Commercial Irrigation recruiters serving Virginia Beach.
About 4,410 landscaping and groundskeeping workers work in the Virginia Beach metro, at a $36,520 median. BLS counts 584 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 Virginia Beach.
BLS counts about 10,220 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Virginia Beach metro, the largest group being plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (about 5,100). Relative to the size of the local economy, landscaping and groundskeeping workers are less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.94). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Irrigation hub.
Irrigation Technician / Installer
Virginia Beach: 4,410 employed · $36,520 median, 93rd-highest of 112 metros
Certified Irrigation Technician (CIT)
Irrigation System Designer
Virginia Beach: 70 employed · $79,130 median, 43rd-highest of 78 metros
Backflow Prevention Specialist
Virginia Beach: 5,100 employed · $61,870 median, 61st-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Service / Repair Technician
Irrigation Foreman / Crew Lead
Virginia Beach: 640 employed · $56,410 median, 69th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Project Manager
Virginia Beach: 1,400 employed · $105,240 median, 73rd-highest of 111 metros
Irrigation Estimator
Virginia Beach: 1,440 employed · $80,850 median, 31st-highest of 111 metros
Smart / Controller Systems Technician
Landscape Water Management Auditor
What Commercial Irrigation roles earn in Virginia Beach.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Virginia Beach earn a median $36,520, 7% under the $39,150 national figure, and 93rd of 112 metros. Pay runs $30,130 at the tenth percentile to $47,120 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is landscape architects, at $79,130 against $79,870 nationally.
| Role | Virginia Beach 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) | $36,520 | $30,130–$47,120 | $39,150 | −7% | 4,410 |
| Irrigation System DesignerLandscape Architects (17-1012) | $79,130 | $58,230–$137,230 | $79,870 | −1% | 70 |
| Backflow Prevention SpecialistPlumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) | $61,870 | $45,720–$75,410 | $63,800 | −3% | 5,100 |
| Irrigation Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (37-1012) | $56,410 | $39,420–$78,260 | $58,430 | −3% | 640 |
| Irrigation Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $105,240 | $77,250–$161,840 | $114,990 | −8% | 1,400 |
| Irrigation EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $80,850 | $52,340–$122,420 | $78,740 | +3% | 1,440 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Virginia Beach 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 Virginia Beach's commercial irrigation market has changed since 2018.
The number of landscaping companies in Virginia Beach rose from 519 in 2018 to 584 in 2023, up 13%, close to the 13% national change. Headcount and pay for those firms are withheld in Virginia Beach, so the occupation figures above are the better guide to what hiring costs.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping companies: business locations | 519 | 584 | +13% |
| Landscaping companies: employment | 3,948 | – | – |
| Landscaping companies: average annual pay | $31,589 | – | – |
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
Virginia Beach runs 6% fewer commercial irrigation workers per job than the country as a whole — below the national concentration. Fewer per job 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 Virginia Beach's commercial irrigation market compares
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Virginia Beach ranks 45th for headcount, 84th for median pay and 58th 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 Virginia Beach, the pool is about the national norm for its size, so difficulty depends on the role more than the market.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Virginia Beach 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 Richmond, so candidates licensed there can work in Virginia Beach without re-qualifying. The Virginia Beach metro crosses a state line, so check the rules in the neighboring state too for crews that work on both sides.
Licensing authority: Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, Board for Contractors. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Virginia Beach talent.
The closest metro we cover is Richmond, about 95 miles away, with roughly 4,360 landscaping and groundskeeping workers (1.0 times Virginia Beach's 4,410). Washington, D.C. pays the most nearby, a $42,700 median, 17% above Virginia Beach. That is the number any Virginia Beach 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach | – | 4,410 | $36,520 |
| Richmond | 95 mi | 4,360 | $37,170 |
| Washington, D.C. | 152 mi | 17,140 | $42,700 |
| Raleigh | 166 mi | 5,710 | $38,500 |
| Baltimore | 172 mi | 7,480 | $39,620 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | 173 mi | 1,710 | $38,610 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Virginia Beach crews.
Not commercial irrigation work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Virginia Beach in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- FY2026 Navy shipbuilding program$47.4BFY2026, largest single-year US shipbuilding investment since the Cold War
Triggers major construction and outfitting activity at public shipyards, with a distributed manufacturing model spanning 11 states. Newport News Shipbuilding, Virginia's largest industrial employer, is a primary beneficiary.
- Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarine contracts (combined)~$76.6B combinedMulti-year build program
HII's own reporting cites this as one combined figure across both concurrent submarine programs (Virginia-class: 9 boats plus material for a 10th; Columbia-class: 5 boats) rather than a per-class split. Sustained, large-scale demand for structural and pipe welders, marine pipefitters, and industrial electricians at Newport News Shipbuilding.
- HII shipbuilding work outsourcing2.5M+ hours in 2026 (+30% YoY)2026, across 25 locations in 11 states
Newport News Shipbuilding's parent company is outsourcing a record volume of shipbuilding work, signaling the regional labor pool cannot keep pace with the Navy's build schedule on its own.
Showing 3 of 4 projects tracked in this metro. The Virginia Beach market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for commercial irrigation, and what kills offers in Virginia Beach.
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 Virginia Beach.
What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Virginia Beach?
BLS puts the Virginia Beach median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $36,520 a year, 7% below the $39,150 national median. That ranks 93rd of 112 metros with published figures, in the bottom quarter. Pay is bunched together here, $30,130 to $47,120 across the 10th to 90th percentile and only a 1.6x gap, so small differences in an offer are noticed. No other Virginia metro we cover pays more for this work (Richmond: $37,170).
Is it hard to hire landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Virginia Beach?
It is about average. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers are as common in Virginia Beach as they are nationally (location quotient 0.94), with about 4,410 in the metro. 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 Virginia Beach?
Of the roles we recruit for, Irrigation Project Manager pays the most in Virginia Beach, a $105,240 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Irrigation System Designer at $79,130, 25% below it. Irrigation Technician / Installer is the lowest-paid field role at $36,520. Irrigation Project Manager trails national pay the most (8% below).
How many landscaping companies operate in Virginia Beach?
BLS counted 584 landscaping companies in Virginia Beach in 2023. Up from 519 in 2018, a 13% increase against 13% growth nationally. BLS withholds their combined headcount and pay here, which it does when a category is small enough that the figures could identify individual employers. BLS counts irrigation contractors under landscaping companies.
Which nearby metros compete with Virginia Beach for landscaping and groundskeeping workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Richmond (95 miles, about 4,360, $37,170 median), Washington, D.C. (152 miles, about 17,140, $42,700 median) and Raleigh (166 miles, about 5,710, $38,500 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 17% more, which is where Virginia Beach employers tend to lose people.
The seat is open. The pipeline should not be.
584 landscaping companies in Virginia Beach are drawing on the same 4,410 landscaping and groundskeeping workers. Let's get your next hire lined up first.
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