What You Need to Know About Pesticide Applicator
Example of Pesticide Applicator Job 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.
Life As a Pesticide Applicator
- 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.
- 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.
- Clean or service machinery to ensure operating efficiency, using water, gasoline, lubricants, or hand tools.
- Identify lawn or plant diseases to determine the appropriate course of treatment.
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What a Pesticide Applicator Should Know
Pesticide Applicators state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
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.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Tree and Shrub Technician
- Spray Applicator
- Spray Mixer
- Weed Controller
- Applicator Sprayer
Job Demand for Pesticide Applicators
There were about 38,000 jobs for Pesticide Applicator in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 7.9% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 3,000 new jobs for Pesticide Applicator by 2026. The BLS estimates 5,000 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Pesticide Applicator are Nevada, Washington, and Tennessee. Watch out if you plan on working in Ohio, Illinois, or Alaska. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Pesticide Applicator Average Salary
The average yearly salary of a Pesticide Applicator ranges between $23,890 and $56,370.
Pesticide Applicators who work in Vermont, Hawaii, or Oregon, make the highest salaries.
How much do Pesticide Applicators make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $33,140 |
Arizona | $38,580 |
Arkansas | $29,520 |
California | $50,560 |
Colorado | $38,600 |
Connecticut | $40,240 |
Delaware | $33,640 |
Florida | $31,790 |
Georgia | $36,960 |
Hawaii | $40,900 |
Illinois | $39,930 |
Indiana | $41,180 |
Iowa | $36,670 |
Kansas | $34,680 |
Kentucky | $31,790 |
Louisiana | $29,700 |
Maryland | $40,560 |
Massachusetts | $33,230 |
Michigan | $32,600 |
Minnesota | $39,220 |
Mississippi | $28,950 |
Missouri | $38,510 |
Montana | $34,450 |
Nebraska | $34,880 |
Nevada | $31,960 |
New Hampshire | $38,840 |
New Jersey | $36,970 |
New Mexico | $34,930 |
New York | $42,530 |
North Carolina | $37,470 |
North Dakota | $43,820 |
Ohio | $34,600 |
Oklahoma | $37,220 |
Oregon | $51,040 |
Pennsylvania | $37,480 |
South Carolina | $34,930 |
South Dakota | $33,360 |
Tennessee | $35,070 |
Texas | $35,650 |
Utah | $34,940 |
Vermont | $54,520 |
Virginia | $35,790 |
Washington | $37,920 |
West Virginia | $35,170 |
Wisconsin | $35,080 |
Wyoming | $38,500 |
What Tools & Technology do Pesticide Applicators Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Pesticide Applicators:
Becoming a Pesticide Applicator
What education is needed to be a Pesticide Applicator?
What work experience do I need to become a Pesticide Applicator?
Where do Pesticide Applicators Work?
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
You May Also Be Interested In…
Those interested in being a Pesticide Applicator may also be interested in:
- Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers
- Locomotive Firers
References:
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More about our data sources and methodologies.
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