How to hire a pest technician

How to hire a pest technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step pest 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 technician job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new pest technician
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the pest technician you need to hire. Certain pest technician roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A pest technician's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, pest technicians from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of pest technicians.

   Type of Pest Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Pest Technician	Pest control workers remove unwanted creatures, such as roaches, rats, ants, bedbugs, and termites that infest buildings and surrounding areas.	$12-21
   Pest Control Technician	A pest control technician is responsible for dealing with pest problems and evaluating the correct processes and materials for eliminating them. Pest control technicians' duties include assessing the client's location to identify the source of the pest problem, responding to customers' inquiries and concerns, providing pest treatment options to the customers, spraying pesticides on the appropriate area, and adhering to safety procedures... Show more	$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
   • GRASS
   • Ladders
   • Good Communication
   • Shovels
   • Federal Regulations
   • Customer Complaints
   • Hand Tools
   • OSHA
   • EPA
   • Pest Management
   • Customer Service
   • Pest Prevention
   • Pest Problems

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Apply exterior chemicals to manage and treat for insect and rodent infestations.
   • Implement EPA approve pest management and effectively complete all necessary paperwork/invoices.
   • Climb ladders and work in confine spaces.
   • Home inspection and termite treatments within the guidelines of the EPA and other government agencies with the use of control chemicals.
   • Implement IPM techniques using least environmentally invasive practices; apply commercial insecticides and herbicides when necessary.
   • Develop IPM training modules, organize and coordinate in-house educational training activities and conduct multiple presentations at department meetings and seminars.

   More pest technician duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your pest technician job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A pest technician salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a pest technician in Mississippi may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level pest technician usually earns less than a senior-level pest technician. Additionally, a pest technician with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average pest technician salary

   $16.09hourly

   $33,467 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level pest technician salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

   Average pest technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Nevada	$40,296	$19
   2	Nebraska	$40,265	$19
   3	Washington	$40,045	$19
   4	Oregon	$39,780	$19
   5	Colorado	$38,883	$19
   6	California	$36,731	$18
   7	Iowa	$35,372	$17
   8	Utah	$34,934	$17
   9	Illinois	$34,719	$17
   10	Texas	$34,354	$17
   11	New Mexico	$34,255	$16
   12	Florida	$33,848	$16
   13	Ohio	$33,781	$16
   14	Arkansas	$33,746	$16
   15	Indiana	$33,577	$16
   16	Arizona	$32,845	$16
   17	Wisconsin	$32,436	$16
   18	Missouri	$32,396	$16
   19	North Carolina	$31,184	$15
   20	Kentucky	$31,038	$15

   Average pest technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Ecolab	$42,374	$20.37	102
   2	Fluent	$39,107	$18.80
   3	HomeTeam Pest Defense	$34,265	$16.47
   4	ABC Home & Commercial Services	$33,707	$16.21	1
   5	Terminix	$33,537	$16.12	201
   6	Pointe Pest Control	$33,522	$16.12
   7	Rollins	$33,468	$16.09	7
   8	Green Thumb Industries	$32,872	$15.80	2
   9	The Mosquito Authority	$32,819	$15.78	13
   10	Surterra Wellness	$32,750	$15.75
   11	CANNDESCENT	$32,719	$15.73
   12	Service Master Clean	$32,599	$15.67
   13	Massey Services	$32,591	$15.67	94
   14	Pine Street Inn	$31,351	$15.07
   15	ServiceMaster	$31,327	$15.06
   16	Aerotek	$31,083	$14.94

4. Writing a pest technician job description

   A pest 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 technician job description:

   Pest technician job description example

   • Work with our training team to acquire the skills and knowledge for licensing.
   • Operate a backpack blower (up to 60 pounds) inout.
   • Responds to basic customer inquiries and requests and notifies owner(s) of complaints or issues to ensure timely resolution. Complete job documentation accurately and in a timely manner.
   • Maintain a clean company vehicle and operate vehicle safely and legally.

   Requirements:

   • High School diploma/ GED preferred
   • Valid Driver’s license and insurance
   • Job requires full range of physical motion and mobility
   • Extended hours and weekends for overtime opportunities possible during peak periods

   Perks:

   • Paid training
   • Competitive compensation
   • Additional performance-based compensation opportunities
   • Healthy approach to work/life balance

   Apply to join our team today!

   By applying to this position, I understand that I am applying to work at a location that is owned and operated by an independent franchisee, not Mosquito Authority Corporate. I acknowledge that each independent Mosquito Authority franchisee hires and determines the terms and conditions of employment for its own employees. Any employment benefits, compensation and employment practices vary by location. Mosquito Authority Corporate is NOT the employer and/or joint employer for: (i) any of the job opportunities listed on this website; (ii) any of the independent franchisees; and, (iii) any of the employees of the independent franchisees.

   This franchise is independently owned and operated by a franchisee. Your application will go directly to the franchisee, and all hiring decisions will be made by the management of this franchisee. All inquiries about employment at this franchisee should be made directly to the franchise location, and not to The Mosquito Authority Corporate.
   

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right pest technician for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with pest technicians they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit pest technicians who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit pest technicians, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   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 technician

   Once you have selected a candidate for the pest technician position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new pest 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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