Commercial Irrigation recruiters serving Lancaster.
About 1,650 landscaping and groundskeeping workers work in the Lancaster metro, at a $39,140 median. BLS counts 234 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 Lancaster.
BLS counts about 2,770 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Lancaster metro, the largest group being landscaping and groundskeeping workers (about 1,650). Relative to the size of the local economy, landscaping and groundskeeping workers are more concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 1.07). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Irrigation hub.
Irrigation Technician / Installer
Lancaster: 1,650 employed · $39,140 median, 45th-highest of 112 metros
Certified Irrigation Technician (CIT)
Irrigation System Designer
Lancaster: 40 employed · $76,590 median, 55th-highest of 78 metros
Backflow Prevention Specialist
Lancaster: 820 employed · $61,950 median, 60th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Service / Repair Technician
Irrigation Foreman / Crew Lead
Lancaster: 260 employed · $58,540 median, 51st-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Project Manager
Lancaster: 440 employed · $101,490 median, 96th-highest of 111 metros
Irrigation Estimator
Lancaster: 700 employed · $77,450 median, 64th-highest of 111 metros
Smart / Controller Systems Technician
Landscape Water Management Auditor
What Commercial Irrigation roles earn in Lancaster.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Lancaster earn a median $39,140, level with the $39,150 national figure, and 45th of 112 metros. Pay runs $29,740 at the tenth percentile to $52,610 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is landscape architects, at $76,590 against $79,870 nationally.
| Role | Lancaster 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) | $39,140 | $29,740–$52,610 | $39,150 | 0% | 1,650 |
| Irrigation System DesignerLandscape Architects (17-1012) | $76,590 | $60,610–$143,510 | $79,870 | −4% | 40 |
| Backflow Prevention SpecialistPlumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) | $61,950 | $46,220–$98,740 | $63,800 | −3% | 820 |
| Irrigation Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (37-1012) | $58,540 | $45,860–$72,170 | $58,430 | 0% | 260 |
| Irrigation Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $101,490 | $78,660–$158,140 | $114,990 | −12% | 440 |
| Irrigation EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $77,450 | $51,600–$123,770 | $78,740 | −2% | 700 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Lancaster 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 Lancaster's commercial irrigation market has changed since 2018.
The number of landscaping companies in Lancaster rose from 222 in 2018 to 234 in 2023, up 5%, behind the 13% growth nationally. Headcount at those firms went up 19%, to about 1,531 people. Average annual pay there went from $32,644 to $44,164 (+35%), faster than the 31% national increase, a sign employers here have had to bid up.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping companies: business locations | 222 | 234 | +5% |
| Landscaping companies: employment | 1,290 | 1,531 | +19% |
| Landscaping companies: average annual pay | $32,644 | $44,164 | +35% |
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
Lancaster runs 7% 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 Lancaster's commercial irrigation market compares
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Lancaster ranks 88th for headcount, 41st for median pay and 38th for concentration for landscaping and groundskeeping workers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | 17,700 | $42,130 | 1.00 | 2,600 |
| Pittsburgh | 6,650 | $37,690 | 0.97 | 964 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem | 2,310 | $39,350 | 1.00 | 361 |
| Lancaster | 1,650 | $39,140 | 1.07 | 234 |
| Harrisburg | 1,630 | $38,700 | 0.79 | 195 |
| Scranton | 1,330 | $37,330 | 0.85 | 205 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial irrigation employers in Lancaster, the pool is about the national norm for its size and local employers are adding people, so expect competing offers on experienced candidates and keep the process short.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Lancaster metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Commercial Irrigation licensing in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania does not license or certify most construction contractors at state level, and there is no irrigation, landscape or general contractor license. The Department of Labor and Industry states plainly that the Commonwealth has no licensure or certification requirement for most construction contractors or their employees, and that individual municipalities set their own requirements, most often for home improvement, electrical and plumbing contractors. The only statewide registration that touches this work is Home Improvement Contractor registration with the Attorney General, which applies to residential jobs rather than commercial ones. For backflow, 25 Pa. Code 109.709 requires public water suppliers to operate cross-connection control programs, so the tester credential a crew needs is whatever the water authority serving the job accepts. The same state rules apply in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown-Bethlehem, Harrisburg and Scranton, so candidates licensed there can work in Lancaster without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: No state license; the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry confirms there is no state contractor licensure and leaves trade licensing to municipalities. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Lancaster talent.
The closest metro we cover is Harrisburg, about 35 miles away, with roughly 1,630 landscaping and groundskeeping workers (1.0 times Lancaster's 1,650). Washington, D.C. pays the most nearby, a $42,700 median, 9% above Lancaster. That is the number any Lancaster offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. Philadelphia has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster | – | 1,650 | $39,140 |
| Harrisburg | 35 mi | 1,630 | $38,700 |
| Baltimore | 54 mi | 7,480 | $39,620 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem | 58 mi | 2,310 | $39,350 |
| Philadelphia | 61 mi | 17,700 | $42,130 |
| Washington, D.C. | 88 mi | 17,140 | $42,700 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Lancaster crews.
Not commercial irrigation work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Lancaster in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- GSK Marietta pharmaceutical facility expansionUp to $800MDrug substance facility operational by end of 2027
Doubling the size of GSK's existing Lancaster County manufacturing facility and adding 215 jobs.
- Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center$375M (hospital already open)Continued fit-out; further expansion planned within 3-4 years
An already-operating hospital continuing to build out additional clinical areas to meet growing regional demand.
- Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health Trauma & ED expansion$182M (84,000 sq ft)Completed June 2024
A single-story addition that nearly doubled ED capacity to 96 beds and 130,000+ annual patient visits, with new trauma bays and behavioral-health and pediatric treatment rooms - a completed, historical example of the healthcare-construction capacity this metro delivers, not an active current driver.
Showing 3 of 4 projects tracked in this metro. The Lancaster market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for commercial irrigation, and what kills offers in Lancaster.
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 Lancaster.
What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Lancaster?
BLS puts the Lancaster median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $39,140 a year, about the same as the $39,150 national median. That ranks 45th of 112 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Most of the market sits between $29,740 and $52,610, a 1.8x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. Within Pennsylvania, Philadelphia pays more, at $42,130.
Is it hard to hire landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Lancaster?
It is about average. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers are as common in Lancaster as they are nationally (location quotient 1.07), with about 1,650 in the metro. The 234 landscaping companies here average about 6.5 employees per location, mostly small shops, so candidates often know every employer in town by name.
Which commercial irrigation roles pay the most in Lancaster?
Of the roles we recruit for, Irrigation Project Manager pays the most in Lancaster, a $101,490 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Irrigation System Designer at $76,590, 25% below it. Irrigation Technician / Installer is the lowest-paid field role at $39,140. Irrigation Project Manager trails national pay the most (12% below).
How many landscaping companies operate in Lancaster?
BLS counted 234 landscaping companies in Lancaster in 2023, employing about 1,531 people between them. Up from 222 in 2018, a 5% increase against 13% growth nationally. That averages 6.5 people per location, so most are small shops. They pay an average of $44,164, 9% below the $48,279 national average for the same kind of employer. BLS counts irrigation contractors under landscaping companies.
Which nearby metros compete with Lancaster for landscaping and groundskeeping workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Harrisburg (35 miles, about 1,630, $38,700 median), Baltimore (54 miles, about 7,480, $39,620 median) and Allentown-Bethlehem (58 miles, about 2,310, $39,350 median). Baltimore has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move.
The seat is open. The pipeline should not be.
234 landscaping companies in Lancaster are drawing on the same 1,650 landscaping and groundskeeping workers. Let's get your next hire lined up first.
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