Where is it easiest to open: Exterminating and Pest Control Services
51 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 37-3012” (soc) for Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation. A blank gate means NO RECORD MATCHED, which is not the same as no licence.
| State | Operators | Avg staff | Pay / employee | Gate | Licence titles matched |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FL | 2,284 | 7.6 | $48,664 | not matched | — |
| CA | 1,968 | 8.5 | $59,868 | licence | Qualified Applicator Certificate; Qualified Applicator License |
| TX | 1,404 | 9.0 | $52,337 | exam | APPRENTICE (Structural Pest Control Ap; CHIROPRACTOR |
| NY | 754 | 6.2 | $57,725 | exam | Aquatic Antifouling Paint Applicator; Commercial Pesticide Applicator/Techni |
| GA | 656 | 11.8 | $53,800 | exam | Pesticide Applicator |
| AZ | 561 | 8.7 | $46,993 | not matched | — |
| NC | 533 | 12.0 | $51,028 | exam | Aerial Pesticide Applicator (Contracto; Ground Pesticide Applicator (Commerci |
| NJ | 426 | 7.8 | $57,729 | exam | PESTICIDE APPLICATOR, COMMERCIAL; PESTICIDE APPLICATOR, PRIVATE |
| PA | 401 | 9.3 | $60,083 | not matched | — |
| SC | 387 | 8.8 | $48,291 | not matched | — |
| TN | 372 | 10.2 | $52,717 | not matched | — |
| IL | 352 | 9.4 | $54,771 | exam | PESTICIDE APPLICATOR, COMMERCIAL; PESTICIDE APPLICATOR, COMMERCIAL NOT F |
| VA | 351 | 10.8 | $53,253 | licence | Fertilizer Applicators, Certified; Pesticide Business |
| OH | 332 | 8.7 | $55,072 | licence | Pesticide License |
| AL | 307 | 12.0 | $46,300 | licence | Professional Fumigation Pest Control O |
| LA | 278 | 8.5 | $49,490 | not matched | — |
| MA | 247 | 9.7 | $63,814 | not matched | — |
| OK | 236 | 6.2 | $47,045 | exam | Pesticide Applicator, Commercial (Cert; Pesticide Applicator, Non-Commercial ( |
| MO | 235 | 8.0 | $51,709 | not matched | — |
| MI | 219 | 8.0 | $60,372 | exam | Pesticide Applicator, Commercial; Pesticide Applicator, Private |
| IN | 216 | 9.1 | $52,898 | exam | For Hire, Pesticide Applicator License; Not for Hire, Pesticide Applicator Lic |
| MD | 210 | 10.7 | $56,560 | not matched | — |
| WA | 199 | 9.9 | $60,944 | not matched | — |
| NV | 194 | 5.5 | $53,080 | not matched | — |
| UT | 194 | 7.5 | $52,401 | not matched | — |
| CO | 158 | 6.8 | $56,944 | exam | Certified Operators (Pesticides); Commercial Applicator's License (Pesti |
| MS | 151 | 7.1 | $47,883 | exam | Certified Commericial Pesticide Applic; Private Applicator Certificate |
| WI | 150 | 6.1 | $57,836 | exam | COMMERCIAL PESTICIDE APPLICATOR; PRIVATE PESTICIDE APPLICATOR |
| KS | 149 | 7.9 | $51,580 | not matched | — |
| OR | 144 | 6.3 | $55,576 | licence | Pesticide Consultant |
| AR | 128 | 12.4 | $53,231 | exam | Commercial Applicator Technician; Commercial/Non-Commercial Pest Control |
| KY | 119 | 8.2 | $49,285 | exam | Non-Commercial Pesticide Applicator; Pesticide Distributor |
| IA | 104 | 6.6 | $53,290 | exam | Commercial Pesticide Applicator (Indiv; Private Pesticide Applicator |
| CT | 100 | 8.7 | $62,535 | not matched | — |
| ID | 93 | 7.6 | $48,643 | exam | Private Pesticide Applicator; Professional Pesticide Applicator |
| NM | 88 | 5.1 | $46,720 | not matched | — |
| MN | 75 | 16.5 | $64,348 | licence | Commercial Pesticide Applicator Licens; Fertilizer License |
| NE | 67 | 7.1 | $50,616 | licence | Pesticide Applicator |
| HI | 59 | 13.0 | $55,242 | not matched | — |
| NH | 53 | 6.1 | $61,833 | exam | Pesticide Applicator |
| RI | 49 | 6.8 | $62,520 | exam | Pesticide Applicator |
| DE | 48 | 8.9 | $58,839 | not matched | — |
| ME | 43 | 7.5 | $59,361 | licence | Pesticide Applicator, Basic Agricultur; Pesticide Applicator, Commercial |
| WV | 39 | 9.6 | $52,531 | not matched | — |
| MT | 30 | 3.2 | $51,302 | not matched | — |
| SD | 16 | 2.2 | $58,057 | licence | Commercial Pesticide Applicator |
| AK | 12 | 4.2 | $47,480 | licence | Commercial Pesticide Applicator in Mun; Pesticide Applicator |
| VT | 10 | 4.9 | $55,673 | exam | Pesticide Applicator, Commercial |
| ND | 8 | 3.2 | $57,654 | exam | Pesticide Applicators (Commercial) |
| DC | 4 | 5.5 | $99,182 | exam | CHIROPRACTOR |
| WY | 4 | 8.0 | $45,906 | licence | PESTICIDE HANDLER, SPRAYER, AND APPLIC |
Axes are shown side by side and deliberately NOT collapsed into a ranking. A composite would be a score with no measured interval, and an unmeasured score is the thing this product exists to argue against. A high licence gate is a cost to enter and a moat once cleared — which of those matters more is the operator's call, not ours.
Licence data courtesy of CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. Free to read, no account, always — a condition of the data licence as well as our own position.