). Tampa pays the most nearby, a $37,210 median, 5% above Lakeland. That is the number any Lakeland offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. Orlando has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeland | – | 2,450 | $35,490 |
| Tampa | 32 mi | 9,860 | $37,210 |
| Orlando | 49 mi | 11,430 | $36,310 |
| North Port-Sarasota | 71 mi | 4,740 | $37,200 |
| Deltona-Daytona | 73 mi | 2,610 | $36,600 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne | 83 mi | 1,870 | $36,570 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
Frequently asked - Commercial Irrigation hiring in Lakeland.
What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Lakeland?
BLS puts the Lakeland median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $35,490 a year, 9% below the $39,150 national median. That ranks 107th of 112 metros with published figures, in the bottom quarter. Most of the market sits between $29,720 and $46,550, a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. Within Florida, Miami pays more, at $37,430.
Is it hard to hire landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Lakeland?
Not by national standards. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers make up 51% more of the Lakeland workforce than they do nationally, about 2,450 people. The 345 landscaping companies here average about 6.7 employees per location, mostly small shops, so candidates often know every employer in town by name. With 21% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which commercial irrigation roles pay the most in Lakeland?
Of the roles we recruit for, Irrigation Project Manager pays the most in Lakeland, a $106,140 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Irrigation System Designer at $77,220, 27% below it. Irrigation Technician / Installer is the lowest-paid field role at $35,490. Backflow Prevention Specialist trails national pay the most (20% below).
How many landscaping companies operate in Lakeland?
BLS counted 345 landscaping companies in Lakeland in 2023, employing about 2,318 people between them. Up from 285 in 2018, a 21% increase against 13% growth nationally. That averages 6.7 people per location, so most are small shops. They pay an average of $42,438, 12% below the $48,279 national average for the same kind of employer. BLS counts irrigation contractors under landscaping companies.
Which nearby metros compete with Lakeland for landscaping and groundskeeping workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Tampa (32 miles, about 9,860, $37,210 median), Orlando (49 miles, about 11,430, $36,310 median) and North Port-Sarasota (71 miles, about 4,740, $37,200 median). Tampa has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move.
Plenty of people. Few of them looking.
Lakeland 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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