Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Moderate-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
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Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
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Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Pest control workers focus on managing pests for residential, commercial, and other settings. This role combines hands-on work, problem solving, and customer interaction. Nationally, there are about 102,000 pest control workers, indicating a sizable workforce. The projected employment growth of 4.9% and 13,000 annual openings suggest a steady flow of opportunities for new entrants as well as experienced workers. The national median annual salary of $44,730 provides a clear benchmark for typical earnings in this field. Success in this career draws on physical strength and stamina, mechanical skills, and fine motor abilities, paired with science knowledge, mathematics, and critical and analytical thinking. Strong customer service, interpersonal skills, and project management abilities are also important to handle client needs and organize work. Overall, this occupation offers a blend of physical, technical, and people-focused work with consistent demand across the country.
Pest control workers earn a national median annual salary of $44,730. Pay levels can vary by location, and several states and metro areas stand out with higher median wages. Among the top states by opportunity score, Washington reports a median salary of $51,300, and Colorado shows $48,650, while New York and Virginia offer $48,530 and $45,950 respectively. Massachusetts is closer to the national median at $45,560. At the metro level, salaries in several areas exceed both the national and many state medians. The San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area has a median salary of $53,380, and San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA reports $53,050. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro reaches $49,940, while Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV stands at $48,010. These figures highlight that certain metros and states may offer higher earning potential for pest control workers.
Pest control workers have a national employment level of about 102,000, reflecting a well-established occupation. Projected employment growth of 4.9% signals continued demand over the forecast period. In addition, there are an estimated 13,000 annual openings, which include opportunities from employment growth and other job turnover. This combination suggests that individuals entering or advancing in this career can expect ongoing hiring activity across different regions. The uniform 4.9% growth rate reported for top states and metro areas indicates consistent projected expansion in multiple markets rather than growth concentrated in only one location. For job seekers, this means there may be options to pursue positions in a variety of states and metropolitan areas while benefiting from a broadly similar growth outlook. Overall, the employment numbers, projected growth, and annual openings together point to a stable and accessible career path.
Location can significantly shape the experience of pest control workers, especially when considering salary, employment levels, and opportunity scores. Among states, Massachusetts and New York both have high CareerGPS opportunity scores (65.87 and 65.78) with median salaries of $45,560 and $48,530 and employment of 1,900 and 4,220 respectively. Washington and Colorado show somewhat higher median wages—$51,300 and $48,650—alongside solid opportunity scores above 56. Virginia offers 3,040 jobs with a median salary of $45,950 and an opportunity score of 54.96. At the metro level, the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ areas stand out with very high opportunity scores above 77 and median salaries near or above $50,000. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA also combines a high median salary of $53,380 with a strong opportunity score. These differences suggest that some metros and states may provide especially attractive combinations of pay and opportunity for pest control workers.
Pest control workers typically enter the field with a high school diploma or equivalent. Beyond formal education, success in this role relies on a broad mix of physical, technical, and cognitive skills. Physical strength and stamina support the more demanding aspects of the work, while fine motor skills help with detailed tasks. Science knowledge and mathematics form an important foundation for understanding and applying pest control methods effectively. Mechanical skills add value when working with tools or equipment. Customer service and interpersonal abilities are key for interacting with clients and explaining services. Project management skills help organize work, schedule visits, and coordinate tasks. Problem solving and decision making, along with critical and analytical thinking, support accurate assessments and appropriate responses to different situations. Together, these skills complement the high school education level and form the core competency profile for this occupation.
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