Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,570 | $17.10 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $46,340 | $22.28 |
| Mean (average) | $47,070 | $22.63 |
| 90th percentile | $61,420 | $29.53 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 44 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $43,440 | $36,860 | $50,200 | 320 | 0.88 |
| Arizona | $48,630 | $42,890 | $58,980 | 210 | 0.37 |
| Arkansas | $37,860 | $32,010 | $51,290 | 490 | 2.17 |
| California | $45,070 | $38,180 | $64,680 | 2,260 | 0.71 |
| Colorado | $47,020 | $42,670 | $66,250 | 960 | 1.92 |
| Delaware | $54,190 | $48,990 | $54,650 | 40 | 0.43 |
| Florida | $45,210 | $35,100 | $55,370 | 4,530 | 2.62 |
| Georgia | $39,080 | $32,010 | $51,780 | 1,300 | 1.52 |
| Hawaii | $51,240 | $33,030 | $61,180 | 60 | 0.57 |
| Idaho | $47,630 | $39,170 | $59,550 | 610 | 4.09 |
| Illinois | $48,280 | $38,530 | $59,080 | 1,040 | 0.98 |
| Indiana | $48,500 | $40,240 | $58,690 | 950 | 1.71 |
| Iowa | $46,740 | $37,910 | $55,400 | 600 | 2.23 |
| Kansas | $49,090 | $38,290 | $62,250 | 520 | 2.06 |
| Kentucky | $39,380 | $34,320 | $49,830 | 290 | 0.84 |
| Louisiana | $26,220 | $23,990 | $48,700 | 220 | 0.66 |
| Maine | $40,200 | $37,440 | $51,810 | 60 | 0.57 |
| Maryland | $44,440 | $38,910 | $56,530 | ||
| Massachusetts | $62,980 | $50,220 | $82,350 | ||
| Michigan | $44,460 | $34,940 | $54,540 | 860 | 1.12 |
| Minnesota | $49,030 | $38,110 | $59,470 | 950 | 1.86 |
| Mississippi | $35,770 | $24,200 | $61,720 | 650 | 3.23 |
| Missouri | $44,990 | $36,500 | $56,210 | 450 | 0.87 |
| Montana | $37,760 | $31,600 | $51,700 | 630 | 7.08 |
| Nebraska | $47,500 | $37,230 | $56,350 | 380 | 2.15 |
| Nevada | $48,030 | $40,550 | $76,800 | 100 | 0.37 |
| New Jersey | $44,330 | $35,360 | $53,300 | 320 | 0.42 |
| New Mexico | $38,740 | $29,880 | $49,290 | 120 | 0.79 |
| New York | $48,380 | $45,760 | $64,330 | 220 | 0.13 |
| North Carolina | $48,240 | $37,330 | $55,270 | 360 | 0.42 |
| North Dakota | $50,490 | $44,650 | $61,710 | 280 | 3.74 |
| Ohio | $50,060 | $37,180 | $60,580 | 490 | 0.51 |
| Oklahoma | $36,870 | $29,680 | $48,090 | 370 | 1.24 |
| Oregon | $51,590 | $46,610 | $68,200 | 290 | 0.84 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,870 | $40,280 | $57,610 | 360 | 0.34 |
| Rhode Island | $48,360 | $39,990 | $82,070 | 100 | 1.19 |
| South Carolina | $38,100 | $31,000 | $50,790 | 610 | 1.53 |
| South Dakota | $46,320 | $36,550 | $55,760 | 460 | 5.75 |
| Tennessee | $47,340 | $44,160 | $56,150 | ||
| Utah | $45,430 | $37,880 | $61,680 | 360 | 1.2 |
| Virginia | $48,610 | $29,770 | $60,790 | 240 | 0.33 |
| Washington | $47,360 | $40,870 | $65,640 | 470 | 0.77 |
| Wisconsin | $46,190 | $39,480 | $61,590 | 540 | 1.05 |
| Wyoming | $49,190 | $35,870 | $57,420 | 120 | 2.38 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 3,300. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 4.4%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Landscaping and Groundskeeping CIP 01.0605
- Plant Nursery Operations and Management CIP 01.0606
- Turf and Turfgrass Management CIP 01.0607
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Fill sprayer tanks with water and chemicals, according to formulas.
- Record information about pesticide applications, such as the type used and amount applied.
- Mix pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides for application to trees, shrubs, lawns, or botanical crops.
- Start motors and engage machinery, such as sprayer agitators or pumps or portable spray equipment.
- Lift, push, and swing nozzles, hoses, and tubes to direct spray over designated areas.
- Establish driving routes for pesticide applications.
- Clean or service machinery to ensure operating efficiency, using water, gasoline, lubricants, or hand tools.
- Connect hoses and nozzles selected according to terrain, distribution pattern requirements, types of infestations, and velocities.
Technology skills
- Facebook (hot technology)
- Google Android (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Customer database software
- Geographic information system GIS systems
- Materials inventory software
- Rate calculation software
- Unit conversion software
Transferable skills for career changers: Operations Monitoring, Time Management, Social Perceptiveness, Operation and Control, Judgment and Decision Making, Coordination.
Common job titles: Applicator, Chemical Applicator, Herbicide Applicator, IPM Technician (Integrated Pest Management Technician), Lawn Specialist, Pesticide Applicator, Shrub Technician (Shrub Tech), Spray Applicator, Spray Technician (Spray Tech), Sprayer.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation make?
The national median annual wage for pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation was $46,340 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $35,570 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $61,420. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation a growing career?
BLS projects employment of pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation to change +3.9% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 3,300 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Massachusetts ($62,980), Delaware ($54,190), Oregon ($51,590). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.