Commercial Irrigation recruiters serving Tucson.
About 2,710 landscaping and groundskeeping workers work in the Tucson metro, at a $36,840 median. BLS counts 281 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 Tucson.
BLS counts about 4,210 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Tucson metro, the largest group being landscaping and groundskeeping workers (about 2,710). Relative to the size of the local economy, landscaping and groundskeeping workers are more concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 1.14). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Irrigation hub.
Irrigation Technician / Installer
Tucson: 2,710 employed · $36,840 median, 82nd-highest of 112 metros
Certified Irrigation Technician (CIT)
Irrigation System Designer
Tucson: 60 employed · $67,860 median, 68th-highest of 78 metros
Backflow Prevention Specialist
Tucson: 1,170 employed · $59,070 median, 80th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Service / Repair Technician
Irrigation Foreman / Crew Lead
Tucson: 270 employed · $55,320 median, 72nd-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Project Manager
Tucson: 820 employed · $98,740 median, 103rd-highest of 111 metros
Irrigation Estimator
Tucson: 630 employed · $73,590 median, 84th-highest of 111 metros
Smart / Controller Systems Technician
Landscape Water Management Auditor
Hiring the same trade in another market? We recruit it in Charlotte, NC too.
What Commercial Irrigation roles earn in Tucson.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Tucson earn a median $36,840, 6% under the $39,150 national figure, and 82nd of 112 metros. Pay runs $32,970 at the tenth percentile to $46,610 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is landscape architects, at $67,860 against $79,870 nationally.
| Role | Tucson 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) | $36,840 | $32,970–$46,610 | $39,150 | −6% | 2,710 |
| Irrigation System DesignerLandscape Architects (17-1012) | $67,860 | $52,670–$99,990 | $79,870 | −15% | 60 |
| Backflow Prevention SpecialistPlumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) | $59,070 | $43,840–$74,250 | $63,800 | −7% | 1,170 |
| Irrigation Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (37-1012) | $55,320 | $44,120–$77,100 | $58,430 | −5% | 270 |
| Irrigation Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $98,740 | $70,300–$160,120 | $114,990 | −14% | 820 |
| Irrigation EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $73,590 | $46,610–$122,640 | $78,740 | −7% | 630 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Tucson 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 Tucson's commercial irrigation market has changed since 2018.
The number of landscaping companies in Tucson rose from 249 in 2018 to 281 in 2023, up 13%, close to the 13% national change. Their combined payroll headcount barely moved, at about 2,505. Average annual pay there went from $29,050 to $37,277 (+28%), slower than the 31% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping companies: business locations | 249 | 281 | +13% |
| Landscaping companies: employment | 2,549 | 2,505 | −2% |
| Landscaping companies: average annual pay | $29,050 | $37,277 | +28% |
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
Tucson runs 14% 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 Tucson's commercial irrigation market compares
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Tucson ranks 60th for headcount, 75th for median pay and 29th for concentration for landscaping and groundskeeping workers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix | 16,850 | $39,140 | 1.16 | 1,210 |
| Tucson | 2,710 | $36,840 | 1.14 | 281 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial irrigation employers in Tucson, 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, Tucson metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Commercial Irrigation licensing in Arizona.
Arizona licenses irrigation work under its Hardscaping and Irrigation Systems contractor classifications: R-21 residential, C-21 commercial and CR-21 dual. The scope includes connecting to potable water lines and installing backflow prevention devices. The same state rules apply in Phoenix, so candidates licensed there can work in Tucson without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Arizona Registrar of Contractors. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Tucson talent.
The closest metro we cover is Phoenix, about 110 miles away, with roughly 16,850 landscaping and groundskeeping workers (6.2 times Tucson's 2,710). Phoenix pays the most nearby, a $39,140 median, 6% above Tucson. That is the number any Tucson offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. Phoenix has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
What else is competing for Tucson crews.
Not commercial irrigation work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Tucson in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Tucson Electric Power solar farm$150M, 100MWConstruction 18-24 months, full operations expected late 2026
A utility-scale solar facility sized to power roughly 25,000 homes, including grid-interconnection upgrades. Hundreds of construction jobs during the build phase, concentrated in electrical and heavy-civil trades.
This is the only project we track in Tucson. The Tucson market page covers hiring conditions across every trade here.
What credentials matter for commercial irrigation, and what kills offers in Tucson.
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 Tucson.
What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Tucson?
BLS puts the Tucson median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $36,840 a year, 6% below the $39,150 national median. That ranks 82nd of 112 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Pay is bunched together here, $32,970 to $46,610 across the 10th to 90th percentile and only a 1.4x gap, so small differences in an offer are noticed. Within Arizona, Phoenix pays more, at $39,140.
Is it hard to hire landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Tucson?
It is about average. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers are as common in Tucson as they are nationally (location quotient 1.14), with about 2,710 in the metro. The 281 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 Tucson?
Of the roles we recruit for, Irrigation Project Manager pays the most in Tucson, a $98,740 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Irrigation System Designer at $67,860, 31% below it. Irrigation Technician / Installer is the lowest-paid field role at $36,840. Irrigation System Designer trails national pay the most (15% below).
How many landscaping companies operate in Tucson?
BLS counted 281 landscaping companies in Tucson in 2023, employing about 2,505 people between them. Up from 249 in 2018, a 13% increase against 13% growth nationally. That averages 8.9 people per location. They pay an average of $37,277, 23% below the $48,279 national average for the same kind of employer. BLS counts irrigation contractors under landscaping companies.
Which nearby metros compete with Tucson for landscaping and groundskeeping workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Phoenix (108 miles, about 16,850, $39,140 median) and El Paso (262 miles, about 1,200, $30,640 median). Phoenix has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Phoenix pays 6% more, which is where Tucson employers tend to lose people.
The seat is open. The pipeline should not be.
281 landscaping companies in Tucson are drawing on the same 2,710 landscaping and groundskeeping workers. Let's get your next hire lined up first.
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