Also called: Pesticide Applicators
Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation build operations monitoring, time management and social perceptiveness skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Pest Control Workers (89%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pest Control Workers | 89% | $45,250 | −2% | None |
| 2 | Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners | 79% | $49,880 | +8% | None |
| 3 | Hazardous Materials Removal Workers | 78% | $49,450 | +7% | None |
| 4 | Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators | 78% | $60,020 | +30% | None |
| 5 | Light Truck Drivers | 75% | $44,860 | −3% | None |
| 6 | Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 75% | $43,960 | −5% | None |
| 7 | Animal Breeders | 75% | $51,130 | +10% | None |
| 8 | Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers | 74% | $61,770 | +33% | None |
| 9 | Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders | 73% | $43,530 | −6% | None |
| 10 | Log Graders and Scalers | 72% | $46,330 | 0% | None |
Compared with Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation, median $46,340. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
89% skill match · $45,250 · −2% pay
Negotiation · Persuasion · Systems Analysis
79% skill match · $49,880 · +8% pay
Repairing · Operation and Control · Troubleshooting
78% skill match · $49,450 · +7% pay
Quality Control Analysis · Persuasion · Instructing
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Pest Control Workers (89% skill match, median $45,250), Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners (79% skill match, median $49,880) and Hazardous Materials Removal Workers (78% skill match, median $49,450), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 15 pay more than pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation at the median. The biggest increases: Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers (+49%, $68,840), Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers (+33%, $61,770) and Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters (+32%, $61,390).
25 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.