Inspect a shrub for trouble
Look closely at a shrub or lawn for weeds, bugs, or disease before you choose a treatment.
Career profile
Vegetation Pesticide Applicator
Pesticide applicators put products on lawns, shrubs, trees, or crops against weeds, pests, and disease.
Spraying starts with a close look at the plants. It suits people who enjoy solving problems and handling gear carefully, and it uses both.
A day in the life
Compare site weather to label
If the weather on site goes past the limits printed on the label, hold off spraying.
Mix, load, and spray
Measure the mix, load it into the sprayer tank, then sweep the hose and nozzle across the area.
Look for leaks, then clean
Examine fittings and hoses for leaks or damage, then clean the gear as the product label requires.
Log what went on
Write the product you used and how much went on into the application record.
Quick facts
High school + job training
United States · 2025
$46,340 a year
United States · 2025
3.9% projected growth
United States · 2025–2035
Quick orientation
Preparation, pay & outlook
Preparation
High school + job trainingTypical entry preparation includes a high school diploma or equivalent and on-the-job training. Certification requirements depend on where and how you apply pesticides.
Pay
$46,340 a yearNational median for vegetation pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators; equivalent hourly median: $22.28.
Outlook
3.9% projected growthAbout 3,300 openings per year are projected nationwide for this occupation.
Fit, tradeoffs & changing tools
You might like this if…
- You notice small changes in plants.
- You are comfortable checking measurements carefully.
- You like working with hoses, pumps, and equipment.
Things to weigh
- Outdoor work can mean repeated bending and lifting in heat or cold. Chemical applications also require protective clothing and equipment.
- Weather can interrupt a planned application. Finishing the route cannot take priority over the label’s restrictions.
Where AI may help
Some agricultural sprayers use cameras to locate weeds on unplanted fields and activate individual nozzles automatically.
What people still lead
You still assess the site, check application conditions, and make sure the equipment delivers the intended treatment.
What we can’t predict yet
How much automatic targeting can replace manual spraying will depend on the plants, terrain, and equipment that each job can use.
Pay in context
Earnings
Compare the hourly rate with the paid hours and months of work an employer offers.
The national pay range
In 2025, the median was $46,340 a year, or $22.28 an hour. The annual 10th and 90th percentiles were $35,570 and $61,420. Those describe the pay distribution, not starting and senior salaries.
Workplace type can matter
For historical context, May 2023 average hourly pay was $20.90 in crop-production support and $22.80 in local government, excluding schools and hospitals. These are industry averages for this occupation, not current offers.
Openings beyond job growth
For 2025–2035, projected employment growth is 3.9%, with about 3,300 openings annually. Openings include replacing workers who leave the occupation as well as filling additional jobs.
Getting started
Learn through an employer
- What the route involves
- Enter a job that provides training in pesticide handling and application equipment.
- What it can lead to
- You build working skills; where allowed, trained noncertified workers can apply restricted-use pesticides under a certified applicator’s direct supervision.
- What to check
- Check state requirements before handling pesticides. Some states require certification for all commercial applications.
Prepare for an employee applicator license
- What the route involves
- In Washington, prepare for the Commercial Operator license by studying pesticide safety and the application categories you need, then passing the required exams and completing the application and fee requirements.
- What it can lead to
- The issued license allows pesticide application as an employee of a licensed Commercial Applicator company.
- What to check
- This is a Washington route. The employee license does not authorize you to operate a pesticide application business independently.
A college degree is not the typical entry requirement. Plan for practical training and the application credentials your work requires.
After entry
Career paths
This starts where the entry routes leave off: early work, growing capability, and advancement or specialization. This path also has a credential or licensing boundary; see the requirements and limits.
Get established
Build a dependable routine for handling the sprayer and completing application records.
Handle more difficult problems
Improve plant diagnosis and learn how nozzle choice and equipment setup affect coverage.
Move toward crew leadership
With experience and additional qualifications, you may advance to crew leader or another supervisory role.
Where you can work
Landscape treatment companies
You work on clients’ lawns, trees, and shrubs, moving equipment between properties and explaining treatments to customers. Driving and customer conversations share the day with spraying.
- Outdoors
- Vehicle
- Travel
- Physical demands
- Safety-sensitive
Roadside vegetation crews
Herbicide work can sit alongside mowing and erosion control. Trucks and tractors cover roadside areas, while slopes and uneven ground complicate access. Some crews also have night work or emergency callouts.
- Outdoors
- Field work
- Vehicle
- On call
- Physical demands
- Safety-sensitive
Try it
See whether the job clicks before you commit to the path.
From an accessible path, sketch a small lawn or planting bed. Mark weeds or damaged leaves, nearby drains, and places people walk. Write down what you would need to identify before considering treatment. Notice whether this careful observation interests you.
Stay safe: Keep this to observation and paper. Do not handle pesticides, use spraying equipment, or enter a posted treatment area.
Sources
- O*NET OnLine. Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- O*NET OnLine / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2025 wages for 37-3012.00: United States rows. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational projections, 2025–2035, and worker characteristics. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Grounds Maintenance Workers. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. May 2023 Occupational Employment and Wages: 37-3012. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. How to Get Certified as a Pesticide Applicator. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Certification Standards for Pesticide Applicators. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- Washington State Department of Agriculture. Commercial Operator. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- Washington State Department of Agriculture. Pesticide License Types and Categories. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. National Pesticide Applicator Certification Core Manual, Second Edition. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- John Deere. See & Spray Select. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- The Davey Tree Expert Company. Lawn Care Spray Technician — Columbus, Ohio. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- North Carolina Department of Transportation. Transportation Worker III — Roadside Environmental Unit. Accessed 2026-10-04.