How to hire a pest control technician

How to hire a pest control technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step pest control technician hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a pest control technician job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new pest control technician
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a pest control technician do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The pest control technician hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a pest control technician to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a pest control technician that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of pest control technicians.

   Type of Pest Control Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Pest Control Technician	Pest control workers remove unwanted creatures, such as roaches, rats, ants, bedbugs, and termites that infest buildings and surrounding areas.	$11-26
   Technician	Technicians are skilled professionals who primarily work with technology in different industries. They are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the various items they work with... Show more	$11-27

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Safety Procedures
   • Work Ethic
   • Basic Math
   • Crawl Spaces
   • Pest Management
   • Ladders
   • Hand Tools
   • Depth Training
   • Cleanliness
   • Field Training
   • OSHA
   • Customer Service
   • EPA
   • GRASS

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Apply exterior chemicals to manage and treat for insect and rodent infestations.
   • Clean areas that harbor pests using rakes, brooms, shovels, and mops.
   • Follow all OSHA safety guidelines while performing work on rooftops, ladders, and man lifts.
   • Used simple and power tools, compress air sprayer, power sprayer, ladders and pest control specific equipment.
   • Drive to appointments, greet customer and tend to pest control needs with a careful and consider IPM plan.
   • Use GPS to locate, record, and update data base.

   More pest control technician duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your pest control technician job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A pest control technician can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, pest control technicians' average salary in kansas is 37% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level pest control technicians 56% less than senior-level pest control technicians.
   • Certifications. A pest control technician with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a pest control technician's salary.

   Average pest control technician salary

   $37,340yearly

   $17.95 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level pest control technician salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 24, 2025

   Average pest control technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$44,920	$22
   2	Nevada	$43,549	$21
   3	Maine	$41,129	$20
   4	Oregon	$40,796	$20
   5	Colorado	$40,323	$19
   6	New York	$39,827	$19
   7	Minnesota	$39,749	$19
   8	California	$39,133	$19
   9	District of Columbia	$37,527	$18
   10	Illinois	$37,454	$18
   11	Iowa	$37,085	$18
   12	Texas	$36,694	$18
   13	Maryland	$36,488	$18
   14	Virginia	$36,213	$17
   15	Utah	$36,170	$17
   16	Ohio	$36,118	$17
   17	Indiana	$35,558	$17
   18	Nebraska	$35,494	$17
   19	Arizona	$35,304	$17
   20	Florida	$35,151	$17

   Average pest control technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Four Seasons	$47,929	$23.04	3
   2	Main Sail	$46,888	$22.54
   3	Chumash Casino Resort	$44,638	$21.46
   4	ASRC Federal	$44,493	$21.39	1
   5	University of Georgia Small Business Development Center	$43,668	$20.99
   6	Mars	$42,785	$20.57	1
   7	Ecolab	$42,631	$20.50	114
   8	Hughes	$38,123	$18.33	13
   9	Ardent Services	$37,991	$18.26
   10	Torrance Unified School District	$37,625	$18.09
   11	SavATree	$37,027	$17.80
   12	JP Pest Services	$36,948	$17.76	2
   13	Arrow Exterminators	$36,822	$17.70	50
   14	HomeTeam Pest Defense	$36,710	$17.65
   15	ABC Home & Commercial Services	$36,637	$17.61	2
   16	Assured Environments	$36,579	$17.59
   17	Sprague Pest Solutions	$36,569	$17.58	7
   18	Hulett Environmental Services	$36,542	$17.57	1
   19	Dodson Pest Control	$36,512	$17.55	4
   20	Edge Pest Control and Mosquito Services	$36,508	$17.55

4. Writing a pest control technician job description

   A pest control technician job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a pest control technician job description:

   Pest control technician job description example

   Job DescriptionJob Type: Full-time
   
   Compensation: Starting at $3,000.00/month, plus 15% commission on any sales to new or current customers.
   
   Looking for a pest control technician in one of the fastest growing pest control companies in the nation. This position is in the Kansas City area. We are a high energy, fast paced company that looks for candidates that exhibit honesty, energy and dedication to supporting company goals. Experience in industries such as pest control, lawn care, construction, HVAC, or general labor is preferred.
   Requirements:
   
   Be age 21 or over Have valid drivers license No serious incidents on driving record Pass criminal background check Graduated high school or equivalent Previous pest control experience and licensing can be helpful but not required
   Expectations:
   
   Strong, independent work ethic Manage and complete a route of customers daily Engage with customers to ensure their satisfaction, to go beyond simple service completion Willingness to help and support other technicians and departments you work with
   Why work for Ardent:
   
   We believe our company mission statement "Create Future Value" especially applies to employees, not just customers. We value and encourage advancement in work skills, licensing and other personal improvement We believe in limiting micromanagement and bureaucracy, we want to find the right people and give them the tools and freedom to excel Company culture of self discipline, improvement, and positive professional interaction Management track record of being open to and addressing employee feedback, making changes where merited Fastest growing pest control company in the nation, since we strive to promote from within there are many opportunities for leadership
   Entails:
   
   Driving and maintaining company truck with equipment Using software on a company tablet Performing general pest services. Performing inspections for new and current customers and offering solutions to current and future problems Working 6 days ~8-10 hours a day during summer season (Sunday is a mandatory day off company wide) and in off season 5 days Monday through Saturday ~8 hours a day on average (September - March generally)
   Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. Ardent is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to welcome all and treat them well. We are committed to creating an uplifting, wholesome, and welcoming workplace that is free of discrimination. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right pest control technician for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your pest control technician job on Zippia to find and recruit pest control technician candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit pest control technicians, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new pest control technician

   Once you've decided on a perfect pest control technician candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new pest control technician. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a pest control technician?