Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz
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Pest Control Workers
Pest Control Workers apply or release chemical solutions or toxic gases and set traps to kill or remove pests and vermin that infest buildings and surrounding areas.
Table of contents
What they do
Pest Control Workers apply or release chemical solutions or toxic gases and set traps to kill or remove pests and vermin that infest buildings and surrounding areas.
- Record work activities performed.
- Inspect premises to identify infestation source and extent of damage to property, wall, or roof porosity and access to infested locations.
- Recommend treatment and prevention methods for pest problems to clients.
- Post warning signs and lock building doors to secure areas to be fumigated.
Typical day
On a daily basis, Pest Control Workers record work activities performed. They recommend treatment and prevention methods for pest problems to clients.
A typical day for a Pest Control Worker will also include:
- Clean work site after completion of the job.
- Set mechanical traps or place poisonous paste or bait in sewers, burrows, or ditches.
- Spray or dust chemical solutions, powders, or gases into rooms, onto clothing, furnishings, or wood, or over marshlands, ditches, or catch basins.
- Drive truck equipped with power spraying equipment.
- Inspect premises to identify infestation source and extent of damage to property, wall, or roof porosity and access to infested locations.
Other responsibilities
Besides their typical day, Pest Control Workers also cut or bore openings in building or surrounding concrete, access infested areas, insert the nozzle, and inject pesticide to impregnate ground. They may also directly or assist other workers in treatment or extermination processes to eliminate or control rodents, insects, or weeds.
On a weekly to monthly basis, Pest Control Workers set mechanical traps or place poisonous paste or bait in sewers, burrows, or ditches. They might also clean and remove blockages from infested areas to facilitate spraying procedures and provide drainage, using brooms, mops, shovels, or rakes.
In addition, they measure area dimensions requiring treatment, calculate fumigant requirements, and estimate the cost for service.
Although specific duties may vary, many of them study preliminary reports or diagrams of infested areas and determine the treatment type required to eliminate and prevent recurrence of infestation.
To some Pest Control Workers, it is also their responsibility to position and fasten edges of tarpaulins over building and tape vents to ensure an air-tight environment and check for leaks.
What is the job like
Job satisfaction
Is this job meaningful
53% said they were satisfied with their job and 64% said they found their job meaningful.
My Typical Day A typical day for a technician or pest controller is dictated by the season. In the busy season, one could easily see 12-16 services a day. Whether the services are scheduled or not, we need to understand that no service is the same and without fail, 20% never go according to plan. … Read More
I’m an entomologist and exterminator with more than 25 years of experience. My Typical Day I worked as a solo contractor pest control specialist, so my routines included not only extermination. First of all, my job was about answering calls and messages on Facebook and WhatsApp. People described their pest problems to me, I instructed … Read More
My Typical Day My typical workday as a pest control technician starts between 8am and 9am. I clock in on our time tracking app and I look at my list of appointments for the day, see what pest problems I will need to solve, and then check my work van to make sure I have … Read More
I’m a Technician and the Testing Supervisor with Bug Zapper Pest Control. My typical day My day starts off by gathering my necessary equipment for the day and take off in my truck for the first job on my schedule. We have take home trucks and our schedules are available digitally on a smartphone. We … Read More
Being a pest controller is both fun and stressful (at least for me!). But now that I have my own business, it’s more of a fun ride because of the lower stress level. My main responsibilities as a pest controller include inspecting my client’s property, identifying the treatment options to eradicate the infestation, discuss them … Read More
Pros
Suitable for people who like practical and hands-on work.
Suitable for people who want independence and like to work on their own and make decisions.
This career is perfect for people who love to work both indoors and outdoors.
It is easy to get into this career. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career.
Cons
Not suitable for people who like to work with designs.
One of the lowest paying jobs.
Long working hours (More than 40 hours per week).
How much do they make
Average salary
Average hourly wage
Entry-level Pest Control Workers with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $24,980 to $30,450 per year or $12 to $15 per hour.
| Salary by experience | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Highest (Top 10%) | $61,170 | $29 |
| Senior (Top 25%) | $48,570 | $23 |
| Median | $37,820 | $18 |
| Junior (Bottom 25%) | $30,450 | $15 |
| No experience (Bottom 10%) | $24,980 | $12 |
This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Pest Control Workers based on their average annual salary.
| Salary by industry | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Executive Branch | $59160 | $28.44 |
| State Government | $52810 | $25.39 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $50540 | $24.30 |
| Real Estate | $47460 | $22.82 |
| Facilities Support Services | $46640 | $22.42 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $46280 | $22.25 |
| Warehousing and Storage | $45730 | $21.99 |
| Local Government | $45150 | $21.71 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | $43650 | $20.99 |
| Services to Buildings and Dwellings | $40160 | $19.31 |
View more salary by industries here.
Where can they work
Where can Pest Control Workers work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Pest Control Workers including the average salary in that industry.
| Employers | Total Employed | Annual Salary | Hourly Wages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Services to Buildings and Dwellings | 76140 | $40160 | $19.31 |
| Local Government | 1530 | $45150 | $21.71 |
| Employment Services | 270 | $35290 | $16.97 |
| Federal Executive Branch | 260 | $59160 | $28.44 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 240 | $31370 | $15.08 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | 170 | $43650 | $20.99 |
| State Government | 130 | $52810 | $25.39 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 100 | $46280 | $22.25 |
| Warehousing and Storage | 70 | $45730 | $21.99 |
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries | 60 | $36300 | $17.45 |
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What is the work day like
Working hours
Working schedule
How often do you use email in this job?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Group discussions
How often do you have group discussions in this job?
Public speaking
How often does this job require you to do public speaking?
Level of competition
How much competitive pressure is in this job?
What is the work environment like
Office-style environment
Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition
Warehouse-style environment
Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse
Outdoors
Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions
Outdoors – Under Cover
Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)
How to become one
Difficulty to become one
Required level of education
What level of education do you need to perform the job?
Relevant majors
Relevant work experience
How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?
On The Job Training
How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?
Should you become one
Best personality type for this career
People with this personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.
People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.
People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.
People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.
People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.
You can read more about these career personality types here.
People who are suitable for this job tend to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.
Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.
Work Values
Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?
You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.
You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.
You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.
You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.
You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.
You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.
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