What do they do?

Apply or release chemical solutions or toxic gases and set traps to kill or remove pests and vermin that infest buildings and surrounding areas.

Also known as:

Certified Pest Control Technician, Chemical Applicator, Commercial Pest Control Technician, Commercial Technician, Exterminator, Pest Control Applicator, Pest Control Chemical Technician, Pest Control Operator, Pest Control Technician (Pest Control Tech), Pest Technician, Residential Pest Control Technician, Service Technician, Termite Technician

Typical Wages

Projected Growth Rate

Employment of Pest Control Workers is projected to grow 9 percent from 2020 to 2030, about as fast as average compared to all occupations.

Projected Employment in OH

No Data Available
  • 9.4%

    Change

    Select a state to see its job growth rate ranking
    12,800

    Job Openings

    Select a state to see its net job growth ranking

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Education Level

Percent of workers in this field with these degrees:

  • Doctorate or Professional Degree  (<1%)
  • Master's degree  (1%)
  • Bachelor's degree  (11%)
  • Associate's degree  (9%)
  • Some college, no degree  (26%)
  • High school diploma equivalent  (47%)
  • Less than high school diploma  (5%)

People in this career often have these skills:

  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
  • Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

People in this career often know a lot about:

  • Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

People in this career often have talent in:

  • Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.

People in this career often do these activities:

  • Document work hours or activities.
  • Inspect buildings or grounds to determine condition.
  • Recommend products or services to customers.
  • Block physical access to restricted areas.
  • Notify others of emergencies, problems, or hazards.
  • Treat greenery or surfaces with protective substances.
  • Clean facilities or sites.
  • Drive trucks or other vehicles to or at work sites.
  • Estimate maintenance service requirements or costs.
  • Evaluate reports or designs to determine work needs.
  • Treat facilities to eliminate pests.
  • Supervise maintenance workers.
  • Seal gaps or cracks to prevent leakage or moisture intrusion.

This page includes data from:

O*NET OnLine Career data: O*NET 28.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (“USDOL/ETA”). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Logo Occupation statistics: USDOL U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics

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