Average Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, And Applicators, Vegetation Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, And Applicators, Vegetation is $46,340 per year. The middle 50% earn between $39,160 and $51,240, with 27,050 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 44 states and 117 metro areas.
Pay distribution
Here is how Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, And Applicators, Vegetation pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $35,570
- 25th
- $39,160
- Median
- $46,340
- 75th
- $51,240
- 90th
- $61,420
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, And Applicators, Vegetation earn close to the national median for all US workers. Solidly middle-income.
Pay is tightly clustered around the median. Most pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation earn within a narrow band, with less variation than many other occupations. That is often a sign of standardized roles or union and public-sector pay scales.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation from 2024 to 2034. Growth is roughly in line with the US average of about 4% across all occupations.
- Projected growth
- +3.8%
- 1,100 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 4,100
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings are high relative to the workforce size, reflecting meaningful turnover and new-hire volume.
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
A high-school diploma is typically sufficient for entry, with much of the training happening on the job.
Where Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, And Applicators, Vegetation earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is Massachusetts at $62,980, about 35.9% above the national median. At the metro level, Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH leads with a median of $62,990.
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $62,980 | N/A |
| Delaware | $54,190 | 40 |
| Oregon | $51,590 | 290 |
| Hawaii | $51,240 | 60 |
| North Dakota | $50,490 | 280 |
| Ohio | $50,060 | 490 |
| Wyoming | $49,190 | 120 |
| Kansas | $49,090 | 520 |
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $62,990 | N/A |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $58,550 | 100 |
| Columbus, OH | $55,830 | 70 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $54,530 | 110 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $54,420 | 100 |
| Cleveland, OH | $51,640 | 50 |
| Boulder, CO | $51,270 | N/A |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $51,220 | 330 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2025, the national median salary for Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, And Applicators, Vegetation rose from $35,840 to $46,340, a gain of +29.3% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +25.9%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $35,840 would need to be worth $45,132 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $46,340 is $1,208 above that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of +2.7% in purchasing power.
Wages have roughly kept pace with inflation. Nominal pay rose by 29.3%, but inflation absorbed most of it.
- Nominal change
- +29.3%
- 2019–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +25.9%
- US CPI, 2019–2025
- Real change
- +2.7%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, And Applicators, Vegetation median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $46,340
- 2024
- $45,200
- 2023
- $44,070
- 2022
- $41,440
- 2021
- $38,270
- 2020
- $36,630
- 2019
- $35,840
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2018, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Tree Trimmers And Pruners
- $50,960
- Pest Control Workers
- $45,250
- Maids And Housekeeping Cleaners
- $35,510
Common salary questions for Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, And Applicators, Vegetation
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, And Applicators, Vegetation workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.