Commercial Irrigation recruiters serving Worcester.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Worcester earn a $47,980 median, 23% above the national figure, and about 2,170 of them work in the metro. BLS counts 503 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 Worcester.
BLS counts about 3,850 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Worcester metro, the largest group being landscaping and groundskeeping workers (about 2,170). Relative to the size of the local economy, landscaping and groundskeeping workers are about as concentrated here as nationally (location quotient 1.01). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Irrigation hub.
Irrigation Technician / Installer
Worcester: 2,170 employed · $47,980 median, 5th-highest of 112 metros
Certified Irrigation Technician (CIT)
Irrigation System Designer
Worcester: BLS does not publish a local figure for this occupation.
Backflow Prevention Specialist
Worcester: 1,370 employed · $82,260 median, 10th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Service / Repair Technician
Irrigation Foreman / Crew Lead
Worcester: 310 employed · $67,090 median, 10th-highest of 112 metros
Irrigation Project Manager
Worcester: 880 employed · $140,570 median, 7th-highest of 111 metros
Irrigation Estimator
Worcester: 550 employed · $92,570 median, 6th-highest of 111 metros
Smart / Controller Systems Technician
Landscape Water Management Auditor
What Commercial Irrigation roles earn in Worcester.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Worcester earn a median $47,980, 23% over the $39,150 national figure, and 5th of 112 metros. Pay runs $38,120 at the tenth percentile to $64,620 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters, at $82,260 against $63,800 nationally. BLS withholds Worcester pay for one occupation in the table.
| Role | Worcester 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) | $47,980 | $38,120–$64,620 | $39,150 | +23% | 2,170 |
| Irrigation System DesignerLandscape Architects (17-1012) | – | – | $79,870 | – | – |
| Backflow Prevention SpecialistPlumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (47-2152) | $82,260 | $48,860–$119,980 | $63,800 | +29% | 1,370 |
| Irrigation Foreman / Crew LeadFirst-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers (37-1012) | $67,090 | $55,680–$93,030 | $58,430 | +15% | 310 |
| Irrigation Project ManagerConstruction Managers (11-9021) | $140,570 | $99,680–$207,410 | $114,990 | +22% | 880 |
| Irrigation EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $92,570 | $43,490–$139,780 | $78,740 | +18% | 550 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Worcester 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 Worcester's commercial irrigation market has changed since 2018.
The number of landscaping companies in Worcester rose from 455 in 2018 to 503 in 2023, up 11%, close to the 13% national change. Headcount at those firms went up 6%, to about 2,565 people. Average annual pay there went from $43,055 to $56,448 (+31%), in step with the 31% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping companies: business locations | 455 | 503 | +11% |
| Landscaping companies: employment | 2,416 | 2,565 | +6% |
| Landscaping companies: average annual pay | $43,055 | $56,448 | +31% |
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
Worcester sits at about the national rate for commercial irrigation — neither unusually deep nor unusually thin.
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 Worcester's commercial irrigation market compares
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Worcester ranks 75th for headcount, 5th for median pay and 43rd for concentration for landscaping and groundskeeping workers. Pay here is among the highest we see, so offers need to start near the top of the range.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | 15,120 | $49,030 | 0.91 | 2,688 |
| Worcester | 2,170 | $47,980 | 1.01 | 503 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial irrigation employers in Worcester, the pool is about the national norm for its size, and local employers have trimmed headcount. That usually means experienced people are available but cautious, so the stability of the job matters as much as the rate.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Worcester metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Commercial Irrigation licensing in Massachusetts.
MassDEP certifies backflow prevention device testers and cross-connection surveyors, with applications and renewals handled online. The same state rules apply in Boston, so candidates licensed there can work in Worcester without re-qualifying. The Worcester metro crosses a state line, so check the rules in the neighboring state too for crews that work on both sides.
Licensing authority: Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Worcester talent.
The closest metro we cover is Providence, about 35 miles away, with roughly 5,530 landscaping and groundskeeping workers (2.5 times Worcester's 2,170). Pay is close across the region: medians run from $41,290 in Albany to $49,030 in Boston, against $47,980 here. Boston has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester | – | 2,170 | $47,980 |
| Providence | 36 mi | 5,530 | $45,250 |
| Boston | 38 mi | 15,120 | $49,030 |
| Hartford | 57 mi | 4,060 | $44,860 |
| Albany | 103 mi | 2,400 | $41,290 |
| Bridgeport | 104 mi | 4,920 | $46,430 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Worcester crews.
Not commercial irrigation work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Worcester in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- UMass Medicine Science Park / proposed Biotech 6100,000+ sq ft (proposed)Planning stage - existing park at 100% occupancy with a waitlist
Demand for lab space has outstripped supply at the existing science park, prompting UMass Medical School to evaluate a new Class A laboratory building.
- Worcester County share of state grant funding~$18.7M (the county's share of a $161M statewide program)Flowing into ~24 projects across the county
Part of the largest development cycle Worcester has seen in decades, alongside a 51-acre industrial campus in the pipeline and 1,600+ housing units under construction.
- The Reactory biomanufacturing park~300,000 sq ft combined, 350+ jobsWuXi Biologics and Galaxy Life Sciences both underway
WuXi Biologics received approval to double its facility size at the park. Combined with Galaxy Life Sciences' concurrent build, this is cleanroom-grade biomanufacturing construction at a scale the region hasn't seen before.
These are the 3 projects we track in Worcester. The Worcester market page covers hiring conditions across every trade here.
What credentials matter for commercial irrigation, and what kills offers in Worcester.
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 Worcester.
What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Worcester?
BLS puts the Worcester median for landscaping and groundskeeping workers at $47,980 a year, 23% above the $39,150 national median. That ranks 5th of 112 metros with published figures, in the top quarter. Most of the market sits between $38,120 and $64,620, a 1.7x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. No other Massachusetts metro we cover pays more for this work (Boston: $49,030).
Is it hard to hire landscaping and groundskeeping workers in Worcester?
It is about average. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers are as common in Worcester as they are nationally (location quotient 1.01), with about 2,170 in the metro. The 503 landscaping companies here average about 5.1 employees per location, mostly small shops, so candidates often know every employer in town by name. With 11% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which commercial irrigation roles pay the most in Worcester?
Of the roles we recruit for, Irrigation Project Manager pays the most in Worcester, a $140,570 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Backflow Prevention Specialist at $82,260, 41% below it. Irrigation Technician / Installer is the lowest-paid field role at $47,980. Relative to national pay, Backflow Prevention Specialist is the strongest-paying role here (29% above).
How many landscaping companies operate in Worcester?
BLS counted 503 landscaping companies in Worcester in 2023, employing about 2,565 people between them. Up from 455 in 2018, an 11% increase against 13% growth nationally. That averages 5.1 people per location, so most are small shops. They pay an average of $56,448, 17% above the $48,279 national average for the same kind of employer. BLS counts irrigation contractors under landscaping companies.
Which nearby metros compete with Worcester for landscaping and groundskeeping workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Providence (36 miles, about 5,530, $45,250 median), Boston (38 miles, about 15,120, $49,030 median) and Hartford (57 miles, about 4,060, $44,860 median). Providence has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Worcester out-pays Providence and Hartford, an advantage when recruiting from there.
The seat is open. The pipeline should not be.
503 landscaping companies in Worcester are drawing on the same 2,170 landscaping and groundskeeping workers. Let's get your next hire lined up first.
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