Commercial Irrigation recruiters serving Washington, D.C..
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Washington, D.C. earn a $42,700 median, 9% above the national figure, and about 17,140 of them work in the metro. BLS counts 1,659 business locations of landscaping companies across the metro. We recruit Commercial Irrigation talent in Washington, D.C. from a standing, credential-verified pipeline. 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 Washington, D.C..
BLS counts about 30,100 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Washington, D.C. metro, the largest group being landscaping and groundskeeping workers (about 17,140). Relative to the size of the local economy, landscaping and groundskeeping workers are less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.89). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Irrigation hub.
Irrigation Technician / Installer
Washington, D.C.: 17,140 employed · $42,700 median, 33rd-highest of 112 metros
Certified Irrigation Technician (CIT)
Irrigation System Designer
Washington, D.C.: 850 employed · $89,350 median, 18th-highest of 78 metros
Backflow Prevention Specialist
Washington, D.C.: 9,420 employed · $71,860 median, 32nd-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Service / Repair Technician
Irrigation Foreman / Crew Lead
Washington, D.C.: 2,690 employed · $60,460 median, 32nd-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Project Manager
Washington, D.C.: 6,630 employed · $129,650 median, 15th-highest of 111 metros
Irrigation Estimator
Washington, D.C.: 3,780 employed · $89,330 median, 9th-highest of 111 metros
Smart / Controller Systems Technician
Landscape Water Management Auditor
What Commercial Irrigation roles earn in Washington, D.C..
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Washington, D.C. earn a median $42,700, 9% over the $39,150 national figure, and 33rd of 112 metros. Pay runs $37,000 at the tenth percentile to $56,090 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is landscape architects, at $89,350 against $79,870 nationally.
| Role | Washington, D.C. 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) | $42,700 | $37,000–$56,090 | $39,150 | +9% | 17,140 |
| Irrigation System DesignerLandscape Architects (17-1012) | $89,350 | $61,030–$156,740 | $79,870 | +12% | 850 |
| Backflow Prevention SpecialistPlumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) | $71,860 | $47,480–$114,400 | $63,800 | +13% | 9,420 |
| Irrigation Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (37-1012) | $60,460 | $47,100–$83,980 | $58,430 | +3% | 2,690 |
| Irrigation Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $129,650 | $86,530–$207,160 | $114,990 | +13% | 6,630 |
| Irrigation EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $89,330 | $53,890–$142,310 | $78,740 | +13% | 3,780 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Washington, D.C. 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 Washington, D.C.'s commercial irrigation market has changed since 2018.
The number of landscaping companies in Washington, D.C. rose from 1,636 in 2018 to 1,659 in 2023, up 1%, behind the 13% growth nationally. Headcount at those firms went up 8%, to about 18,734 people. Average annual pay there went from $41,882 to $50,838 (+21%), slower than the 31% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping companies: business locations | 1,636 | 1,659 | +1% |
| Landscaping companies: employment | 17,365 | 18,734 | +8% |
| Landscaping companies: average annual pay | $41,882 | $50,838 | +21% |
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
Washington, D.C. runs 11% 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 Washington, D.C.'s commercial irrigation market compares
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Washington, D.C. ranks 7th for headcount, 29th for median pay and 74th for concentration for landscaping and groundskeeping workers.
What this means for hiring:For commercial irrigation employers in Washington, D.C., the headline number is misleading. About 17,140 landscaping and groundskeeping workers work here, one of the larger workforces we cover, but relative to the size of the local economy the trade is thinner than average, so every other employer is drawing on the same people. Local employers are still adding headcount, which keeps competition for experienced people high. Expect to recruit people who are already employed, and to make the case for moving.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Washington, D.C. metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Commercial Irrigation licensing in District of Columbia.
The District has no irrigation or sprinkler contractor license. The Board of Industrial Trades licenses electricians, plumbers and gasfitters, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics, elevator trades and operating engineers, and the only landscape credential in the District is the Landscape Architect license, which is a design registration rather than a contractor license. Irrigation work that connects to potable water therefore falls under the DC plumbing and gasfitting license. DC plumbing code section 608.16.5 requires backflow preventers on irrigation systems, and DC Water requires those assemblies to be inspected annually by an approved backflow service provider, so verify that a hire or their firm appears on DC Water's approved provider list. The Washington, D.C. metro crosses a state line, so check the rules in the neighboring state too for crews that work on both sides.
Licensing authority: DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, Board of Industrial Trades; DC Water Cross-Connection Control program. Confirm current rules with the agency.
We have not closed a commercial irrigation search in Washington, D.C. yet. Here is what we have closed.
These are other trades in the same market. We would rather show you the searches we have actually run in Washington, D.C. than imply a record in this trade that we do not have yet.
- Dispatcher / Service CoordinatorA coordinator used to 80-100 calls a day and 20-30 technicians, placed in twelve days.
- Commercial HVAC TechnicianRooftop units, VAV boxes, air handlers and water source heat pumps - covered in twelve days.
- IT TechnicianEarly-career IT talent with a fresh degree, placed into a technician seat with room to grow.
Nearby markets competing for Washington, D.C. talent.
The closest metro we cover is Baltimore, about 35 miles away, with roughly 7,480 landscaping and groundskeeping workers (0.4 times Washington, D.C.'s 17,140). Washington, D.C. pays more than every metro we cover within reach ($42,700 median), which helps when recruiting people in from Richmond at $37,170.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, D.C. | – | 17,140 | $42,700 |
| Baltimore | 36 mi | 7,480 | $39,620 |
| Lancaster | 88 mi | 1,650 | $39,140 |
| Richmond | 95 mi | 4,360 | $37,170 |
| Harrisburg | 96 mi | 1,630 | $38,700 |
| Philadelphia | 124 mi | 17,700 | $42,130 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Washington, D.C. crews.
Not commercial irrigation work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Washington, D.C. in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Southwest Waterfront / The Wharf (Bridge District)$1.5B plannedThrough 2030
Mixed-use waterfront redevelopment - a distinct, smaller-scope project from the separate ~$3.3B Navy Yard proper build-out and the full 30-year, ~$10B Anacostia Waterfront Initiative; each of those three figures applies to a different geographic scope, not one combined project.
- Reston Station + Tysons + Capital One Hall commercial growth$3B+ (the $3B+ figure belongs to Reston Station specifically, not a combined total across all three)Phased through 2030
Mixed-use commercial expansion in Northern Virginia. Class A office + retail + residential.
- Northern VA data center expansion (Loudoun + Prince William)$10B+ rollingOngoing through 2030
Northern Virginia is the largest US data center market by far. Adjacent to DC MSA boundary but pulls trades from the entire Capital region.
Showing 3 of 6 projects tracked in this metro. The Washington, D.C. market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for commercial irrigation, and what kills offers in Washington, D.C..
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 Washington, D.C..
What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Washington, D.C.?
BLS puts the Washington, D.C. median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $42,700 a year, 9% above the $39,150 national median. That ranks 33rd of 112 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Pay is bunched together here, $37,000 to $56,090 across the 10th to 90th percentile and only a 1.5x gap, so small differences in an offer are noticed.
Is it hard to hire landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Washington, D.C.?
It is about average. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers are as common in Washington, D.C. as they are nationally (location quotient 0.89), with about 17,140 in the metro. The 1,659 landscaping companies here average about 11 employees per location.
Which commercial irrigation roles pay the most in Washington, D.C.?
Of the roles we recruit for, Irrigation Project Manager pays the most in Washington, D.C., a $129,650 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Irrigation System Designer at $89,350, 31% below it. Irrigation Technician / Installer is the lowest-paid field role at $42,700. Relative to national pay, Irrigation Estimator is the strongest-paying role here (13% above).
How many landscaping companies operate in Washington, D.C.?
BLS counted 1,659 landscaping companies in Washington, D.C. in 2023, employing about 18,734 people between them. That is roughly where the count stood in 2018 (1,636). That averages 11 people per location. They pay an average of $50,838, 5% above the $48,279 national average for the same kind of employer. BLS counts irrigation contractors under landscaping companies.
Which nearby metros compete with Washington, D.C. for landscaping and groundskeeping workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Baltimore (36 miles, about 7,480, $39,620 median), Lancaster (88 miles, about 1,650, $39,140 median) and Richmond (95 miles, about 4,360, $37,170 median). Washington, D.C. out-pays Baltimore, Lancaster and Richmond, an advantage when recruiting from there.
The seat is open. The pipeline should not be.
1,659 landscaping companies in Washington, D.C. are drawing on the same 17,140 landscaping and groundskeeping workers. Let's get your next hire lined up first.
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