What Does it Take to Be a Pesticide Applicator?
Job Description: Mix or apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or insecticides through sprays, dusts, vapors, soil incorporation, or chemical application on trees, shrubs, lawns, or botanical crops. Usually requires specific training and State or Federal certification.
What do Pesticide Applicators do On a Daily Basis?
- Plant grass with seed spreaders and operate straw blowers to cover seeded areas with mixtures of asphalt and straw.
- Fill sprayer tanks with water and chemicals, according to formulas.
- Connect hoses and nozzles selected according to terrain, distribution pattern requirements, types of infestations, and velocities.
- Cover areas to specified depths with pesticides, applying knowledge of weather conditions, droplet sizes, elevation-to-distance ratios, and obstructions.
- Provide driving instructions to truck drivers to ensure complete coverage of designated areas, using hand and horn signals.
- Lift, push, and swing nozzles, hoses, and tubes to direct spray over designated areas.
Pesticide Applicator Needed Skills
When polled, Pesticide Applicators say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
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.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Hydro-Sprayer Operator
- Pesticide Applicator
- Agricultural Service Worker
- Lawn and Garden Technician
- Sprayer
Pesticide Applicator Employment Estimates
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 38,000 jobs in the United States for Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation.
New jobs are being produced at a rate of 7.8% which is lower than average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 3,000 new jobs for Pesticide Applicators by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 5,000 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation are Florida, California, and Washington.
Watch out if you plan on working in Ohio, Illinois, or Alaska. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
How Much Does a Pesticide Applicator Make?
Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation Make between $23,890 and $56,370 a year. A Pesticide Applicator median salary is $35,320.
How much do Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation make in different U.S. states?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
|
Vermont |
$54,520 |
|
Oregon |
$51,040 |
|
California |
$50,560 |
|
North Dakota |
$43,820 |
|
New York |
$42,530 |
|
Indiana |
$41,180 |
|
Hawaii |
$40,900 |
|
Maryland |
$40,560 |
|
Connecticut |
$40,240 |
|
Illinois |
$39,930 |
|
Minnesota |
$39,220 |
|
New Hampshire |
$38,840 |
|
Colorado |
$38,600 |
|
Arizona |
$38,580 |
|
Missouri |
$38,510 |
|
Wyoming |
$38,500 |
|
Washington |
$37,920 |
|
Pennsylvania |
$37,480 |
|
North Carolina |
$37,470 |
|
Oklahoma |
$37,220 |
|
New Jersey |
$36,970 |
|
Georgia |
$36,960 |
|
Iowa |
$36,670 |
|
Virginia |
$35,790 |
|
Texas |
$35,650 |
|
West Virginia |
$35,170 |
|
Wisconsin |
$35,080 |
|
Tennessee |
$35,070 |
|
Utah |
$34,940 |
|
New Mexico |
$34,930 |
|
South Carolina |
$34,930 |
|
Nebraska |
$34,880 |
|
Kansas |
$34,680 |
|
Ohio |
$34,600 |
|
Montana |
$34,450 |
|
Delaware |
$33,640 |
|
South Dakota |
$33,360 |
|
Massachusetts |
$33,230 |
|
Alabama |
$33,140 |
|
Michigan |
$32,600 |
|
Nevada |
$31,960 |
|
Kentucky |
$31,790 |
|
Florida |
$31,790 |
|
Louisiana |
$29,700 |
|
Arkansas |
$29,520 |
|
Mississippi |
$28,950 |
Becoming a Pesticide Applicator
What education is needed to be a Pesticide Applicator?
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where do Pesticide Applicators Work?
Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those thinking about becoming Pesticide Applicators might also be interested in the following careers:
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References
Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons
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