Pest Control Technician Salaries By State And City 2023

Inflation and the cost of doing business continue to put a squeeze on Americans. But there's good news for pest control technicians: They're not being left behind when it comes to rising salaries.

The average and median salaries for pest control technicians rose during 2022, compared with the previous year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Average salaries rose 3.8%, and pay for workers in the 50th percentile rose 2.1%.

The key figures for 2022, the most recent year for which statistics are available:

• Average hourly salary: $20.29

• Average annual salary: $42,210

• Median hourly salary: $18.42

• Median annual salary: $38,310

> Download "Pest Control Technician Salaries By State 2023" here.

Minnesota, with an average hourly salary of $25.14 and annual total of $52,290, ranks No. 1 among states, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Washington, Massachusetts, Colorado, and Montana round out the top five.

New Mexico, with rates of $16.84 per hour and $35,030 annually, ranks last among the 50 states. Oklahoma, Kentucky, Idaho, and Texas rank just ahead of New Mexico.

The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) reported median base salary earnings at $38,000, with an additional $4,000 in other cash compensation, in its most recent Compensation and Benefits Survey researched in fall 2021.

Among metropolitan areas, pest control technicians in the Seattle, WA, market, which includes Tacoma and Bellevue, earn the most at averages of $26.35 per hour and $54,800 annually, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Providing compensation beyond base salaries is where businesses have to show their employees they care, says Trevor Jones, the general manager of Admiral Pest Control in southern California.

Admiral Pest Control, a business based in Los Angeles County in California and founded by Jones' great-grandfather in 1947, offers annual raises and bonuses. But its compensation structure includes hourly pay and commission, so when prices rise, Jones says, technicians' take-home pay rises, too.

Work-life balance and the people they work with are important, too. And it's not always about earning the "tip-top pay," he says, but incentives.

"We buy a little bit nicer trucks," Jones says. "We try to get trucks that have CarPlay, so the guys can plug their phones in, see the navigation. They have nice equipment, newer vehicles. Nice uniforms. When it starts raining or gets cold, we order jackets for everybody. Things like that. Get them electric backpack sprayers. All those little things that just make their day a little bit easier and show that you care."

That can limit the amount of hiring required for a business owner during a time when finding employees has been more challenging.

“The last two years, every technician hire I've made has been an employee referral,” Jones says. “If you take care of them, they'll tell their friends.”

During economic times that have proven challenging, Jones says, Admiral Pest Control has tried to treat employees as family.

"Explaining to them, ‘Hey, look guys, it's a little bit slower, we’re going to do this and that to try to get through this rough patch or these slow times,’" Jones says. "During COVID, we got a PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) loan like everybody else, and we were padding all of their paychecks to make sure they were making the same wages they were making the year prior.

"Trying to, I guess, just be a good human. I don't know how to say it any other way."

While Seattle’s metropolitan area leads the way in salaries, that brings us to a key disclaimer involving any comparisons of states or cities. “Location, location, location,” an often-used term in real estate, must be factored in first.

The median home cost in Seattle, according to BestPlaces.net, is $823,900. In Albuquerque, in the state showing the lowest technician pay, it's $308,100. Even within states, of course, costs can vary, so California ranking 10th in average pay at $47,330 could come with a caveat.

“California is a big state,” Jones says, “so there are sections of the state that are much cheaper to live in than the one we’re in. $40,000 is low for where we are.”

Wage increases for any U.S. workers also must be tempered against inflation. The Consumer Price Index, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, rose 0.4% in February 2023, the most recent month available, and climbed 6.0% over the previous 12 months.

Key Findings For Pest Control Technician Salaries

Other findings from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics regarding pest control technician salaries:

Top states by employment

California: 12,280

Florida: 9,820

Texas: 8,520

Georgia: 5,450

North Carolina: 4,010

Top states by average salaries

Minnesota: $25.14 per hour, $52,290 annually

Washington: $24.81, $51,610

Massachusetts: $24.63, $51,230

Colorado: $24.60, $51,160

Montana: $23.51, $48,890

Bottom states by average salaries

New Mexico: $16.84 per hour, $35,030 annually

Oklahoma: $17.32, $36,020

Kentucky: $17.38, $36,140

Idaho: $17.55, $36,510

Texas: $17.65, $36,720

Top metropolitan areas by employment

New York-Newark-Jersey City (NY-NJ-PA): 4,190

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell (GA): 3,380

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (CA): 3,270

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington (TX): 2,580

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale (AZ): 2,250

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach (FL): 1,960

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land (TX): 1,840

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin (IL-IN-WI): 1,670

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria (DC-VA-MD-WV): 1,490

Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario (CA): 1,450

Top metropolitan areas by average salaries

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue (WA): $26.35 per hour, $54,800 annually

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward (CA): $26.32, $54,750

Santa Cruz-Watsonville (CA): $25.76, $53,580

Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington (MN-WI): $25.54, $53,120

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua (MA-NH): $25.54, $53,120

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara (CA): $25.33, $52,680

Denver-Aurora-Lakewood (CO): $25.25, $52,520

Madison (WI): $25.20, $52,520

Bremerton-Silverdale (WA): $24.59, $51,160

Santa Rosa (CA): $24.59, $51,140

How FieldRoutes Can Pay Off For You

Base salaries, commissions, incentives, and cost-of-living calculations are all important when it comes to compensating your pest control technicians.

FieldRoutes also assists businesses in making life easier for your technicians. Whether it's optimized routing that reduces a technician's windshield time or Tech Tipping that can put extra money in their pockets, FieldRoutes wants your employees to be happy and productive.

And there are other ways we are invested in your business’ success. FieldRoutes is a Gold Suppliers Club member of the National Pest Management Association’s Workforce Development Program, which promotes careers in professional pest control. The program offers job postings to NPMA members and an online toolkit of resources, including sample job descriptions, customizable recruitment brochures, and more to help pest control companies attract and retain talented employees.

Schedule a demo to see how FieldRoutes can help your technicians and empower your business' growth so you achieve your ultimate success.