Commercial Irrigation recruiters serving North Port-Sarasota.
North Port-Sarasota has 127% more landscaping and groundskeeping workers per job than the country as a whole, about 4,740 in the metro. BLS counts 740 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 North Port-Sarasota.
BLS counts about 6,890 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the North Port-Sarasota metro, the largest group being landscaping and groundskeeping workers (about 4,740). Relative to the size of the local economy, landscaping and groundskeeping workers are far more concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 2.27). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Irrigation hub.
Irrigation Technician / Installer
North Port-Sarasota: 4,740 employed · $37,200 median, 79th-highest of 112 metros
Certified Irrigation Technician (CIT)
Irrigation System Designer
North Port-Sarasota: 60 employed · $82,070 median, 30th-highest of 78 metros
Backflow Prevention Specialist
North Port-Sarasota: 1,390 employed · $58,150 median, 87th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Service / Repair Technician
Irrigation Foreman / Crew Lead
North Port-Sarasota: 700 employed · $51,450 median, 85th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Project Manager
North Port-Sarasota: 1,560 employed · $103,240 median, 84th-highest of 111 metros
Irrigation Estimator
North Port-Sarasota: 630 employed · $72,210 median, 96th-highest of 111 metros
Smart / Controller Systems Technician
Landscape Water Management Auditor
What Commercial Irrigation roles earn in North Port-Sarasota.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers in North Port-Sarasota earn a median $37,200, 5% under the $39,150 national figure, and 79th of 112 metros. Pay runs $31,210 at the tenth percentile to $47,950 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is landscape architects, at $82,070 against $79,870 nationally.
| Role | North Port-Sarasota 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) | $37,200 | $31,210–$47,950 | $39,150 | −5% | 4,740 |
| Irrigation System DesignerLandscape Architects (17-1012) | $82,070 | $60,580–$115,450 | $79,870 | +3% | 60 |
| Backflow Prevention SpecialistPlumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) | $58,150 | $40,100–$75,840 | $63,800 | −9% | 1,390 |
| Irrigation Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (37-1012) | $51,450 | $38,130–$76,420 | $58,430 | −12% | 700 |
| Irrigation Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $103,240 | $65,660–$180,030 | $114,990 | −10% | 1,560 |
| Irrigation EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $72,210 | $48,100–$132,770 | $78,740 | −8% | 630 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, North Port-Sarasota 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 North Port-Sarasota's commercial irrigation market has changed since 2018.
The number of landscaping companies in North Port-Sarasota rose from 674 in 2018 to 740 in 2023, up 10%, behind the 13% growth nationally. Headcount at those firms went up 14%, to about 5,264 people. Average annual pay there went from $33,222 to $43,024 (+30%), in step with the 31% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping companies: business locations | 674 | 740 | +10% |
| Landscaping companies: employment | 4,624 | 5,264 | +14% |
| Landscaping companies: average annual pay | $33,222 | $43,024 | +30% |
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
North Port-Sarasota runs 127% more commercial irrigation workers per job than the country as a whole — well 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 North Port-Sarasota's commercial irrigation market compares
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, North Port-Sarasota ranks 43rd for headcount, 73rd for median pay and 2nd 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 North Port-Sarasota, 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, North Port-Sarasota 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, Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Lakeland, Deltona-Daytona, Palm Bay-Melbourne, Port St. Lucie and Pensacola, so candidates licensed there can work in North Port-Sarasota 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 North Port-Sarasota talent.
The closest metro we cover is Cape Coral-Fort Myers, about 40 miles away, with roughly 5,080 landscaping and groundskeeping workers (1.1 times North Port-Sarasota's 4,740). Pay is close across the region: medians run from $35,490 in Lakeland to $37,210 in Tampa, against $37,200 here. Orlando has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Port-Sarasota | – | 4,740 | $37,200 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers | 38 mi | 5,080 | $36,790 |
| Tampa | 64 mi | 9,860 | $37,210 |
| Lakeland | 71 mi | 2,450 | $35,490 |
| Orlando | 116 mi | 11,430 | $36,310 |
| Port St. Lucie | 117 mi | 2,330 | $36,480 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for North Port-Sarasota crews.
Not commercial irrigation work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into North Port-Sarasota in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Milman-Kover Cancer PavilionPart of the $1B SMH capital programOpening spring 2026
A new outpatient cancer pavilion at the Sarasota campus - specialized medical-facility mechanical and electrical construction.
- Sarasota Memorial Hospital-North Port$507MOpening 2028
A 9-story tower opening with 100 beds and three floors of shell space for 300 more, plus a 3-story medical office building. The city's first acute-care hospital and the third hospital SMH has built in its 100-year history.
- SMH-Venice inpatient rehabilitation facility$82.5MCompleting 2026
Part of Sarasota Memorial's broader $1B capital program, adding dedicated rehabilitation capacity to the health system.
These are the 3 projects we track in North Port-Sarasota. The North Port-Sarasota market page covers hiring conditions across every trade here.
What credentials matter for commercial irrigation, and what kills offers in North Port-Sarasota.
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 North Port-Sarasota.
What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in North Port-Sarasota?
BLS puts the North Port-Sarasota median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $37,200 a year, 5% below the $39,150 national median. That ranks 79th of 112 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Pay is bunched together here, $31,210 to $47,950 across the 10th to 90th percentile and only a 1.5x gap, so small differences in an offer are noticed. No other Florida metro we cover pays more for this work.
Is it hard to hire landscaping and groundskeeping workers in North Port-Sarasota?
Not by national standards. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers make up 127% more of the North Port-Sarasota workforce than they do nationally, about 4,740 people. The 740 landscaping companies here average about 7.1 employees per location, mostly small shops, so candidates often know every employer in town by name.
Which commercial irrigation roles pay the most in North Port-Sarasota?
Of the roles we recruit for, Irrigation Project Manager pays the most in North Port-Sarasota, a $103,240 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Irrigation System Designer at $82,070, 21% below it. Irrigation Technician / Installer is the lowest-paid field role at $37,200. Irrigation Foreman / Crew Lead trails national pay the most (12% below).
How many landscaping companies operate in North Port-Sarasota?
BLS counted 740 landscaping companies in North Port-Sarasota in 2023, employing about 5,264 people between them. Up from 674 in 2018, a 10% increase against 13% growth nationally. That averages 7.1 people per location, so most are small shops. They pay an average of $43,024, 11% below the $48,279 national average for the same kind of employer. BLS counts irrigation contractors under landscaping companies.
Which nearby metros compete with North Port-Sarasota for landscaping and groundskeeping workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Cape Coral-Fort Myers (38 miles, about 5,080, $36,790 median), Tampa (64 miles, about 9,860, $37,210 median) and Lakeland (71 miles, about 2,450, $35,490 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.
North Port-Sarasota 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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