Commercial Pest Control recruiters serving Cleveland.
Pest control workers are scarcer in Cleveland than in most of the country, 55% fewer per job, so the roughly 310 who work here are rarely short of offers. BLS counts 70 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 Cleveland.
BLS counts about 310 pest control workers in the Cleveland metro. Relative to the size of the local economy, pest control workers are far less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.45). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Pest Control hub.
Commercial Pest Control Technician
Cleveland: 310 employed · $42,150 median, 79th-highest of 109 metros
Licensed Pest Control Applicator
Termite / WDI Inspector
Fumigation Technician
Commercial Account Manager
Cleveland: 7,710 employed · $59,830 median, 76th-highest of 111 metros
Pest Control Branch / Route Manager
Cleveland: 1,660 employed · $102,080 median, 63rd-highest of 112 metros
Pest Control Service Manager
Cleveland: 29,510 employed · $97,750 median, 80th-highest of 112 metros
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Specialist
Bird / Wildlife Exclusion Technician
Pest Control Sales / Business Development Rep
Cleveland: 11,420 employed · $76,020 median, 20th-highest of 112 metros
What Commercial Pest Control roles earn in Cleveland.
Pest control workers in Cleveland earn a median $42,150, 7% under the $45,250 national figure, and 79th of 109 metros. Pay runs $35,400 at the tenth percentile to $57,170 at the ninetieth.
| Role | Cleveland median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Pest Control Technician · Licensed Pest Control Applicator · Termite / WDI InspectorPest Control Workers (37-2021) | $42,150 | $35,400–$57,170 | $45,250 | −7% | 310 |
| Commercial Account ManagerSales Representatives of Services (41-3091) | $59,830 | $35,770–$107,430 | $69,990 | −15% | 7,710 |
| Pest Control Branch / Route ManagerTransportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers (11-3071) | $102,080 | $62,400–$167,920 | $107,230 | −5% | 1,660 |
| Pest Control Service ManagerGeneral and Operations Managers (11-1021) | $97,750 | $48,140–$217,290 | $105,770 | −8% | 29,510 |
| Pest Control Sales / Business Development RepSales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing (41-4012) | $76,020 | $45,270–$133,890 | $72,080 | +5% | 11,420 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Cleveland 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 Cleveland's commercial pest control market has changed since 2018.
The number of pest control companies in Cleveland rose from 61 in 2018 to 70 in 2023, up 15%, close to the 16% national change. Headcount at those firms went up 14%, to about 515 people. Average annual pay there went from $43,097 to $49,945 (+16%), slower than the 22% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pest control companies: business locations | 61 | 70 | +15% |
| Pest control companies: employment | 452 | 515 | +14% |
| Pest control companies: average annual pay | $43,097 | $49,945 | +16% |
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
Cleveland runs 55% 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 Cleveland's commercial pest control market compares
Among the 98 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Cleveland ranks 63rd for headcount, 72nd for median pay and 91st for concentration for pest control workers. That makes it one of the thinnest commercial pest control labor markets we recruit in.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus | 500 | $40,460 | 0.69 | 73 |
| Cincinnati | 430 | $42,890 | 0.59 | 89 |
| Cleveland | 310 | $42,150 | 0.45 | 70 |
| Dayton | 170 | $39,310 | 0.69 | 32 |
| Akron | 140 | $44,520 | 0.65 | 26 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial pest control employers in Cleveland, the local pool is thin but growing. Expect a mix of local candidates and people recruited in from nearby metros, and budget for relocation on senior roles.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Cleveland metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Commercial Pest Control licensing in Ohio.
Ohio issues a commercial pesticide applicator license and allows unlicensed staff to work as a Trained Serviceperson. Structural work is category 10, Domestic, institutional, structural and health-related pest control, with subcategory 10a general pest control, 10b termite control, 10c fumigation and 10d mosquito, house fly and other vector control, and there is a separate category 12, Wood-destroying insect diagnostic inspection. A Trained Serviceperson must complete training before first handling pesticides, must be employed by the same company as the supervising licensed applicator, must be within 25 miles or two hours of that supervisor during an application, and cannot work in the wood-destroying insect inspection or aerial categories. For termite or real estate inspection work, confirm the candidate holds 10b and, for diagnostic inspections, category 12. Governed by ORC Chapter 921 and OAC 901:5-11. The same state rules apply in Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton and Akron, so candidates licensed there can work in Cleveland without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Ohio Department of Agriculture, Pesticide and Fertilizer Regulation Section. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Cleveland talent.
The closest metro we cover is Akron, about 30 miles away, with roughly 140 pest control workers (0.5 times Cleveland's 310). Buffalo pays the most nearby, a $46,110 median, 9% above Cleveland. That is the number any Cleveland offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. Detroit has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland | – | 310 | $42,150 |
| Akron | 30 mi | 140 | $44,520 |
| Detroit | 90 mi | 730 | $44,470 |
| Pittsburgh | 115 mi | 420 | $44,370 |
| Columbus | 126 mi | 500 | $40,460 |
| Buffalo | 173 mi | 150 | $46,110 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Cleveland crews.
Not commercial pest control work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Cleveland in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute$1.1BOpening January 18, 2027
1M sq ft, 210 inpatient rooms, 36 neuro ICU beds, 16 operating rooms. One of the largest single healthcare capital projects in Ohio, requiring hospital-grade mechanical, medical gas plumbing, and ICRA-compliant construction at scale.
- Cleveland Clinic Avon campus expansion$322MBroke ground July 2026, completing 2029
Multi-phase expansion of Avon Hospital and the Richard E. Jacobs Health Center, adding ~250,000 sq ft of clinical space in Lorain County. Sustained, multi-year mechanical and plumbing demand outside the core city.
- Cleveland Clinic Unified Operations Center$142M26-month build, completing late 2028
650,000 sq ft facility in Walton Hills for 526 relocated/new jobs. Large-footprint commercial construction and MEP fit-out, distinct from the hospital-grade work driving the other Clinic projects.
These are the 3 projects we track in Cleveland. The Cleveland market page covers hiring conditions across every trade here.
What credentials matter for commercial pest control, and what kills offers in Cleveland.
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 Cleveland.
What do pest control workers earn in Cleveland?
BLS puts the Cleveland median for pest control workers at $42,150 a year, 7% below the $45,250 national median. That ranks 79th of 109 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Pay is bunched together here, $35,400 to $57,170 across the 10th to 90th percentile and only a 1.6x gap, so small differences in an offer are noticed. Within Ohio, Akron pays more, at $44,520.
Is it hard to hire pest control workers in Cleveland?
Yes. Cleveland has 55% fewer pest control workers per job than the country as a whole, roughly 310 in the metro, so most of the people worth hiring are already employed. The 70 pest control companies here average about 7.4 employees per location, mostly small shops, so candidates often know every employer in town by name. With 15% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which commercial pest control roles pay the most in Cleveland?
Of the roles we recruit for, Pest Control Branch / Route Manager pays the most in Cleveland, a $102,080 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Commercial Pest Control Technician at $42,150, 59% below it. Relative to national pay, Pest Control Sales / Business Development Rep is the strongest-paying role here (5% above). Commercial Account Manager trails national pay the most (15% below).
How many pest control companies operate in Cleveland?
BLS counted 70 pest control companies in Cleveland in 2023, employing about 515 people between them. Up from 61 in 2018, a 15% increase against 16% growth nationally. That averages 7.4 people per location, so most are small shops. They pay an average of $49,945, 9% below the $54,678 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Cleveland for pest control workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Akron (30 miles, about 140, $44,520 median), Detroit (90 miles, about 730, $44,470 median) and Pittsburgh (115 miles, about 420, $44,370 median). Detroit has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Akron pays 6% more, which is where Cleveland employers tend to lose people.
Thin market. Short list anyway.
With pest control workers this scarce in Cleveland, an open seat rarely fills from a job posting. Let's line up the people before the next one opens.
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