Commercial Irrigation recruiters serving Los Angeles.
Los Angeles has about 27,860 landscaping and groundskeeping workers, 2nd of the 112 we cover, and still 27% fewer per job than the country - so they are rarely short of offers. BLS counts 2,053 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 Los Angeles.
BLS counts about 48,340 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Los Angeles metro, the largest group being landscaping and groundskeeping workers (about 27,860). Relative to the size of the local economy, landscaping and groundskeeping workers are far less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.73). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Irrigation hub.
Irrigation Technician / Installer
Los Angeles: 27,860 employed · $44,650 median, 22nd-highest of 112 metros
Certified Irrigation Technician (CIT)
Irrigation System Designer
Los Angeles: 570 employed · $95,760 median, 10th-highest of 78 metros
Backflow Prevention Specialist
Los Angeles: 15,690 employed · $71,110 median, 33rd-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Service / Repair Technician
Irrigation Foreman / Crew Lead
Los Angeles: 4,220 employed · $61,350 median, 26th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Project Manager
Los Angeles: 10,120 employed · $131,680 median, 12th-highest of 111 metros
Irrigation Estimator
Los Angeles: 7,600 employed · $82,260 median, 23rd-highest of 111 metros
Smart / Controller Systems Technician
Landscape Water Management Auditor
What Commercial Irrigation roles earn in Los Angeles.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Los Angeles earn a median $44,650, 14% over the $39,150 national figure, and 22nd of 112 metros. Pay runs $37,120 at the tenth percentile to $59,430 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is landscape architects, at $95,760 against $79,870 nationally.
| Role | Los Angeles 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) | $44,650 | $37,120–$59,430 | $39,150 | +14% | 27,860 |
| Irrigation System DesignerLandscape Architects (17-1012) | $95,760 | $60,650–$181,440 | $79,870 | +20% | 570 |
| Backflow Prevention SpecialistPlumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) | $71,110 | $46,090–$125,080 | $63,800 | +11% | 15,690 |
| Irrigation Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (37-1012) | $61,350 | $42,370–$98,430 | $58,430 | +5% | 4,220 |
| Irrigation Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $131,680 | $75,730–$212,330 | $114,990 | +15% | 10,120 |
| Irrigation EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $82,260 | $51,220–$140,390 | $78,740 | +4% | 7,600 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles's commercial irrigation market has changed since 2018.
The number of landscaping companies in Los Angeles rose from 1,931 in 2018 to 2,053 in 2023, up 6%, behind the 13% growth nationally. Their combined payroll headcount barely moved, at about 28,567. Average annual pay there went from $38,137 to $49,810 (+31%), in step with the 31% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping companies: business locations | 1,931 | 2,053 | +6% |
| Landscaping companies: employment | 28,375 | 28,567 | +1% |
| Landscaping companies: average annual pay | $38,137 | $49,810 | +31% |
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
Los Angeles runs 27% 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 Los Angeles's commercial irrigation market compares
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Los Angeles ranks 2nd for headcount, 20th for median pay and 96th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 27,860 | $44,650 | 0.73 | 2,053 |
| Riverside | 13,190 | $43,650 | 1.25 | 1,009 |
| San Francisco | 12,270 | $48,040 | 0.84 | 1,164 |
| San Diego | 10,870 | $45,560 | 1.15 | 966 |
| Sacramento | 7,410 | $45,110 | 1.12 | 766 |
| San Jose | 6,000 | $48,330 | 0.86 | 519 |
| Fresno | 3,040 | $40,710 | 1.04 | 211 |
| Bakersfield | 1,630 | $43,770 | 0.79 | 151 |
| Stockton | 1,390 | $44,280 | 0.78 | 168 |
| Modesto | 1,080 | $45,740 | 0.90 | 120 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial irrigation employers in Los Angeles, the headline number is misleading. About 27,860 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, Los Angeles metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Commercial Irrigation licensing in California.
Public water systems in California must use backflow assembly testers certified by recognized, accredited certifying organizations; the State Water Board does not issue the certification itself. From July 1, 2027, only organizations with ANSI accreditation to ISO/IEC 17024 will qualify. The same state rules apply in Riverside, San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, San Jose, Fresno, Bakersfield, Stockton and Modesto, so candidates licensed there can work in Los Angeles without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: California State Water Resources Control Board. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Los Angeles talent.
The closest metro we cover is Riverside, about 50 miles away, with roughly 13,190 landscaping and groundskeeping workers (0.5 times Los Angeles's 27,860). Pay is close across the region: medians run from $37,920 in Las Vegas to $45,560 in San Diego, against $44,650 here. Los Angeles is the largest market for this work in the region, so nearby metros tend to recruit from here rather than the other way round.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | – | 27,860 | $44,650 |
| Riverside | 49 mi | 13,190 | $43,650 |
| Bakersfield | 101 mi | 1,630 | $43,770 |
| San Diego | 111 mi | 10,870 | $45,560 |
| Fresno | 205 mi | 3,040 | $40,710 |
| Las Vegas | 229 mi | 7,220 | $37,920 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Los Angeles crews.
Not commercial irrigation work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Los Angeles in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- LA Metro Sepulveda Transit Corridor$10B+Through 2033
Heavy civil, tunnel work, station MEP. Long-duration project labor agreement.
- LAX Modernization Program (Metro Connector + Terminal upgrades)$30B totalThrough 2030
Largest single airport capital program in US. Airport-grade MEP at scale - terminal expansions, automated people mover, consolidated rent-a-car. Decade-long crew demand.
- 2028 LA Olympics infrastructure prep$7B+2025-2028
Venue retrofits, transportation infrastructure, security upgrades. Compressed timeline driving crew premiums.
Showing 3 of 6 projects tracked in this metro. The Los Angeles market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for commercial irrigation, and what kills offers in Los Angeles.
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 Los Angeles.
What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Los Angeles?
BLS puts the Los Angeles median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $44,650 a year, 14% above the $39,150 national median. That ranks 22nd of 112 metros with published figures, in the top quarter. Pay is bunched together here, $37,120 to $59,430 across the 10th to 90th percentile and only a 1.6x gap, so small differences in an offer are noticed. Within California, San Jose pays more, at $48,330.
Is it hard to hire landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Los Angeles?
Yes. Los Angeles has 27% fewer landscaping and groundskeeping workers per job than the country as a whole, roughly 27,860 in the metro, so most of the people worth hiring are already employed. The 2,053 landscaping companies here average about 14 employees per location.
Which commercial irrigation roles pay the most in Los Angeles?
Of the roles we recruit for, Irrigation Project Manager pays the most in Los Angeles, a $131,680 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Irrigation System Designer at $95,760, 27% below it. Irrigation Technician / Installer is the lowest-paid field role at $44,650. Relative to national pay, Irrigation System Designer is the strongest-paying role here (20% above).
How many landscaping companies operate in Los Angeles?
BLS counted 2,053 landscaping companies in Los Angeles in 2023, employing about 28,567 people between them. Up from 1,931 in 2018, a 6% increase against 13% growth nationally. That averages 14 people per location. They pay an average of $49,810, 3% above the $48,279 national average for the same kind of employer. BLS counts irrigation contractors under landscaping companies.
Which nearby metros compete with Los Angeles for landscaping and groundskeeping workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Riverside (49 miles, about 13,190, $43,650 median), Bakersfield (101 miles, about 1,630, $43,770 median) and San Diego (111 miles, about 10,870, $45,560 median).
Deep pool. Heavily fished.
Los Angeles has 27,860 landscaping and groundskeeping workers, 2nd of the 112 metros we cover, and still 27% 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.
Schedule a Discovery Call →