Commercial Irrigation recruiters serving Stockton.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers are scarcer in Stockton than in most of the country, 22% fewer per job, so the roughly 1,390 who work here are rarely short of offers. BLS counts 168 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 Stockton.
BLS counts about 2,210 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Stockton metro, the largest group being landscaping and groundskeeping workers (about 1,390). Relative to the size of the local economy, landscaping and groundskeeping workers are less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.78). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Irrigation hub.
Irrigation Technician / Installer
Stockton: 1,390 employed · $44,280 median, 28th-highest of 112 metros
Certified Irrigation Technician (CIT)
Irrigation System Designer
Stockton: BLS does not publish a local figure for this occupation.
Backflow Prevention Specialist
Stockton: 690 employed · $62,900 median, 56th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Service / Repair Technician
Irrigation Foreman / Crew Lead
Stockton: 130 employed · $65,030 median, 11th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Project Manager
Stockton: 560 employed · $120,210 median, 35th-highest of 111 metros
Irrigation Estimator
Stockton: 440 employed · $81,380 median, 26th-highest of 111 metros
Smart / Controller Systems Technician
Landscape Water Management Auditor
What Commercial Irrigation roles earn in Stockton.
In the Stockton metro, the median wage for landscaping and groundskeeping workers is $44,280 a year, 13% above the $39,150 national median. Most earn between $36,410 and $60,350. Of the other roles listed, first-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers earn the most locally, at a $65,030 median. BLS does not publish Stockton pay for one occupation below, usually because too few people hold the job locally.
| Role | Stockton 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) | $44,280 | $36,410–$60,350 | $39,150 | +13% | 1,390 |
| Irrigation System DesignerLandscape Architects (17-1012) | – | – | $79,870 | – | – |
| Backflow Prevention SpecialistPlumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) | $62,900 | $46,640–$98,920 | $63,800 | −1% | 690 |
| Irrigation Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (37-1012) | $65,030 | $46,740–$101,630 | $58,430 | +11% | 130 |
| Irrigation Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $120,210 | $73,170–$181,360 | $114,990 | +5% | 560 |
| Irrigation EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $81,380 | $51,510–$130,570 | $78,740 | +3% | 440 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Stockton metro. Range is 10th to 90th percentile; management and office roles are metro-wide.
How Stockton's commercial irrigation market has changed since 2018.
The number of landscaping companies in Stockton rose from 128 in 2018 to 168 in 2023, up 31%, ahead of the 13% national rise. Headcount at those firms went up 35%, to about 1,222 people. Average annual pay there went from $33,651 to $46,824 (+39%), faster than the 31% national increase, a sign employers here have had to bid up.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping companies: business locations | 128 | 168 | +31% |
| Landscaping companies: employment | 905 | 1,222 | +35% |
| Landscaping companies: average annual pay | $33,651 | $46,824 | +39% |
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
Stockton runs 22% fewer commercial irrigation workers per job than the country as a whole — 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 Stockton's commercial irrigation market compares
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Stockton ranks 95th for headcount, 24th for median pay and 90th 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 Stockton, the local pool is thin but growing. Expect a mix of local candidates and people recruited in from nearby metros, and budget for relocation on senior roles.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Stockton 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, Riverside, San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, San Jose, Fresno, Bakersfield and Modesto, so candidates licensed there can work in Stockton without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: California State Water Resources Control Board. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Stockton talent.
The closest metro we cover is Modesto, about 25 miles away, with roughly 1,080 landscaping and groundskeeping workers (0.8 times Stockton's 1,390). San Jose pays the most nearby, a $48,330 median, 9% above Stockton. That is the number any Stockton offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. San Francisco has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stockton | – | 1,390 | $44,280 |
| Modesto | 27 mi | 1,080 | $45,740 |
| Sacramento | 44 mi | 7,410 | $45,110 |
| San Jose | 54 mi | 6,000 | $48,330 |
| San Francisco | 63 mi | 12,270 | $48,040 |
| Fresno | 118 mi | 3,040 | $40,710 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
Frequently asked - Commercial Irrigation hiring in Stockton.
What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Stockton?
BLS puts the Stockton median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $44,280 a year, 13% above the $39,150 national median. That ranks 28th of 112 metros with published figures, in the top quarter. Most of the market sits between $36,410 and $60,350, a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. Within California, San Jose pays more, at $48,330.
Is it hard to hire landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Stockton?
Yes. Stockton has 22% fewer landscaping and groundskeeping workers per job than the country as a whole, roughly 1,390 in the metro, so most of the people worth hiring are already employed. The 168 landscaping companies here average about 7.3 employees per location, mostly small shops, so candidates often know every employer in town by name. With 31% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which commercial irrigation roles pay the most in Stockton?
Of the roles we recruit for, Irrigation Project Manager pays the most in Stockton, a $120,210 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Irrigation Foreman / Crew Lead at $65,030, 46% below it. Irrigation Technician / Installer is the lowest-paid field role at $44,280. Relative to national pay, Irrigation Technician / Installer is the strongest-paying role here (13% above).
How many landscaping companies operate in Stockton?
BLS counted 168 landscaping companies in Stockton in 2023, employing about 1,222 people between them. Up from 128 in 2018, a 31% increase against 13% growth nationally. That averages 7.3 people per location, so most are small shops. They pay an average of $46,824, 3% below the $48,279 national average for the same kind of employer. BLS counts irrigation contractors under landscaping companies.
Which nearby metros compete with Stockton for landscaping and groundskeeping workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Modesto (27 miles, about 1,080, $45,740 median), Sacramento (44 miles, about 7,410, $45,110 median) and San Jose (54 miles, about 6,000, $48,330 median). Sacramento has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. San Jose pays 9% more, which is where Stockton employers tend to lose people.
Thin market. Short list anyway.
With landscaping and groundskeeping workers this scarce in Stockton, an open seat rarely fills from a job posting. Let's line up the people before the next one opens.
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