Commercial Irrigation recruiters serving Richmond.
About 4,360 landscaping and groundskeeping workers work in the Richmond metro, at a $37,170 median. BLS counts 483 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 Richmond.
BLS counts about 7,330 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Richmond metro, the largest group being landscaping and groundskeeping workers (about 4,360). Relative to the size of the local economy, landscaping and groundskeeping workers are more concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 1.08). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Irrigation hub.
Irrigation Technician / Installer
Richmond: 4,360 employed · $37,170 median, 80th-highest of 112 metros
Certified Irrigation Technician (CIT)
Irrigation System Designer
Richmond: 60 employed · $81,380 median, 33rd-highest of 78 metros
Backflow Prevention Specialist
Richmond: 2,340 employed · $61,480 median, 63rd-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Service / Repair Technician
Irrigation Foreman / Crew Lead
Richmond: 570 employed · $58,590 median, 50th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Project Manager
Richmond: 1,270 employed · $110,350 median, 53rd-highest of 111 metros
Irrigation Estimator
Richmond: 1,080 employed · $77,540 median, 62nd-highest of 111 metros
Smart / Controller Systems Technician
Landscape Water Management Auditor
What Commercial Irrigation roles earn in Richmond.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Richmond earn a median $37,170, 5% under the $39,150 national figure, and 80th of 112 metros. Pay runs $31,150 at the tenth percentile to $47,940 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is landscape architects, at $81,380 against $79,870 nationally.
| Role | Richmond 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) | $37,170 | $31,150–$47,940 | $39,150 | −5% | 4,360 |
| Irrigation System DesignerLandscape Architects (17-1012) | $81,380 | $57,570–$147,740 | $79,870 | +2% | 60 |
| Backflow Prevention SpecialistPlumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) | $61,480 | $44,420–$77,490 | $63,800 | −4% | 2,340 |
| Irrigation Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (37-1012) | $58,590 | $44,470–$80,730 | $58,430 | 0% | 570 |
| Irrigation Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $110,350 | $79,580–$191,940 | $114,990 | −4% | 1,270 |
| Irrigation EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $77,540 | $48,520–$114,270 | $78,740 | −2% | 1,080 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Richmond 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 Richmond's commercial irrigation market has changed since 2018.
The number of landscaping companies in Richmond rose from 427 in 2018 to 483 in 2023, up 13%, close to the 13% national change. Headcount at those firms went up 13%, to about 4,303 people. Average annual pay there went from $35,729 to $50,197 (+40%), faster than the 31% national increase, a sign employers here have had to bid up.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping companies: business locations | 427 | 483 | +13% |
| Landscaping companies: employment | 3,811 | 4,303 | +13% |
| Landscaping companies: average annual pay | $35,729 | $50,197 | +40% |
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
Richmond runs 8% 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 Richmond's commercial irrigation market compares
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Richmond ranks 46th for headcount, 74th for median pay and 37th for concentration for landscaping and groundskeeping workers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach | 4,410 | $36,520 | 0.94 | 584 |
| Richmond | 4,360 | $37,170 | 1.08 | 483 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial irrigation employers in Richmond, 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, Richmond metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Commercial Irrigation licensing in Virginia.
Virginia licenses irrigation sprinkler work under the Landscape Irrigation Contracting (ISC) specialty. The Board for Contractors also certifies backflow prevention device workers through its Tradesmen program. The same state rules apply in Virginia Beach, so candidates licensed there can work in Richmond without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, Board for Contractors. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Richmond talent.
The closest metro we cover is Virginia Beach, about 95 miles away, with roughly 4,410 landscaping and groundskeeping workers (1.0 times Richmond's 4,360). Washington, D.C. pays the most nearby, a $42,700 median, 15% above Richmond. That is the number any Richmond offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. Washington, D.C. has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond | – | 4,360 | $37,170 |
| Virginia Beach | 95 mi | 4,410 | $36,520 |
| Washington, D.C. | 95 mi | 17,140 | $42,700 |
| Baltimore | 128 mi | 7,480 | $39,620 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | 134 mi | 1,710 | $38,610 |
| Raleigh | 139 mi | 5,710 | $38,500 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Richmond crews.
Not commercial irrigation work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Richmond in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Vantage Data Centers VA4 campus (Stafford County)$2B, ~929,000 sq ftFirst building expected late 2027
Three two-story buildings on 82 acres, further up the I-95 corridor. Part of the broader stretch of hyperscale development pulling data-center talent toward Richmond from Fredericksburg and points north.
- CleanArc Caroline County campus~$3B (900MW, three buildings, ~1.47M sq ft total -- not the $11B/3.9M figure sometimes cited)Multi-year, broke ground
One of the largest data-center campuses announced along the I-95 corridor stretching toward Richmond - a massive draw on the same regional mechanical and electrical labor pool Richmond-based contractors compete for.
- Google Chesterfield County data centerPart of a $9B Virginia-wide planFirst Richmond-area facility
Google's first Richmond-area data center, in Chesterfield County's Meadowville Technology Park, with two more county sites planned. Direct mechanical and electrical demand inside the metro itself.
Showing 3 of 4 projects tracked in this metro. The Richmond market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for commercial irrigation, and what kills offers in Richmond.
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 Richmond.
What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Richmond?
BLS puts the Richmond median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $37,170 a year, 5% below the $39,150 national median. That ranks 80th of 112 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Pay is bunched together here, $31,150 to $47,940 across the 10th to 90th percentile and only a 1.5x gap, so small differences in an offer are noticed. No other Virginia metro we cover pays more for this work (Virginia Beach: $36,520).
Is it hard to hire landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Richmond?
It is about average. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers are as common in Richmond as they are nationally (location quotient 1.08), with about 4,360 in the metro. The 483 landscaping companies here average about 8.9 employees per location. With 13% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which commercial irrigation roles pay the most in Richmond?
Of the roles we recruit for, Irrigation Project Manager pays the most in Richmond, a $110,350 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Irrigation System Designer at $81,380, 26% below it. Irrigation Technician / Installer is the lowest-paid field role at $37,170. Irrigation Technician / Installer trails national pay the most (5% below).
How many landscaping companies operate in Richmond?
BLS counted 483 landscaping companies in Richmond in 2023, employing about 4,303 people between them. Up from 427 in 2018, a 13% increase against 13% growth nationally. That averages 8.9 people per location. They pay an average of $50,197, 4% above the $48,279 national average for the same kind of employer. BLS counts irrigation contractors under landscaping companies.
Which nearby metros compete with Richmond for landscaping and groundskeeping workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Virginia Beach (95 miles, about 4,410, $36,520 median), Washington, D.C. (95 miles, about 17,140, $42,700 median) and Baltimore (128 miles, about 7,480, $39,620 median). Washington, D.C. has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Washington, D.C. pays 15% more, which is where Richmond employers tend to lose people.
The seat is open. The pipeline should not be.
483 landscaping companies in Richmond are drawing on the same 4,360 landscaping and groundskeeping workers. Let's get your next hire lined up first.
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