Commercial Irrigation recruiters serving New Orleans.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers are scarcer in New Orleans than in most of the country, 47% fewer per job, so the roughly 1,440 who work here are rarely short of offers. BLS counts 298 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 New Orleans.
BLS counts about 3,120 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the New Orleans metro, the largest group being plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (about 1,510). Relative to the size of the local economy, landscaping and groundskeeping workers are far less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.53). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Irrigation hub.
Irrigation Technician / Installer
New Orleans: 1,440 employed · $35,410 median, 108th-highest of 112 metros
Certified Irrigation Technician (CIT)
Irrigation System Designer
New Orleans: BLS does not publish a local figure for this occupation.
Backflow Prevention Specialist
New Orleans: 1,510 employed · $62,450 median, 58th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Service / Repair Technician
Irrigation Foreman / Crew Lead
New Orleans: 170 employed · $48,060 median, 101st-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Project Manager
New Orleans: 800 employed · $122,050 median, 30th-highest of 111 metros
Irrigation Estimator
New Orleans: 470 employed · $81,170 median, 30th-highest of 111 metros
Smart / Controller Systems Technician
Landscape Water Management Auditor
What Commercial Irrigation roles earn in New Orleans.
In the New Orleans metro, the median wage for landscaping and groundskeeping workers is $35,410 a year, 10% below the $39,150 national median. Most earn between $28,330 and $43,850. Of the other roles listed, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters earn the most locally, at a $62,450 median. BLS does not publish New Orleans pay for one occupation below, usually because too few people hold the job locally.
| Role | New Orleans 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) | $35,410 | $28,330–$43,850 | $39,150 | −10% | 1,440 |
| Irrigation System DesignerLandscape Architects (17-1012) | – | – | $79,870 | – | – |
| Backflow Prevention SpecialistPlumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) | $62,450 | $39,220–$79,690 | $63,800 | −2% | 1,510 |
| Irrigation Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (37-1012) | $48,060 | $36,830–$72,800 | $58,430 | −18% | 170 |
| Irrigation Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $122,050 | $72,700–$182,390 | $114,990 | +6% | 800 |
| Irrigation EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $81,170 | $47,210–$123,180 | $78,740 | +3% | 470 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, New Orleans metro. Range is 10th to 90th percentile; management and office roles are metro-wide.
How New Orleans's commercial irrigation market has changed since 2018.
The number of landscaping companies in New Orleans rose from 259 in 2018 to 298 in 2023, up 15%, close to the 13% national change.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping companies: business locations | 259 | 298 | +15% |
| Landscaping companies: employment | – | 1,374 | – |
| Landscaping companies: average annual pay | – | $43,337 | – |
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
New Orleans runs 47% fewer commercial irrigation workers per job than the country as a whole — well below the national concentration. A thinner local pool 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 New Orleans's commercial irrigation market compares
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, New Orleans ranks 94th for headcount, 97th for median pay and 99th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | 2,240 | $36,260 | 0.89 | 262 |
| New Orleans | 1,440 | $35,410 | 0.53 | 298 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial irrigation employers in New Orleans, the local pool is thinner than most, so plan on recruiting some roles in from outside the metro.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, New Orleans metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Commercial Irrigation licensing in Louisiana.
Louisiana requires a Landscape Irrigation Contractor License to build, install, repair, maintain or alter any part of a landscape irrigation system, including its wiring. The license requires passing an exam. The same state rules apply in Baton Rouge, so candidates licensed there can work in New Orleans without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Louisiana Horticulture Commission. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for New Orleans talent.
The closest metro we cover is Baton Rouge, about 75 miles away, with roughly 2,240 landscaping and groundskeeping workers (1.6 times New Orleans's 1,440). Pay is close across the region: medians run from $36,160 in Pensacola to $36,260 in Baton Rouge, against $35,410 here. Baton Rouge has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans | – | 1,440 | $35,410 |
| Baton Rouge | 74 mi | 2,240 | $36,260 |
| Pensacola | 174 mi | 1,220 | $36,160 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
Frequently asked - Commercial Irrigation hiring in New Orleans.
What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in New Orleans?
BLS puts the New Orleans median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $35,410 a year, 10% below the $39,150 national median. That ranks 108th of 112 metros with published figures, in the bottom quarter. Pay is bunched together here, $28,330 to $43,850 across the 10th to 90th percentile, so small differences in an offer are noticed. No other Louisiana metro we cover pays more for this work (Baton Rouge: $36,260).
Is it hard to hire landscaping and groundskeeping workers in New Orleans?
Yes. New Orleans has 47% fewer landscaping and groundskeeping workers per job than the country as a whole, roughly 1,440 in the metro, so most of the people worth hiring are already employed. The 298 landscaping companies here average about 4.6 employees per location, mostly small shops, so candidates often know every employer in town by name. With 15% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which commercial irrigation roles pay the most in New Orleans?
Of the roles we recruit for, Irrigation Project Manager pays the most in New Orleans, a $122,050 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Backflow Prevention Specialist at $62,450, 49% below it. Irrigation Technician / Installer is the lowest-paid field role at $35,410. Relative to national pay, Irrigation Project Manager is the strongest-paying role here (6% above). Irrigation Foreman / Crew Lead trails national pay the most (18% below).
How many landscaping companies operate in New Orleans?
BLS counted 298 landscaping companies in New Orleans in 2023, employing about 1,374 people between them. Up from 259 in 2018, a 15% increase against 13% growth nationally. That averages 4.6 people per location, so most are small shops. They pay an average of $43,337, 10% below the $48,279 national average for the same kind of employer. BLS counts irrigation contractors under landscaping companies.
Which nearby metros compete with New Orleans for landscaping and groundskeeping workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Baton Rouge (74 miles, about 2,240, $36,260 median) and Pensacola (174 miles, about 1,220, $36,160 median). Baton Rouge has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move.
Thin market. Short list anyway.
With landscaping and groundskeeping workers this scarce in New Orleans, an open seat rarely fills from a job posting. Let's line up the people before the next one opens.
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