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Building & Grounds37-3012.00Specialization

Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation

Mix or apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or insecticides through sprays, dusts, vapors, soil incorporation, or chemical application on trees, shrubs, lawns, or crops. Usually requires specific training and state or federal certification.

$44,070
Median Pay
Less than 6 months
Training
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AI-Augmented
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Grounds Maintenance Workers

Career Overview Video

AI Impact Assessment

AI Resilience Score

Score 3/6: low AI task exposure, limited human advantage means AI will assist but humans remain essential

🟡AI-Augmented

How we calculated this:

AI Exposure
Low+2

6% of tasks can be accelerated by AI

Job Growth
Stable+1

+4% projected (2024-2034)

Human Advantage
Weak+0

EPOCH score: 9/25

Total Score3/6
Methodology: v2.0 - GPTs are GPTs / BLS / EPOCH Additive ScoringUpdated: 2026-01-09
View full methodology →

Key Responsibilities

  • Mix pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides for application to trees, shrubs, lawns, or botanical crops.
  • Fill sprayer tanks with water and chemicals, according to formulas.
  • Lift, push, and swing nozzles, hoses, and tubes to direct spray over designated areas.
  • Identify lawn or plant diseases to determine the appropriate course of treatment.
  • Cover areas to specified depths with pesticides, applying knowledge of weather conditions, droplet sizes, elevation-to-distance ratios, and obstructions.
  • Start motors and engage machinery, such as sprayer agitators or pumps or portable spray equipment.
  • Connect hoses and nozzles selected according to terrain, distribution pattern requirements, types of infestations, and velocities.
  • Clean or service machinery to ensure operating efficiency, using water, gasoline, lubricants, or hand tools.

Education & Training

Typical Entry Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Time to Job Ready

0-1 years

Based on Job Zone 2. For formal education duration only, see education_duration.

Technology Skills

Customer database softwareFacebookGeographic information system GIS systemsGoogle AndroidMaterials inventory softwareMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookRate calculation softwareUnit conversion software

Key Abilities

Near VisionArm-Hand SteadinessControl PrecisionOral ComprehensionProblem SensitivityDeductive ReasoningSpeech RecognitionWritten ComprehensionOral ExpressionManual Dexterity

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Find jobs and training programs for pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation- Median salary: $44K/year

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Compensation Details

$31,550
10th Percentile
$44,070
Median
$57,370
90th Percentile

Based on 23,520 employed workers

Also Known As

Agricultural Service WorkerApplicatorApplicator SprayerCertified Pesticide ApplicatorChemical ApplicatorCommercial Lawn SpecialistCrop ApplicatorEradicatorFertilizer ApplicatorFruit Sprayer

Data from O*NET 30.1 and BLS Occupational Employment Statistics

O*NET Code: 37-3012.00