Apply or release chemical solutions or toxic gases and set traps to kill or remove pests and vermin that infest buildings and surrounding areas.
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Licensing, certifications and working conditions
State licensing. Pest Control Workers is licensed or registered in 14 of 57 states and territories, as reported by each state to CareerOneStop. A license often applies only to certain roles within a career, and records were last updated between 2010 and 2024, so confirm requirements with the state licensing board.
Certifications. CareerOneStop directly links 1 professional certification to Pest Control Workers. 1 of them are in CareerOneStop's "Core" group, for example: Certified IPM Technician (CIT). Certifications are voluntary credentials offered by the organizations named; listing one is not an endorsement.
Sources: CareerOneStop (licenses and certifications), part of the CareerOneStop suite of web products, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (working conditions, wages). MajorPays has reorganized this information; these agencies have not approved or endorsed it. See it interactively, with state-by-state detail →
More data on this career
Pay by education level. Among full-time, year-round pest control workers ages 25 to 64, median yearly pay is $45,700 with a high school diploma or GED, $47,700 with some college or an associate's degree and $45,700 with a bachelor's degree (Census Bureau American Community Survey, 2024 dollars). Pay differs for many reasons besides education, such as experience, employer and location.
Where the jobs are, and what they pay by industry. Nationwide, the industries that employ the most pest control workers are Services to Buildings and Dwellings (96% of the jobs counted, median pay $44,930), Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (2% of the jobs counted, median pay $50,870), Employment Services (0% of the jobs counted, median pay $43,720), Facilities Support Services (0% of the jobs counted, median pay $58,890) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). Among large industries, the highest median pay is in Services to Buildings and Dwellings ($44,930). Pay differs by industry for many reasons, including the mix of jobs and where employers are located.
Injury and illness rates. For pest control workers, employers reported 151.2 nonfatal injury and illness cases with days away from work per 10,000 full-time workers, compared with 94.6 for all U.S. workers; the median case kept the worker away 5 days (all workers: 8) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023-2024). Rates reflect the work setting as well as the occupation.
Union membership. In the broad group "Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance", which includes this career, 8.2% of wage and salary workers belong to a union (all U.S. workers: 10.0%); median weekly pay is $924 for union members and $744 for workers not in a union (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, 2025). This is a group figure, not specific to pest control workers.
Employer benefits. In the broad group "Service", which includes this career, 52% of civilian workers had access to an employer retirement plan, 51% had access to employer medical care benefits, and 70% had paid sick leave, 60% paid vacation and 59% paid holidays (all civilian workers: 75%, 74%, 83%, 77% and 79%) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Compensation Survey, March 2026). This is a group figure, not specific to pest control workers, and having access to a benefit does not mean every worker uses it. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has not endorsed this presentation. Employers spent about $27.17 per hour worked on total compensation for the occupational group "Service" in June 2026 ($19.59 in wages and salaries and $7.58 in benefits, 27.9% of the total; all civilian workers: $49.46, with 31.6% in benefits) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employer Costs for Employee Compensation).
Work environment. In O*NET's survey of workers in this occupation, the conditions most often placed at the two highest levels for pest control workers are: in an enclosed vehicle or operate enclosed equipment (100%), freedom to make decisions (100%), face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams (93%), telephone conversations (92%), outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions (92%), exposed to contaminants (92%). Each percentage is the share of respondents choosing the top two levels for that condition (for example 'most of the time' or 'continually'), so it describes how common the condition is in the job, not how a particular workplace is (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).
Related careers. O*NET lists these occupations as similar to pest control workers in the work done and the skills used: Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation, Hazardous Materials Removal Workers, Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners, Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers, Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators, First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers, First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers, Agricultural Technicians (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).
Pay by state. See what pest control workers earn in each state, with the pay range and number of jobs: Pest Control Workers salary by state (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025).
Compare pest control workers with other careers (pay, growth, openings and education side by side).
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 PUMS (MajorPays' own estimates from the survey; Census is credited as the source of the original data and has not endorsed them); BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses; BLS Current Population Survey; BLS National Compensation Survey (employee benefits); HRSA National Center for Health Workforce Analysis; U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (LCA disclosure data, FY2025). MajorPays has selected and reorganized these figures; these agencies have not approved or endorsed them. See it interactively →