How to become a Pesticide Handler, Sprayer or Applicator, Vegetation
Official title: Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation
Also called: Applicator, Chemical Applicator, Herbicide Applicator, IPM Technician (Integrated Pest Management Technician), Lawn Specialist, Pesticide Applicator, Shrub Technician (Shrub Tech), Spray Applicator, Spray Technician (Spray Tech), Sprayer
Mix or apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or insecticides through sprays, dusts, vapors, soil incorporation, or chemical application on trees, shrubs, lawns, or crops. Usually requires specific training and state or federal certification.
Main tasks
- Fill sprayer tanks with water and chemicals, according to formulas.
- Record information about pesticide applications, such as the type used and amount applied.
- Mix pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides for application to trees, shrubs, lawns, or botanical crops.
- Start motors and engage machinery, such as sprayer agitators or pumps or portable spray equipment.
- Lift, push, and swing nozzles, hoses, and tubes to direct spray over designated areas.
- Establish driving routes for pesticide applications.
- Clean or service machinery to ensure operating efficiency, using water, gasoline, lubricants, or hand tools.
- Connect hoses and nozzles selected according to terrain, distribution pattern requirements, types of infestations, and velocities.
How to become one
Grounds maintenance workers typically do not need a formal educational credential and are trained on the job. States may require licensing for workers who apply pesticides and fertilizers.
Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent
Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Ways in
- Apprenticeship: Agricultural Service Worker.
- Licence: A licence is required in 33 states.
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $46,340 a year The middle half earn $39,160 to $51,240.
- About 25,700 people work in this job now, and about 26,700 are projected by 2035. (+3.9%)
- People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Pesticide Handler, Sprayer or Applicator, Vegetation?
Grounds maintenance workers typically do not need a formal educational credential and are trained on the job. States may require licensing for workers who apply pesticides and fertilizers.
How much does a Pesticide Handler, Sprayer or Applicator, Vegetation earn in the US?
Median full-time pay is $46,340 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $39,160 to $51,240.
Is a Pesticide Handler, Sprayer or Applicator, Vegetation a growing career in the US?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 4% by 2035, from about 25,700 to about 26,700 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Do you need a degree to become a Pesticide Handler, Sprayer or Applicator, Vegetation?
Usually not. Only 15% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Agricultural Service Worker.
Will AI change the work of a Pesticide Handler, Sprayer or Applicator, Vegetation?
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.
Sources
- Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 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.