Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance
Mixes chemicals to formula, fills sprayer tanks, and lifts or swings hoses and nozzles to cover lawns, trees, shrubs, or crops. Treatment depth and coverage depend on weather, droplet size, terrain, and what is infesting the plants; identifying disease helps choose the right product. Motors, pumps, and agitators have to be started and kept in working order, then cleaned and serviced after use. The job usually requires specific training and state or federal certification. Suits people who like precise outdoor work with spray equipment and who can judge weather, terrain, and plant problems.
Typical education: High School Diploma or GED
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$46'340
Median Wage Market Position
$46'340
What you might do
- Mix pesticides for trees, lawns, or crops
- Fill sprayer tanks from a written formula
- Aim hoses and nozzles over the treatment area
- Identify plant diseases and pick a treatment
- Time sprays for weather, wind, and coverage
- Clean and service spray equipment after use
Skills that matter
- Mixing sprays to a set formula
- Spotting plant disease before you treat
- Matching nozzles and spray to the terrain
- Reading labels and weather before applying
- Timing jobs with the rest of the crew
- Figuring out how much coverage a lawn needs
AI & the future of this role
Mixing and applying chemicals outdoors still requires certification, careful judgment, and physical work around plants and terrain. Drones and guided sprayers could take over some large, uniform areas, though site-specific treatment and licensing are likely to remain central.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details