How To Become An Irrigation Technician: What It Is and Career Path

What is an irrigation technician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Irrigation technicians design and install irrigation systems. They inspect, audit, adjust, and repair the systems to ensure they perform at maximum efficiency and conserve water. They work in residential, as well as commercial environments, and for municipalities and other organizations.

The duties and responsibilities that they perform in this capacity include inspecting and loading equipment for the day's work, driving to client's location, and testing the soil and vegetation to determine irrigation needs. Moreover, they also map out areas for irrigating installation, digging trenches, and completing progress reports and associated paperwork. Educational requirements include a high school diploma or a GED along with proven work experience within this discipline. Moreover, they are also required to demonstrate knowledge of soil, vegetation, and climate, and other factors relating to the profession.

The average hourly salary for the position is $15.42, which amounts to $32,083 annually. This career is expected to grow in the near future and result in various new opportunities emerging all across the United States.

ScoreIrrigation TechnicianUS Average

Salary

2.8

Avg. Salary $35,472

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.2

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

9.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.39%

Asian 2.02%

Black or African American 9.02%

Hispanic or Latino 26.02%

Unknown 3.91%

White 57.65%

Gender

female 3.91%

male 96.09%

Age - 41

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41

Stress level

6.2

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.0

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.0

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an irrigation technician

Explore irrigation technician education requirements

Most common irrigation technician degrees

High School Diploma

42.2 %

Bachelor's

24.6 %

Associate

19.8 %

Start to develop specific irrigation technician skills

Skills	Percentages
Golf Courses	16.01%
Trenchers	9.27%
Sprinkler Heads	6.93%
Customer Service	6.66%
Taking Care	6.01%

Research irrigation technician duties and responsibilities

Manage hardscape installation team and project
Work with irrigation equipment such as sprinklers, water lines, pumps, suction devices, valves and other plumbing equipment.
Used hand and power tools to dig trenches and lay PVC and other pipes for landscape and sprinkler systems.
Install, troubleshoot and repair valves.

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