Pest Control Workers
Pest Control Workers (SOC 37-2021) earn a median $45,250 a year ($21.75 an hour) in the United States, with 102,620 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Washington.
What pest control workers do
Pest control workers find and remove insects, rodents, and other pests from buildings and the grounds around them. A technician starts by inspecting the property, identifying the source of the infestation and the extent of the damage, including access to the infested locations. The technician then selects a treatment: spraying or dusting chemical solutions, powders, or gases, or setting traps. They record the work performed, recommend treatment and prevention methods to clients, measure the area to be treated, calculate fumigant requirements, estimate the cost of the service, and clean the work site afterward. Some drive trucks equipped with power spraying equipment, and some spray over marshlands, ditches, or catch basins. Pesticide applicators who treat plants and crops have their own code.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the usual education level (about 90 percent).
Also called: Bed Bug Exterminator, Certified Pest Control Technician, Chemical Applicator, Commercial Pest Control Representative, Commercial Pest Control Technician.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $16.67 | $18.00 | $21.75 | $23.85 | $29.75 | $22.31 | 102,620 |
| Annual | $34,680 | $37,440 | $45,250 | $49,600 | $61,890 | $46,400 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where pest control workers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | $21.32 | $22.78 | $24.66 | $28.57 | $29.42 | $25.59 | 1,430 | 0.40 | 0.61 |
| Annual | $44,340 | $47,390 | $51,300 | $59,420 | $61,190 | $53,220 | ||||
| South Dakota | Hourly | $18.97 | $22.64 | $24.00 | $30.03 | $33.15 | $25.72 | 190 | 0.41 | 0.63 |
| Annual | $39,460 | $47,090 | $49,920 | $62,460 | $68,950 | $53,490 | ||||
| Nevada | Hourly | $17.64 | $18.89 | $23.67 | $29.10 | $39.14 | $26.02 | 790 | 0.51 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $36,680 | $39,300 | $49,240 | $60,530 | $81,420 | $54,110 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | $18.98 | $22.67 | $23.56 | $24.09 | $28.17 | $23.92 | 880 | 0.52 | 0.78 |
| Annual | $39,470 | $47,160 | $49,010 | $50,110 | $58,590 | $49,750 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $19.15 | $22.38 | $23.45 | $28.15 | $28.69 | $24.90 | 2,270 | 0.53 | 0.80 |
| Annual | $39,830 | $46,550 | $48,780 | $58,560 | $59,680 | $51,780 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Florida | Hourly | $16.81 | $17.58 | $21.31 | $23.78 | $29.75 | $22.15 | 12,400 | 1.25 | 1.89 |
| Annual | $34,960 | $36,570 | $44,320 | $49,470 | $61,890 | $46,060 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $14.21 | $17.10 | $18.11 | $21.69 | $28.67 | $19.90 | 9,470 | 0.67 | 1.02 |
| Annual | $29,550 | $35,570 | $37,660 | $45,110 | $59,630 | $41,400 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $14.09 | $17.11 | $18.20 | $22.56 | $29.58 | $20.69 | 5,770 | 1.18 | 1.79 |
| Annual | $29,310 | $35,590 | $37,860 | $46,920 | $61,520 | $43,030 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $15.38 | $17.73 | $21.51 | $23.33 | $29.76 | $21.89 | 4,870 | 0.99 | 1.49 |
| Annual | $31,990 | $36,890 | $44,740 | $48,530 | $61,900 | $45,520 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $18.05 | $22.04 | $23.33 | $28.83 | $34.59 | $25.72 | 4,220 | 0.44 | 0.66 |
| Annual | $37,550 | $45,840 | $48,530 | $59,970 | $71,960 | $53,500 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Reno, NV | Hourly | $17.43 | $21.63 | $28.32 | $32.81 | $46.00 | $27.82 | 160 | 0.56 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $36,260 | $44,980 | $58,910 | $68,230 | $95,680 | $57,870 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $22.53 | $23.00 | $28.07 | $28.65 | $29.23 | $27.11 | 670 | 0.32 | 0.49 |
| Annual | $46,870 | $47,840 | $58,380 | $59,590 | $60,800 | $56,380 | ||||
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | Hourly | $20.10 | $21.26 | $26.63 | $27.89 | $32.93 | $26.35 | 100 | 1.29 | 1.95 |
| Annual | $41,800 | $44,220 | $55,390 | $58,020 | $68,490 | $54,800 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $19.39 | $22.45 | $25.66 | $28.32 | $36.47 | $26.91 | 1,210 | 0.51 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $40,320 | $46,690 | $53,380 | $58,900 | $75,850 | $55,960 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $21.94 | $22.40 | $25.51 | $30.38 | $37.60 | $27.71 | 590 | 0.52 | 0.79 |
| Annual | $45,640 | $46,580 | $53,050 | $63,200 | $78,200 | $57,630 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $19.74 | $22.72 | $24.01 | $28.71 | $34.58 | $26.38 | 4,380 | 0.46 | 0.70 |
| Annual | $41,060 | $47,270 | $49,940 | $59,710 | $71,930 | $54,870 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $14.10 | $17.40 | $18.71 | $22.86 | $30.63 | $21.48 | 3,430 | 1.19 | 1.80 |
| Annual | $29,330 | $36,190 | $38,920 | $47,550 | $63,700 | $44,670 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $14.79 | $17.58 | $18.43 | $21.74 | $29.92 | $20.46 | 2,870 | 0.71 | 1.07 |
| Annual | $30,750 | $36,560 | $38,330 | $45,210 | $62,230 | $42,550 | ||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $17.33 | $17.99 | $21.58 | $24.22 | $30.18 | $22.58 | 2,480 | 0.88 | 1.33 |
| Annual | $36,050 | $37,410 | $44,890 | $50,380 | $62,780 | $46,970 | ||||
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | Hourly | $18.14 | $18.57 | $21.49 | $26.48 | $35.32 | $23.42 | 2,180 | 0.92 | 1.39 |
| Annual | $37,740 | $38,620 | $44,690 | $55,080 | $73,460 | $48,720 | ||||
Top industries employing pest control workers
Services to Buildings and Dwellings employ 93.8% of pest control workers nationally (96,250 jobs) at a median $44,930 a year ($21.60 an hour), followed by Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (1.8%) and Employment Services (0.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Services to Buildings and Dwellings NAICS 561700 | 96,250 | 93.8% | $44,930 | $21.60 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 1,850 | 1.8% | $50,870 | $24.46 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 470 | 0.5% | $43,720 | $21.02 |
| Facilities Support Services NAICS 561200 | 340 | 0.3% | $58,890 | $28.31 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 280 | 0.3% | $70,640 | $33.96 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (102,620). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $37,540 for pest control workers in May 2021 and $45,250 in May 2025, with employment of 85,370 and 102,620.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $37,540 | $18.05 | 85,370 |
| May 2022 | $38,310 | $18.42 | 91,160 |
| May 2023 | $43,470 | $20.90 | 93,760 |
| May 2024 | $44,730 | $21.51 | 96,110 |
| May 2025 | $45,250 | $21.75 | 102,620 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
50 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington profile | $24.66 | $51,300 | $44,340 | $61,190 | 1,430 | 0.40 | 0.61 |
| 2 | South Dakota profile | $24.00 | $49,920 | $39,460 | $68,950 | 190 | 0.41 | 0.63 |
| 3 | Nevada profile | $23.67 | $49,240 | $36,680 | $81,420 | 790 | 0.51 | 0.77 |
| 4 | Connecticut profile | $23.56 | $49,010 | $39,470 | $58,590 | 880 | 0.52 | 0.78 |
| 5 | New Jersey profile | $23.45 | $48,780 | $39,830 | $59,680 | 2,270 | 0.53 | 0.80 |
| 6 | Colorado profile | $23.39 | $48,650 | $38,610 | $71,230 | 970 | 0.34 | 0.51 |
| 7 | Hawaii profile | $23.35 | $48,570 | $35,500 | $62,670 | 740 | 1.18 | 1.79 |
| 8 | New York profile | $23.33 | $48,530 | $37,550 | $71,960 | 4,220 | 0.44 | 0.66 |
| 9 | Maine profile | $23.24 | $48,340 | $46,130 | $60,300 | 320 | 0.50 | 0.76 |
| 10 | North Dakota profile | $23.09 | $48,020 | $44,600 | $62,580 | 120 | 0.27 | 0.41 |
| 11 | New Hampshire profile | $23.08 | $48,000 | $45,570 | $58,960 | 260 | 0.38 | 0.57 |
| 12 | Maryland profile | $22.77 | $47,360 | $37,810 | $65,500 | 1,670 | 0.60 | 0.91 |
| 13 | California profile | $22.69 | $47,190 | $37,110 | $65,580 | ** | ** | ** |
| 14 | Alaska profile | $22.55 | $46,900 | $35,580 | $75,180 | 40 | 0.12 | 0.18 |
| 15 | Oregon profile | $22.39 | $46,570 | $39,890 | $59,270 | 740 | 0.38 | 0.57 |
| 16 | Illinois profile | $22.33 | $46,450 | $36,120 | $62,450 | 2,470 | 0.41 | 0.61 |
| 17 | Vermont profile | $22.27 | $46,320 | $36,510 | $63,940 | 80 | 0.28 | 0.42 |
| 18 | Virginia profile | $22.09 | $45,950 | $37,020 | $61,510 | 3,040 | 0.74 | 1.12 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania profile | $21.98 | $45,720 | $36,910 | $60,000 | 2,260 | 0.37 | 0.56 |
| 20 | Massachusetts profile | $21.90 | $45,560 | $36,750 | $62,170 | 1,900 | 0.52 | 0.79 |
| 21 | Wisconsin profile | $21.81 | $45,350 | $36,800 | $59,750 | 1,060 | 0.36 | 0.54 |
| 22 | Delaware profile | $21.78 | $45,300 | $31,200 | $74,090 | 300 | 0.62 | 0.94 |
| 23 | Iowa profile | $21.78 | $45,290 | $35,750 | $57,250 | 540 | 0.35 | 0.52 |
| 24 | Rhode Island profile | $21.65 | $45,030 | $36,920 | $65,250 | 270 | 0.54 | 0.82 |
| 25 | North Carolina profile | $21.51 | $44,740 | $31,990 | $61,900 | 4,870 | 0.99 | 1.49 |
| 26 | Utah profile | $21.51 | $44,740 | $33,280 | $47,640 | 1,050 | 0.61 | 0.92 |
| 27 | Louisiana profile | $21.43 | $44,570 | $27,850 | $58,220 | 1,930 | 1.00 | 1.51 |
| 28 | Wyoming profile | $21.40 | $44,500 | $29,380 | $71,920 | 50 | 0.19 | 0.29 |
| 29 | Michigan profile | $21.38 | $44,470 | $38,630 | $61,850 | 1,460 | 0.33 | 0.50 |
| 30 | Arizona profile | $21.36 | $44,430 | $36,820 | $62,910 | 3,200 | 0.99 | 1.50 |
| 31 | Florida profile | $21.31 | $44,320 | $34,960 | $61,890 | 12,400 | 1.25 | 1.89 |
| 32 | South Carolina profile | $20.73 | $43,130 | $32,850 | $59,890 | 2,660 | 1.16 | 1.75 |
| 33 | Missouri profile | $20.53 | $42,690 | $29,850 | $48,560 | 1,440 | 0.49 | 0.74 |
| 34 | Kentucky profile | $20.34 | $42,310 | $30,130 | $61,670 | 1,030 | 0.52 | 0.78 |
| 35 | Montana profile | $20.06 | $41,730 | $38,360 | $60,350 | 100 | 0.20 | 0.30 |
| 36 | Minnesota profile | $20.02 | $41,640 | $27,180 | $70,720 | 670 | 0.23 | 0.34 |
| 37 | Idaho profile | $19.34 | $40,220 | $35,940 | $47,340 | 620 | 0.72 | 1.09 |
| 38 | Ohio profile | $19.28 | $40,110 | $35,590 | $58,890 | 2,170 | 0.39 | 0.59 |
| 39 | Tennessee profile | $19.08 | $39,690 | $30,570 | $56,270 | 3,340 | 1.02 | 1.54 |
| 40 | Oklahoma profile | $18.77 | $39,050 | $29,220 | $58,160 | 1,310 | 0.77 | 1.16 |
| 41 | Nebraska profile | $18.73 | $38,960 | $29,330 | $66,200 | 460 | 0.45 | 0.68 |
| 42 | Kansas profile | $18.60 | $38,690 | $27,590 | $60,000 | 760 | 0.53 | 0.81 |
| 43 | Indiana profile | $18.56 | $38,600 | $35,290 | $60,920 | 1,670 | 0.52 | 0.79 |
| 44 | Alabama profile | $18.47 | $38,410 | $31,100 | $50,110 | 2,540 | 1.20 | 1.82 |
| 45 | Georgia profile | $18.20 | $37,860 | $29,310 | $61,520 | 5,770 | 1.18 | 1.79 |
| 46 | Arkansas profile | $18.13 | $37,710 | $30,900 | $55,970 | 1,030 | 0.79 | 1.20 |
| 47 | Texas profile | $18.11 | $37,660 | $29,550 | $59,630 | 9,470 | 0.67 | 1.02 |
| 48 | West Virginia profile | $18.03 | $37,510 | $26,080 | $50,780 | 460 | 0.65 | 0.99 |
| 49 | Mississippi profile | $17.89 | $37,200 | $28,700 | $53,890 | 960 | 0.82 | 1.25 |
| 50 | New Mexico profile | $17.82 | $37,070 | $28,600 | $70,410 | 320 | 0.37 | 0.56 |
Part of Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 37-2021 Pest Control Workers.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 37-2021, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 37-2021.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.