The median pay for Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation is $46,340 a year ($22.28/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 3.9% through 2035, with about 3,300 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 37-3012
- Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Pesticide Handler, Sprayer, and Applicator, Vegetation in four numbers
- Median pay
- $46,340a year, or $22.28/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $36KTop 10% $61K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +3.9%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+3.9%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +3.9% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 3,30025,700 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202525.7K
- Projected 203526.7K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 25.7K Projected 2035 26.7K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Applicator, Chemical Applicator, Herbicide Applicator, IPM Technician (Integrated Pest Management Technician), Lawn Specialist, Pesticide Applicator.
Pay
How much do Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation make?
Every pesticide handler, sprayer, and applicator, vegetation in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$46,340
Middle half earn $39,160 to $51,240
- 10th
- $35,570
- 25th
- $39,160
- 75th
- $51,240
- 90th
- $61,420
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $35,570 |
| 25th | $39,160 |
| Median | $46,340 |
| 75th | $51,240 |
| 90th | $61,420 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $46,340
- Median hourly wage
- $22.28/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $47,070
- People employed
- 27,050
Versus all US occupations
At $46,340, Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation earn 9% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $4,640 a year.
Versus building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations
The median is typical for the Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance group, where the middle occupation pays $46,340.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $61,420 or more while the bottom 10% earn $35,570, a gap of 1.7×. That is a narrow spread, so experience and employer move pay less than in most occupations.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 14% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Massachusetts pays the most at $62,980, and still leads at $59,552 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Massachusetts | $62,980 | $59,552 | N/A |
| 2Delaware | $54,190 | $54,294 | 40 |
| 3Oregon | $51,590 | $49,912 | 290 |
| 4Hawaii | $51,240 | $46,603 | 60 |
| 5North Dakota | $50,490 | $56,756 | 280 |
| 6Ohio | $50,060 | $53,959 | 490 |
| 7Wyoming | $49,190 | $53,069 | 120 |
| 8Kansas | $49,090 | $54,503 | 520 |
| 9Minnesota | $49,030 | $49,716 | 950 |
| 10Pennsylvania | $48,870 | $50,086 | 360 |
Job outlook
Is Pesticide Handler, Sprayer, and Applicator, Vegetation a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +3.9% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation | +3.9% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation to change 3.9% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 1,000 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 3,300 openings are projected each year, 12.8% of the 25,700 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of grounds maintenance workers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Landscaping and groundskeeping workers are expected to be needed to keep up with increasing demand for lawn care and landscaping services from homeowners and from large institutions, such as universities and corporate campuses. As communities invest resources in creating more green spaces in urban areas, the demand for ground maintenance workers to plant and maintain these landscapes is projected to increase.
Getting in
How to become a Pesticide Handler, Sprayer, and Applicator, Vegetation
Grounds maintenance workers typically do not need a formal educational credential and are trained on the job. States may require licensing for workers who apply pesticides or fertilizers.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
Full BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook entryThe work
What does a Pesticide Handler, Sprayer, and Applicator, Vegetation do?
Mix or apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or insecticides through sprays, dusts, vapors, soil incorporation, or chemical application on trees, shrubs, lawns, or crops. Usually requires specific training and state or federal certification.
Grounds maintenance workers install and maintain landscapes, prune trees or shrubs, and do other tasks to ensure that vegetation is attractive, orderly, and safe.
Day-to-day tasks
- Fill sprayer tanks with water and chemicals, according to formulas.
- Record information about pesticide applications, such as the type used and amount applied.
- Establish driving routes for pesticide applications.
- Lift, push, and swing nozzles, hoses, and tubes to direct spray over designated areas.
- 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.
- Mix pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides for application to trees, shrubs, lawns, or botanical crops.
- Cover areas to specified depths with pesticides, applying knowledge of weather conditions, droplet sizes, elevation-to-distance ratios, and obstructions.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most grounds maintenance workers are full time, and their work schedules may vary. These workers may be busier or work longer hours in the spring, summer, and fall, when planting, mowing, and trimming activities are most frequent.
Some jobs are seasonal. However, grounds maintenance workers sometimes provide other services during the winter months, such as snow removal.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather at least weekly.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension2.9
- Active Listening2.9
- Critical Thinking2.9
- Speaking2.8
- Monitoring2.6
- Writing2.5
- Active Learning2.5
- Mathematics2.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 2.9 |
| Active Listening | 2.9 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.9 |
| Speaking | 2.8 |
| Monitoring | 2.6 |
| Writing | 2.5 |
| Active Learning | 2.5 |
| Mathematics | 2.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operations Monitoring3.0
- Time Management3.0
- Social Perceptiveness2.9
- Operation and Control2.9
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9
- Coordination2.8
- Complex Problem Solving2.6
- Service Orientation2.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.9 |
| Operation and Control | 2.9 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.9 |
| Coordination | 2.8 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.6 |
| Service Orientation | 2.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Geographic information system
- Inventory management software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Pesticide Handler, Sprayer, and Applicator, Vegetation?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Pesticide Handler, Sprayer, and Applicator, Vegetation |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic6.5
- Conventional3.7
- Investigative2.7
- Social1.9
- Enterprising1.4
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Pesticide Handler, Sprayer, and Applicator, Vegetation
O*NET related occupations
- Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Worker
$39,150median a year
Most earn $31K to $57K
+4.7%No formal credential - Farming, Fishing, and Forestry
- Production
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator
$60,020median a year
Most earn $39K to $91K
−5.7%High school - Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance
- Transportation and Material Moving
Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment
$35,830median a year
Most earn $27K to $48K
+3.9%No formal credential - Farming, Fishing, and Forestry
Farmworker and Laborer, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse
$35,660median a year
Most earn $33K to $46K
−2.4%No formal credential
More building and grounds cleaning and maintenance careers
Median annual pay, with pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation highlighted
- First-Line Supervisor of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers$58,430
- Sports Turf Manager$58,430
- Tree Trimmer and Pruner$50,960
- Consulting Arborist$50,960
- Utility Line Clearance Arborist$50,960
- Pesticide Handler, Sprayer, and Applicator, Vegetation$46,340
- Pest Control Worker$45,250
- Landscaping and Groundskeeping Worker$39,150
- Janitor and Cleaner, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$36,840
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisor of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers | $58,430 |
| Sports Turf Manager | $58,430 |
| Tree Trimmer and Pruner | $50,960 |
| Consulting Arborist | $50,960 |
| Utility Line Clearance Arborist | $50,960 |
| Pesticide Handler, Sprayer, and Applicator, Vegetation | $46,340 |
| Pest Control Worker | $45,250 |
| Landscaping and Groundskeeping Worker | $39,150 |
| Janitor and Cleaner, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $36,840 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Specialty careers within pesticide handler, sprayer, and applicator, vegetation
Distinct careers BLS counts inside this occupation, each with its own profile.
Lists Pesticide Handler, Sprayer, and Applicator, Vegetation appears on
Questions
Pesticide Handler, Sprayer, and Applicator, Vegetation: frequently asked questions
How much do Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation make?
Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation earn a median of $46,340 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 9% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $22.28/hr. The middle half earn between $39,160 and $51,240. The top 10% earn $61,420 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Pesticide Handler, Sprayer, and Applicator, Vegetation?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training.
Is Pesticide Handler, Sprayer, and Applicator, Vegetation a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.9% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 3,300 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Pesticide Handler, Sprayer, and Applicator, Vegetation do?
Grounds maintenance workers install and maintain landscapes, prune trees or shrubs, and do other tasks to ensure that vegetation is attractive, orderly, and safe. A core O*NET task: fill sprayer tanks with water and chemicals, according to formulas. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Operating system software.
Which states pay Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation the most?
The highest state medians for Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation are Massachusetts ($62,980), Delaware ($54,190), Oregon ($51,590) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Pesticide Handler, Sprayer, and Applicator, Vegetation?
O*NET scores Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.