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Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation

Typical education: High school diplomaModerate pressure

What they 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.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

Moderate pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $46,340 Median per year · $22.28/hr Most earn $35,570–$61,420

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Clean or service machinery to ensure operating efficiency, using water, gasoline, lubricants, or hand tools.
  • Lift, push, and swing nozzles, hoses, and tubes to direct spray over designated areas.
  • Plant grass with seed spreaders, and operate straw blowers to cover seeded areas with mixtures of asphalt and straw.
  • Plant grass with seed spreaders, and operate straw blowers to cover seeded areas with mixtures of asphalt and straw.
  • Record information about pesticide applications, such as the type used and amount applied.
  • Establish driving routes for pesticide applications.

Job outlook

United States
4% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 3,300 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Landscaping services48.9%
  • Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods17.6%
  • Exterminating and pest control services8.7%
  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals8.1%
  • Self-employed (their own business)4.4%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 3 months

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: 1 to 3 monthsEntry-level

This is an entry-level job. Many people start right after high school with on-the-job training and a state or federal pesticide certification, and the typical prior experience is about 1 to 3 months.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    A diploma is the typical minimum education, and science and math classes help you understand labels, safety rules, and plant care.

  2. Landscaping Worker

    1-3 months

    Working on a lawn, grounds, or landscaping crew teaches you equipment, plant basics, and how to work safely outdoors, which prepares you for pesticide training.

  3. Pesticide Handler, Sprayer, or Applicator, Vegetation

    Ongoing after hiring

    You learn to mix and apply products safely under supervision, then pass the required state or federal certification exam to work on your own.

Where it can lead

  1. Pest Control Worker

    1-3 years of experience first

    You move from vegetation work into treating homes and buildings for pests, which adds knowledge of different pests and customer service.

  2. Lawn Care Crew Leader

    2-4 years of experience first

    As a crew leader you plan routes and schedules, train new workers, and handle customer questions, which requires strong reliability and communication skills.

  3. Pest Control or Lawn Care Supervisor

    5+ years of experience first

    Supervisors manage several crews, oversee certifications and safety records, and handle hiring, which takes experience and good organization.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take biology, chemistry, and mathThese classes build the background you need to understand how pesticides work and to read product labels and measurements accurately.
  • Get a summer or part-time job outdoorsWorking on a lawn, garden, nursery, or farm crew teaches equipment use, plant care, and safe work habits.
  • Join FFA or a school gardening clubStudent agriculture or gardening groups teach hands-on plant science and often include leadership and safety training.
  • Volunteer with a community garden or park cleanupVolunteering shows you how plants are cared for and gives you experience working as part of a team.

In college

  • Study agriculture, horticulture, plant science, or environmental scienceThese majors cover plant biology, pests, and chemical safety, which are the core topics for pesticide work and certification.
  • Take a pesticide safety or applicator training courseMany colleges and extension programs offer short courses that prepare you for the state certification exam.
  • Work a campus grounds or landscaping jobCampus facilities crews give you real experience with equipment, safety, and working outdoors on a schedule.
  • Intern with a lawn care, pest control, or farm operationA summer internship shows employers you can work safely and follow label directions, which can lead to a full-time offer.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask a local lawn care, landscaping, or pest control company whether they offer training and help with certification. Many employers pay for it, so you learn while earning.
  • Learn the basics of how pesticide labels work and what the safety gear is for. Being able to explain safety rules clearly in an interview helps you stand out.
  • Look up the certification rules for your state's agriculture or environmental department early, since requirements can vary by state and some need a minimum age.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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