What Does a Pesticide Applicator Do?
Farmers want weeds and insects gone without spray drifting onto a neighbor's crop or into a creek. Pesticide applicators handle that work on farms, lawns and roadsides, and state rules shape every step: mixing at the label rate, calibrating sprayers, checking the wind before each application and recording every job.
Also known as: Chemical Applicator
Other Job Titles for This Work
Workers in this occupation report titles such as Chemical Applicator, Integrated Pest Management Technician (IPM Technician), Lawn Specialist, Lawn Technician, Licensed Pesticide Applicator, Pest Control Technician, Spray Applicator, Spray Technician.
Pesticide Applicator Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a pesticide applicator include:
- Measure and mix concentrates into spray tanks at label rates, wearing the required protective gear.
- Calibrate boom, backpack and hose-reel sprayers so each pass delivers the intended rate.
- Apply herbicides, insecticides and fungicides to turf, crops, trees or roadside vegetation.
- Check wind speed, temperature and rain forecasts before spraying; postpone jobs when drift is likely.
- Identify weeds, insects and plant diseases to choose the right product and timing.
- Post warning signs and notify customers or neighbors before treatment, as state rules require.
- Keep application records listing product, EPA registration number, rate, area, weather and time.
- Clean tanks, pumps, hoses and nozzles; dispose of rinse water and empty containers properly.
- Store chemicals in locked, labeled areas and clean up small spills with the truck's spill kit.
- Answer customer questions about re-entry times, pets and when to water treated lawns.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a pesticide applicator, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- State pesticide applicator license or certification
- Reading and following pesticide labels
- Sprayer calibration and mix-rate math
- Weed, insect and plant disease identification
- Correct use of respirators, gloves and coveralls
- Valid driver's license and clean driving record
- Careful, consistent record keeping
- Comfort working in heat while wearing protective gear
Education and Training
To become a commercial pesticide applicator, in most states you will need to pass a core safety exam and a category exam, such as turf or right-of-way, to qualify to spray without supervision. Most applicators learn through on-the-job training after high school, working under a certified applicator until they pass. Continuing education credits keep the license current.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $39,160 - $51,240 per year, with a median of $46,340.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation.
Employment of pesticide handlers, sprayers and applicators who treat vegetation should grow about 4 percent from 2025 to 2035, with roughly 3,300 openings a year, according to BLS projections. Many posts are seasonal, running from spring to fall. Licensed applicators with a clean safety record have the best shot at year-round work, given that unlicensed staff can usually spray only under a licensed applicator's supervision.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation.
Pesticide Applicator Pay Range
| Earners | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $35,570 |
| Bottom 25% earn less than | $39,160 |
| Median (half earn more, half less) | $46,340 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $51,240 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $61,420 |
Highest-Paying States for Pesticide Applicators
The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are Massachusetts ($62,980), Delaware ($54,190), Oregon ($51,590), Hawaii ($51,240), North Dakota ($50,490). Pay is lowest in Oklahoma ($36,870), Mississippi ($35,770), Louisiana ($26,220).
Median pay in all 44 states with BLS data
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $43,440 |
| Arizona | $48,630 |
| Arkansas | $37,860 |
| California | $45,070 |
| Colorado | $47,020 |
| Delaware | $54,190 |
| Florida | $45,210 |
| Georgia | $39,080 |
| Hawaii | $51,240 |
| Idaho | $47,630 |
| Illinois | $48,280 |
| Indiana | $48,500 |
| Iowa | $46,740 |
| Kansas | $49,090 |
| Kentucky | $39,380 |
| Louisiana | $26,220 |
| Maine | $40,200 |
| Maryland | $44,440 |
| Massachusetts | $62,980 |
| Michigan | $44,460 |
| Minnesota | $49,030 |
| Mississippi | $35,770 |
| Missouri | $44,990 |
| Montana | $37,760 |
| Nebraska | $47,500 |
| Nevada | $48,030 |
| New Jersey | $44,330 |
| New Mexico | $38,740 |
| New York | $48,380 |
| North Carolina | $48,240 |
| North Dakota | $50,490 |
| Ohio | $50,060 |
| Oklahoma | $36,870 |
| Oregon | $51,590 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,870 |
| Rhode Island | $48,360 |
| South Carolina | $38,100 |
| South Dakota | $46,320 |
| Tennessee | $47,340 |
| Utah | $45,430 |
| Virginia | $48,610 |
| Washington | $47,360 |
| Wisconsin | $46,190 |
| Wyoming | $49,190 |
What the Work Is Like
O*NET surveys people who work as pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:
- 93% work outdoors in all kinds of weather every day
- 88% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
- 79% use their hands on tools, objects or controls for more than half the day
- 79% wear safety gear such as gloves, safety glasses or a hard hat every day
- 69% say teamwork is very or extremely important in their job
- 53% spend more than half the workday on their feet
- 48% deal with loud or distracting noise every day
Education Workers Say the Job Needs
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or GED | 56% |
| Post-secondary certificate | 16% |
| Less than high school | 15% |
| Bachelor's degree | 13% |
Tools and Software Pesticide Applicators Use
Tools and equipment
Software
Is This Job a Good Fit for You?
People who do well in this job tend to enjoy hands-on work with tools, machines or the outdoors as well as organized work with data, records and clear procedures.
Skills O*NET rates most important: Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Time Management, Reading Comprehension, Social Perceptiveness.
Knowledge areas used most: Customer and Personal Service, Biology, Production and Processing, English Language, Administration and Management.
Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 2 of 5, which means some preparation.
Related Careers
These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:
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Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
- O*NET 30.1 Database, occupation 37-3012.00 (Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation). View on O*NET OnLine.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. The Job Explorer has modified some of the information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these changes.