Commercial Irrigation recruiters serving Riverside.
Riverside has 25% more landscaping and groundskeeping workers per job than the country as a whole, about 13,190 in the metro. BLS counts 1,009 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 Riverside.
BLS counts about 19,990 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Riverside metro, the largest group being landscaping and groundskeeping workers (about 13,190). Relative to the size of the local economy, landscaping and groundskeeping workers are far more concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 1.25). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Irrigation hub.
Irrigation Technician / Installer
Riverside: 13,190 employed · $43,650 median, 31st-highest of 112 metros
Certified Irrigation Technician (CIT)
Irrigation System Designer
Riverside: 150 employed · $101,640 median, 6th-highest of 78 metros
Backflow Prevention Specialist
Riverside: 4,510 employed · $63,920 median, 45th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Service / Repair Technician
Irrigation Foreman / Crew Lead
Riverside: 2,140 employed · $60,200 median, 35th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Project Manager
Riverside: 3,450 employed · $126,040 median, 24th-highest of 111 metros
Irrigation Estimator
Riverside: 3,160 employed · $76,900 median, 67th-highest of 111 metros
Smart / Controller Systems Technician
Landscape Water Management Auditor
What Commercial Irrigation roles earn in Riverside.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Riverside earn a median $43,650, 11% over the $39,150 national figure, and 31st of 112 metros. Pay runs $36,370 at the tenth percentile to $58,230 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is landscape architects, at $101,640 against $79,870 nationally.
| Role | Riverside 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) | $43,650 | $36,370–$58,230 | $39,150 | +11% | 13,190 |
| Irrigation System DesignerLandscape Architects (17-1012) | $101,640 | $60,980–$166,770 | $79,870 | +27% | 150 |
| Backflow Prevention SpecialistPlumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) | $63,920 | $48,910–$115,340 | $63,800 | 0% | 4,510 |
| Irrigation Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (37-1012) | $60,200 | $39,970–$94,740 | $58,430 | +3% | 2,140 |
| Irrigation Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $126,040 | $80,600–$187,200 | $114,990 | +10% | 3,450 |
| Irrigation EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $76,900 | $49,750–$128,940 | $78,740 | −2% | 3,160 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Riverside 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 Riverside's commercial irrigation market has changed since 2018.
The number of landscaping companies in Riverside rose from 853 in 2018 to 1,009 in 2023, up 18%, ahead of the 13% national rise. Headcount at those firms went up 14%, to about 13,313 people. Average annual pay there went from $36,064 to $49,479 (+37%), faster than the 31% national increase, a sign employers here have had to bid up.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping companies: business locations | 853 | 1,009 | +18% |
| Landscaping companies: employment | 11,689 | 13,313 | +14% |
| Landscaping companies: average annual pay | $36,064 | $49,479 | +37% |
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
Riverside runs 25% 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 Riverside's commercial irrigation market compares
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Riverside ranks 12th for headcount, 27th for median pay and 16th for concentration for landscaping and groundskeeping workers.
| 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 Riverside, the pool is deep but local employers have been cutting headcount. Experienced people are here, and some will be open to a move, so a clear offer and a defined path up usually beat a higher posted rate.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Riverside 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 Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, San Jose, Fresno, Bakersfield, Stockton and Modesto, so candidates licensed there can work in Riverside without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: California State Water Resources Control Board. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Riverside talent.
The closest metro we cover is Los Angeles, about 50 miles away, with roughly 27,860 landscaping and groundskeeping workers (2.1 times Riverside's 13,190). San Diego pays the most nearby, a $45,560 median, 4% above Riverside. That is the number any Riverside offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. Los Angeles has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside | – | 13,190 | $43,650 |
| Los Angeles | 49 mi | 27,860 | $44,650 |
| San Diego | 87 mi | 10,870 | $45,560 |
| Bakersfield | 135 mi | 1,630 | $43,770 |
| Las Vegas | 200 mi | 7,220 | $37,920 |
| Fresno | 235 mi | 3,040 | $40,710 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Riverside crews.
Not commercial irrigation work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Riverside in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- World Logistics Center (Moreno Valley)$25BTargeting ~2030, pending appeals
One of the largest master-planned logistics parks in the US - 40M+ sq ft of distribution/fulfillment. The project has a long history of court-voided permits and restarts since 2015, so any fixed completion date carries real uncertainty. Industrial MEP at massive scale, high-bay lighting, automation power. Multi-year demand for warehouse-experienced trades.
- UC Riverside Health expansion (21-acre outpatient campus)Cost not yet disclosedOutpatient center targeting 2029
Institutional and research construction - officials have not confirmed final cost or full timeline. Long-duration commercial pipeline with specialty lab/medical MEP.
- Data center corridor (Ontario / Jurupa / San Bernardino)Real trend, no verified regional totalRolling
Hyperscalers moving inland for cheaper power and land. Mechanical PMs with cooling specialty + high-voltage electrical crews in heavy demand.
Showing 3 of 6 projects tracked in this metro. The Riverside market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for commercial irrigation, and what kills offers in Riverside.
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 Riverside.
What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Riverside?
BLS puts the Riverside median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $43,650 a year, 11% above the $39,150 national median. That ranks 31st of 112 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Pay is bunched together here, $36,370 to $58,230 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 Riverside?
Not by national standards. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers make up 25% more of the Riverside workforce than they do nationally, about 13,190 people. The 1,009 landscaping companies here average about 13 employees per location. With 18% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which commercial irrigation roles pay the most in Riverside?
Of the roles we recruit for, Irrigation Project Manager pays the most in Riverside, a $126,040 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Irrigation System Designer at $101,640, 19% below it. Irrigation Technician / Installer is the lowest-paid field role at $43,650. Relative to national pay, Irrigation System Designer is the strongest-paying role here (27% above).
How many landscaping companies operate in Riverside?
BLS counted 1,009 landscaping companies in Riverside in 2023, employing about 13,313 people between them. Up from 853 in 2018, a 18% increase against 13% growth nationally. That averages 13 people per location. They pay about the national average of $48,279. BLS counts irrigation contractors under landscaping companies.
Which nearby metros compete with Riverside for landscaping and groundskeeping workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Los Angeles (49 miles, about 27,860, $44,650 median), San Diego (87 miles, about 10,870, $45,560 median) and Bakersfield (135 miles, about 1,630, $43,770 median). Los Angeles 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.
Riverside 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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