Irrigation Technician Salary: United States
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The median annual wage for Irrigation Technician in the United States was $39,150 in May 2025 (BLS). The middle half of workers earned between $36,190 and $46,830.
Closest proxy Our title "Irrigation Technician" is reported by BLS as SOC 37-3011 Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers. Closest proxy: Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers. This published occupation covers only part of Irrigation Technician; do not treat it as a quoted range for the complete role.
Annual wages
Irrigation Technician, the United States, annual wages: 10% earned less than $31,150, half earned less than the median of $39,150, 90% earned less than $56,730 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Annual wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $31,150 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $36,190 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $39,150 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $46,830 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $56,730 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $42,290 | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Hourly wages
Irrigation Technician, the United States, hourly wages: 10% earned less than $14.98, half earned less than the median of $18.82, 90% earned less than $27.28 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Hourly wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $14.98 per hour | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $17.40 per hour | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $18.82 per hour | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $22.52 per hour | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $27.28 per hour | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $20.33 per hour | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Employment: BLS estimates 952,640 workers in this occupation nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 37-3011 Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers, National.
What BLS wages include. Base pay plus any guaranteed or production-based incentive pay. They leave out overtime, discretionary bonus, benefits, per diem and relocation.
BLS definitions, verbatim
wages
Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
hours
Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly wages by 2,080 hours; for occupations where hourly wages are not published, annual wages were taken directly from the reported survey data.
Target metros
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th percentile | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $37,430 | $36,150 to $45,170 | 21,170 | 1.23 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $37,210 | $35,320 to $44,450 | 9,860 | 1.11 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $36,310 | $35,010 to $39,060 | 11,430 | 1.32 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $38,500 | $37,390 to $46,350 | 5,710 | 1.25 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $45,530 | $37,300 to $48,370 | 50,410 | 0.87 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $45,530 | $37,300 to $48,370 | 50,410 | 0.87 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $37,680 | $36,130 to $44,310 | 19,750 | 0.8 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $36,280 | $33,810 to $39,710 | 14,840 | 0.74 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $45,280 | $38,160 to $47,700 | 25,160 | 0.91 |
How does Irrigation Technician pay differ by industry?
These are national industry estimates for SOC 37-3011, not local offers or separate estimates for the niche title. Industry names are exactly as BLS publishes them.
| Industry | NAICS | Median | Basis | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utilities | 22 | $42,400 | Annual | 1,570 |
| Utilities | 221000 | $42,400 | Annual | 1,570 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 221100 | $42,400 | Annual | 710 |
| Water, Sewage and Other Systems | 221300 | $46,950 | Annual | 850 |
| Construction | 23 | $42,640 | Annual | 18,270 |
| Construction of Buildings | 236000 | $44,140 | Annual | 5,100 |
| Residential Building Construction | 236100 | $46,350 | Annual | 3,570 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | 236200 | $40,050 | Annual | 1,540 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 237000 | $41,530 | Annual | 2,220 |
| Utility System Construction | 237100 | $39,800 | Annual | 550 |
| Land Subdivision | 237200 | $38,430 | Annual | 660 |
| Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction | 237300 | $52,150 | Annual | 530 |
| Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 237900 | $41,450 | Annual | 470 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | 238000 | $42,190 | Annual | 10,950 |
| Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors | 238100 | $43,390 | Annual | 930 |
| Building Equipment Contractors | 238200 | $48,310 | Annual | 2,870 |
| Building Finishing Contractors | 238300 | $42,850 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors | 238900 | $39,530 | Annual | 6,750 |
| Food Manufacturing | 311000 | $39,280 | Annual | 480 |
| Animal Food Manufacturing | 311100 | $35,500 | Annual | 30 |
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing | 311600 | $38,460 | Annual | 340 |
| Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | 312000 | $43,230 | Annual | 670 |
| Beverage Manufacturing | 312100 | $43,230 | Annual | 670 |
| Manufacturing | 31-33 | $40,750 | Annual | 2,960 |
| Wood Product Manufacturing | 321000 | $34,690 | Annual | 160 |
| Sawmills and Wood Preservation | 321100 | $34,650 | Annual | 90 |
| Other Wood Product Manufacturing | 321900 | $37,860 | Annual | 60 |
| Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 324000 | $52,980 | Annual | 90 |
| Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 324100 | $52,980 | Annual | 90 |
| Chemical Manufacturing | 325000 | $47,880 | Annual | 150 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 3250A1 | $48,660 | Annual | 130 |
| Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 326000 | $42,880 | Annual | 80 |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing | 326100 | $42,670 | Annual | 60 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 327000 | $43,150 | Annual | 550 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 332000 | $39,610 | Annual | 240 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 3320A2 | $39,610 | Annual | 190 |
| Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 332700 | $34,340 | Annual | 30 |
| Machinery Manufacturing | 333000 | $34,850 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 3330A1 | $32,850 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 334000 | $39,350 | Annual | 50 |
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 334500 | $39,350 | Annual | 40 |
| Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 335000 | $45,660 | Annual | 30 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 336000 | $40,920 | Annual | 110 |
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 336300 | $45,360 | Annual | 40 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 339000 | $42,220 | Annual | 60 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 339900 | $36,400 | Annual | 40 |
| Rail Transportation | 482000 | $38,820 | Annual | 40 |
| Rail Transportation | 482100 | $38,820 | Annual | 40 |
| Truck Transportation | 484000 | $36,570 | Annual | 530 |
| Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation | 485000 | $48,420 | Annual | 160 |
| Urban Transit Systems | 485100 | $47,180 | Annual | 120 |
| Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation | 487000 | $34,660 | Annual | 30 |
| Support Activities for Transportation | 488000 | $38,700 | Annual | 490 |
| Support Activities for Air Transportation | 488100 | $36,690 | Annual | 170 |
| Support Activities for Road Transportation | 488400 | $40,540 | Annual | 290 |
| Couriers and Messengers | 492000 | $39,270 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery | 492200 | $39,270 | Annual | Not published by BLS |
| Warehousing and Storage | 493000 | $44,420 | Annual | 340 |
| Warehousing and Storage | 493100 | $44,420 | Annual | 340 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 53 | $39,360 | Annual | 28,800 |
| Real Estate | 531000 | $39,340 | Annual | 28,570 |
| Rental and Leasing Services | 532000 | $40,120 | Annual | 230 |
| Rental and Leasing Services (5322, 5323, and 5324 only) | 5320A1 | $30,570 | Annual | 90 |
| Automotive Equipment Rental and Leasing | 532100 | $45,350 | Annual | 150 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 54 | $44,520 | Annual | 10,490 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 541000 | $44,520 | Annual | 10,490 |
| Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services | 541200 | $36,810 | Annual | 310 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 541300 | $44,480 | Annual | 7,930 |
| Specialized Design Services | 541400 | $44,990 | Annual | 220 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | 541600 | $42,470 | Annual | 1,210 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 541700 | $58,340 | Annual | 190 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 541900 | $44,540 | Annual | 580 |
| Services to Buildings and Dwellings | 561700 | $40,470 | Annual | 578,180 |
| Waste Management and Remediation Services | 562000 | $35,460 | Annual | 320 |
| Waste Collection | 562100 | $34,770 | Annual | 170 |
| Waste Treatment and Disposal | 562200 | $35,950 | Annual | 90 |
| Remediation and Other Waste Management Services | 562900 | $37,530 | Annual | 60 |
| RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps | 721200 | $34,310 | Annual | 4,360 |
| Repair and Maintenance | 811000 | $39,880 | Annual | 1,780 |
| Automotive Repair and Maintenance | 811100 | $38,070 | Annual | 600 |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | 811300 | $40,000 | Annual | 170 |
| Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance | 811400 | $42,540 | Annual | 1,000 |
Industry estimates are national. Do not combine an industry median with a local percentile to invent an industry-specific local rate.
Which related roles have a different BLS occupation?
A supervisory occupation is not an experience percentile for the craft. Compare the actual responsibilities and the published SOC.
Irrigation Foreman (47-1011)Tree Crew Foreman (47-1011)Which metros publish the highest and lowest medians?
This ranking uses the May 2025 annual median for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers. It is not adjusted for living costs. A metro is a BLS statistical area, not just the city limits. Top-coded or suppressed medians are not ranked.
| Metro | Median | Employment | Location quotient | Trade median / all-occupations median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $49,030 | 15,120 | 0.91 | 0.74 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $49,010 | 2,210 | 3.83 | 0.87 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $48,570 | 1,310 | 2.89 | 0.84 |
| Napa, CA | $48,540 | 940 | 1.98 | 0.88 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | $48,520 | 130 | 0.57 | 0.78 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $48,480 | 11,780 | 0.92 | 0.67 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $48,330 | 6,000 | 0.86 | 0.58 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $48,080 | 730 | 1.28 | 0.76 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $48,040 | 12,270 | 0.84 | 0.65 |
| Worcester, MA | $47,980 | 2,170 | 1.01 | 0.83 |
| Gadsden, AL | $29,460 | 140 | 0.68 | 0.80 |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | $29,180 | 210 | 0.8 | 0.68 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $29,060 | 680 | 0.37 | 0.81 |
| Monroe, LA | $29,010 | 360 | 0.67 | 0.76 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $28,100 | 420 | 0.44 | 0.77 |
| Arecibo, PR | $23,080 | 230 | 1.08 | 0.88 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $22,450 | 4,540 | 1.07 | 0.76 |
| Aguadilla, PR | $21,840 | 180 | 0.59 | 0.82 |
| Mayaguez, PR | $21,840 | 280 | 0.87 | 0.86 |
| Ponce, PR | $21,840 | 730 | 1.89 | 0.81 |
The wage ratio is simple arithmetic: this occupation's median divided by the all-occupations median in the same area and unit. It is not a cost-of-living measure. Location quotient describes the concentration of employment, not relative pay. Neither predicts what a particular candidate will accept.
What do these published wages mean for an offer?
Skilled Trades Headhunters reads the May 2025 figures for Irrigation Technician in National as an offer reference, not a quote for a particular candidate. For Irrigation Technician in National, the published median for SOC 37-3011, Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers, is $39,150 per year. The middle half of the Irrigation Technician in National wage distribution runs from $36,190 to $46,830, a width of $10,640 per year; that spread shows how much published pay varies within the occupation and area, without assigning experience levels.
For the national Irrigation Technician comparison, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ reports $45,530 per year while Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA reports $44,650 per year; these are the largest-employment metros with published medians for the occupation, rather than neighboring places to a national estimate. The United States Irrigation Technician figure pools markets with different work scopes and schedules, so use the area table before setting a local offer.
The highest published medians among the selected national industry rows for Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers, read alongside Irrigation Technician in National, are Scientific Research and Development Services at $58,340 per year (NAICS 541700); Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing at $52,980 per year (NAICS 324000); Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing at $52,980 per year (NAICS 324100). Those Irrigation Technician in National industry comparisons are national cross-sections, not local industry estimates; BLS does not give us a metro-by-industry wage cut here, and overlapping industry groups should not be added together.
The Irrigation Technician in National median was $38,090 per year in May 2024, compared with $39,150 in May 2025, a published difference of $1,060. That Irrigation Technician in National comparison is between separate BLS releases, not the raise paid to the same workers or a projection of next year's offer. Read the $38,090 and $39,150 Irrigation Technician in National estimates with both dates visible, because the employers and workers represented by the survey can change.
Before offering $39,150 per year for Irrigation Technician in National, separate on-call duties, overtime, travel reimbursement, tool replacement and any truck allowance separately; prevailing wage and union requirements must be checked against the actual assignment. The Irrigation Technician in National BLS comparison includes ordinary wages and qualifying incentive pay, but leaves overtime, discretionary bonuses, benefits and relocation outside this wage figure. A candidate's take-home pay and the employer's total cost for Irrigation Technician in National can therefore differ from the median without either number being an error.
The mapping for Irrigation Technician in National is proxy: Closest proxy: Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers; This published occupation covers only part of Irrigation Technician; do not treat it as a quoted range for the complete role. When calibrating a Irrigation Technician in National opening, the work checks include Irrigation Association CIT or CLIA; state irrigator license where required; ask for evidence of that scope instead of using a percentile as a substitute for qualification. A broader occupation can combine jobs that a Irrigation Technician in National buyer would screen separately, which is why the badge and SOC remain beside the figures.
Questions about this occupation and area
What does the middle-half band tell a Irrigation Technician in National buyer?
Irrigation Technician in National has a published middle-half band of $36,190 to $46,830, a width of $10,640 per year, with median $39,150. An offer inside that Irrigation Technician in National band is not automatically competitive for every scope; match the required work and the separate pay terms first.
Which areas should I compare before hiring Irrigation Technician in National?
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA are the largest-employment comparison markets used for Irrigation Technician in National. Comparing those Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers tables with the $39,150 Irrigation Technician in National median does not measure commuting costs or predict what a particular applicant will accept.
Are the industry figures local to Irrigation Technician in National?
Irrigation Technician in National uses national industry rows for SOC 37-3011, not local sector-specific wages. Scientific Research and Development Services leads the selected sortable rows at $58,340 per year, but that national industry figure is not a quoted offer for Irrigation Technician in National.
What changed between the releases for Irrigation Technician in National?
Irrigation Technician in National moved from $38,090 in May 2024 to $39,150 in May 2025. These Irrigation Technician in National published medians do not describe an individual raise or establish a future wage trend.
What changed since May 2024
SOC 37-3011. Published annual median: $38,090 (May 2024) and $39,150 (May 2025). These are two BLS releases, not a projection.