Commercial Pest Control recruiters serving Chicago.
Chicago has about 1,710 pest control workers, 9th of the 108 we cover, and still 43% fewer per job than the country - so they are rarely short of offers. BLS counts 228 business locations of pest control companies across the metro. Below: local pay for every role we staff, the state licensing rules that apply and the nearby markets competing for the same people.
Positions we recruit for in Chicago.
BLS counts about 1,710 pest control workers in the Chicago metro. Relative to the size of the local economy, pest control workers are far less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.57). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Pest Control hub.
Commercial Pest Control Technician
Chicago: 1,710 employed · $46,740 median, 27th-highest of 109 metros
Licensed Pest Control Applicator
Termite / WDI Inspector
Fumigation Technician
Commercial Account Manager
Chicago: 55,730 employed · $70,710 median, 26th-highest of 111 metros
Pest Control Branch / Route Manager
Chicago: 8,570 employed · $124,120 median, 16th-highest of 112 metros
Pest Control Service Manager
Chicago: 122,930 employed · $109,390 median, 36th-highest of 112 metros
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Specialist
Bird / Wildlife Exclusion Technician
Pest Control Sales / Business Development Rep
Chicago: 38,490 employed · $75,350 median, 23rd-highest of 112 metros
What Commercial Pest Control roles earn in Chicago.
Pest control workers in Chicago earn a median $46,740, 3% over the $45,250 national figure, and 27th of 109 metros. Pay runs $38,270 at the tenth percentile to $62,680 at the ninetieth.
| Role | Chicago median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Pest Control Technician · Licensed Pest Control Applicator · Termite / WDI InspectorPest Control Workers (37-2021) | $46,740 | $38,270–$62,680 | $45,250 | +3% | 1,710 |
| Commercial Account ManagerSales Representatives of Services (41-3091) | $70,710 | $39,570–$154,540 | $69,990 | +1% | 55,730 |
| Pest Control Branch / Route ManagerTransportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers (11-3071) | $124,120 | $73,540–$210,910 | $107,230 | +16% | 8,570 |
| Pest Control Service ManagerGeneral and Operations Managers (11-1021) | $109,390 | $58,000–$298,090 | $105,770 | +3% | 122,930 |
| Pest Control Sales / Business Development RepSales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing (41-4012) | $75,350 | $46,240–$137,000 | $72,080 | +5% | 38,490 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Chicago metro. Range is 10th to 90th percentile; management and office roles are metro-wide. A metro ranking counts only the metros where BLS publishes that occupation.
How Chicago's commercial pest control market has changed since 2018.
The number of pest control companies in Chicago rose from 190 in 2018 to 228 in 2023, up 20%, ahead of the 16% national rise. Headcount at those firms went up 34%, to about 2,451 people. Average annual pay there went from $49,280 to $58,529 (+19%), slower than the 22% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pest control companies: business locations | 190 | 228 | +20% |
| Pest control companies: employment | 1,823 | 2,451 | +34% |
| Pest control companies: average annual pay | $49,280 | $58,529 | +19% |
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, private employers, annual averages. A dash means BLS did not publish the figure.
Free Commercial Pest Control hiring resources.
Definitive Guide to Commercial Pest Control · 2026 Commercial Pest Control Salary Guide · 3-Step Interview Guide for Commercial Pest Control
Chicago runs 43% fewer commercial pest control workers per job than the country as a whole — well below the national concentration. Fewer per job means the people you want are already working, and usually for someone who would rather keep them.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 , Pest Control Workers. Metro-wide figures for the base occupation; the wage table above is role-specific and commercial.
How Chicago's commercial pest control market compares
Among the 98 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Chicago ranks 9th for headcount, 23rd for median pay and 82nd for concentration for pest control workers.
What this means for hiring:For commercial pest control employers in Chicago, the headline number is misleading. About 1,710 pest control workers work here, one of the larger workforces we cover, but relative to the size of the local economy the trade is thinner than average, so every other employer is drawing on the same people. Local employers are still adding headcount, which keeps competition for experienced people high. Expect to recruit people who are already employed, and to make the case for moving.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Chicago metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Commercial Pest Control licensing in Illinois.
Commercial structural pest control businesses need an IDPH business license, renewed every year, and must employ a certified technician. Technicians qualify by passing IDPH General Use and/or Restricted Use exams, and they need nine IDPH-approved credit hours to renew their certification. The Chicago metro crosses a state line, so check the rules in the neighboring state too for crews that work on both sides.
Licensing authority: Illinois Department of Public Health. Confirm current rules with the agency.
We have not closed a commercial pest control search in Chicago yet. Here is what we have closed.
These are other trades in the same market. We would rather show you the searches we have actually run in Chicago than imply a record in this trade that we do not have yet.
- Commercial Construction Project ManagerA Project Director-level background placed into a PM seat inside a week.
- Service Dispatch CoordinatorA dispatcher who already knows the trade, the software and the workflow.
- Lead HVAC TechnicianNATE, EPA Universal and Heat Pump Council certified, with VRF and VRV experience.
Nearby markets competing for Chicago talent.
The closest metro we cover is Milwaukee, about 85 miles away, with roughly 420 pest control workers (0.2 times Chicago's 1,710). Pay is close across the region: medians run from $38,740 in Indianapolis to $47,300 in Milwaukee, against $46,740 here. Chicago is the largest market for this work in the region, so nearby metros tend to recruit from here rather than the other way round.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | – | 1,710 | $46,740 |
| Milwaukee | 83 mi | 420 | $47,300 |
| Madison | 123 mi | 120 | $39,520 |
| Grand Rapids | 127 mi | 150 | $44,080 |
| Indianapolis | 164 mi | 590 | $38,740 |
| Dayton | 231 mi | 170 | $39,310 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Chicago crews.
Not commercial pest control work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Chicago in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Foundry Park (North Side, former Lincoln Yards site)$800M Phase 1City Council-approved Feb 2026
Replaces the stalled $6B Lincoln Yards plan, which collapsed in 2025. New owners, scaled-down scope - residential, office, retail. Long-duration commercial construction pipeline once underway.
- O'Hare Global Terminal expansion$12.1BThrough 2030
Largest airport terminal project in US. Airport-grade MEP, baggage systems, central utility plant. Multi-year demand for senior airport-experienced trades.
- Obama Presidential Center (South Side)$830MOpened June 2026
Specialty institutional construction, now complete - historical example of the high-spec finishes and custom MEP work this metro attracts, not an active current driver.
Showing 3 of 6 projects tracked in this metro. The Chicago market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for commercial pest control, and what kills offers in Chicago.
The 2 credentials that gate the work and the 3 things that most often end a commercial pest control offer are the same in every market, kept in one place: Commercial Pest Control credentials and offer risks, each linked to the body that issues it. What is local is the licensing rule above and the pay further up this page.
Frequently asked - Commercial Pest Control hiring in Chicago.
What do pest control workers earn in Chicago?
BLS puts the Chicago median for pest control workers at $46,740 a year, 3% above the $45,250 national median. That ranks 27th of 109 metros with published figures, in the top quarter. Pay is bunched together here, $38,270 to $62,680 across the 10th to 90th percentile and only a 1.6x gap, so small differences in an offer are noticed.
Is it hard to hire pest control workers in Chicago?
Yes. Chicago has 43% fewer pest control workers per job than the country as a whole, roughly 1,710 in the metro, so most of the people worth hiring are already employed. The 228 pest control companies here average about 11 employees per location. With 20% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which commercial pest control roles pay the most in Chicago?
Of the roles we recruit for, Pest Control Branch / Route Manager pays the most in Chicago, a $124,120 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Commercial Pest Control Technician at $46,740, 62% below it. Relative to national pay, Pest Control Branch / Route Manager is the strongest-paying role here (16% above).
How many pest control companies operate in Chicago?
BLS counted 228 pest control companies in Chicago in 2023, employing about 2,451 people between them. Up from 190 in 2018, a 20% increase against 16% growth nationally. That averages 11 people per location. They pay an average of $58,529, 7% above the $54,678 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Chicago for pest control workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Milwaukee (83 miles, about 420, $47,300 median), Madison (123 miles, about 120, $39,520 median) and Grand Rapids (127 miles, about 150, $44,080 median). Chicago out-pays Madison and Grand Rapids, an advantage when recruiting from there.
Deep pool. Heavily fished.
Chicago has 1,710 pest control workers, 9th of the 108 metros we cover, and still 43% fewer per job than the country. The pool is deep and every employer here is fishing it. Let's get to the ones worth moving first.
Schedule a Discovery Call →