Commercial Pest Control recruiters serving Des Moines.
Pest control workers are scarcer in Des Moines than in most of the country, 24% fewer per job, so the roughly 200 who work here are rarely short of offers. BLS counts 41 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 Des Moines.
BLS counts about 200 pest control workers in the Des Moines metro. Relative to the size of the local economy, pest control workers are less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.76). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Pest Control hub.
Commercial Pest Control Technician
Des Moines: 200 employed · $48,200 median, 14th-highest of 109 metros
Licensed Pest Control Applicator
Termite / WDI Inspector
Fumigation Technician
Commercial Account Manager
Des Moines: 2,400 employed · $65,510 median, 37th-highest of 111 metros
Pest Control Branch / Route Manager
Des Moines: 470 employed · $100,880 median, 75th-highest of 112 metros
Pest Control Service Manager
Des Moines: 8,370 employed · $98,780 median, 76th-highest of 112 metros
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Specialist
Bird / Wildlife Exclusion Technician
Pest Control Sales / Business Development Rep
Des Moines: 4,900 employed · $67,040 median, 53rd-highest of 112 metros
What Commercial Pest Control roles earn in Des Moines.
Pest control workers in Des Moines earn a median $48,200, 7% over the $45,250 national figure, and 14th of 109 metros. Pay runs $36,790 at the tenth percentile to $57,240 at the ninetieth.
| Role | Des Moines median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Pest Control Technician · Licensed Pest Control Applicator · Termite / WDI InspectorPest Control Workers (37-2021) | $48,200 | $36,790–$57,240 | $45,250 | +7% | 200 |
| Commercial Account ManagerSales Representatives of Services (41-3091) | $65,510 | $36,360–$125,420 | $69,990 | −6% | 2,400 |
| Pest Control Branch / Route ManagerTransportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers (11-3071) | $100,880 | $72,000–$168,050 | $107,230 | −6% | 470 |
| Pest Control Service ManagerGeneral and Operations Managers (11-1021) | $98,780 | $46,950–$208,630 | $105,770 | −7% | 8,370 |
| Pest Control Sales / Business Development RepSales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing (41-4012) | $67,040 | $42,820–$128,190 | $72,080 | −7% | 4,900 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Des Moines 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 Des Moines's commercial pest control market has changed since 2018.
The number of pest control companies in Des Moines rose from 35 in 2018 to 41 in 2023, up 17%, close to the 16% national change. Headcount at those firms went up 12%, to about 254 people. Average annual pay there went from $46,152 to $54,314 (+18%), slower than the 22% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pest control companies: business locations | 35 | 41 | +17% |
| Pest control companies: employment | 227 | 254 | +12% |
| Pest control companies: average annual pay | $46,152 | $54,314 | +18% |
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
Des Moines runs 24% fewer commercial pest control workers per job than the country as a whole — 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 Des Moines's commercial pest control market compares
Among the 98 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Des Moines ranks 77th for headcount, 12th for median pay and 66th for concentration for pest control workers.
What this means for hiring:For commercial pest control employers in Des Moines, 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, Des Moines metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Commercial Pest Control licensing in Iowa.
Iowa certifies individual commercial applicators and licenses the pest control company, and a certification is valid only while the applicator is listed under a licensed company that shows proof of financial responsibility. Structural work falls under Category 7 (including 7A General/Household and 7B Termite), and certifications run three years, renewed by at least two hours of continuing instruction per category each year or by retesting.
Licensing authority: Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Pesticide Bureau. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Des Moines talent.
The closest metro we cover is Omaha, about 125 miles away, with roughly 250 pest control workers (1.3 times Des Moines's 200). Des Moines pays more than every metro we cover within reach ($48,200 median), which helps when recruiting people in from Minneapolis at $37,450. St. Louis has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines | – | 200 | $48,200 |
| Omaha | 123 mi | 250 | $38,430 |
| Kansas City | 180 mi | 580 | $43,500 |
| Minneapolis | 234 mi | 570 | $37,450 |
| Madison | 238 mi | 120 | $39,520 |
| St. Louis | 273 mi | 670 | $45,230 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Des Moines crews.
Not commercial pest control work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Des Moines in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Microsoft "Ruthenium" data center$210M+ (part of $6B+ total Microsoft investment in West Des Moines)Construction starting 2026
A 245,000 sq ft first-phase facility housing computer equipment and large-scale web portal services - the latest addition to Microsoft's five existing West Des Moines data center campuses.
- The Iowa Clinic West Des Moines expansion$12M+Construction proposed for fall 2026, complete summer 2028
A two-story, 27,000 sq ft medical building on 2.42 acres - healthcare-grade MEP work.
- Microsoft Project Ginger West Data Center$1B+Multi-year buildout
A separate ~188-acre campus planned for approximately 1.8 million sq ft of data center space across multiple buildings.
Showing 3 of 4 projects tracked in this metro. The Des Moines market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for commercial pest control, and what kills offers in Des Moines.
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 Des Moines.
What do pest control workers earn in Des Moines?
BLS puts the Des Moines median for pest control workers at $48,200 a year, 7% above the $45,250 national median. That ranks 14th of 109 metros with published figures, in the top quarter. Pay is bunched together here, $36,790 to $57,240 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 Des Moines?
Yes. Des Moines has 24% fewer pest control workers per job than the country as a whole, roughly 200 in the metro, so most of the people worth hiring are already employed. The 41 pest control companies here average about 6.2 employees per location, mostly small shops, so candidates often know every employer in town by name. With 17% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which commercial pest control roles pay the most in Des Moines?
Of the roles we recruit for, Pest Control Branch / Route Manager pays the most in Des Moines, a $100,880 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Commercial Pest Control Technician at $48,200, 52% below it. Relative to national pay, Commercial Pest Control Technician is the strongest-paying role here (7% above). Pest Control Sales / Business Development Rep trails national pay the most (7% below).
How many pest control companies operate in Des Moines?
BLS counted 41 pest control companies in Des Moines in 2023, employing about 254 people between them. Up from 35 in 2018, a 17% increase against 16% growth nationally. That averages 6.2 people per location, so most are small shops. They pay about the national average of $54,678.
Which nearby metros compete with Des Moines for pest control workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Omaha (123 miles, about 250, $38,430 median), Kansas City (180 miles, about 580, $43,500 median) and Minneapolis (234 miles, about 570, $37,450 median). Kansas City has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Des Moines out-pays Omaha, Kansas City and Minneapolis, an advantage when recruiting from there.
Thin market. Short list anyway.
With pest control workers this scarce in Des Moines, an open seat rarely fills from a job posting. Let's line up the people before the next one opens.
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