Commercial Pest Control recruiters serving Lakeland.
Lakeland has 40% more pest control workers per job than the country as a whole, about 240 in the metro. BLS counts 64 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 Lakeland.
BLS counts about 240 pest control workers in the Lakeland metro. Relative to the size of the local economy, pest control workers are far more concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 1.40). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Pest Control hub.
Commercial Pest Control Technician
Lakeland: 240 employed · $44,130 median, 71st-highest of 109 metros
Licensed Pest Control Applicator
Termite / WDI Inspector
Fumigation Technician
Commercial Account Manager
Lakeland: 2,250 employed · $46,070 median, 110th-highest of 111 metros
Pest Control Branch / Route Manager
Lakeland: 450 employed · $99,980 median, 82nd-highest of 112 metros
Pest Control Service Manager
Lakeland: 5,150 employed · $96,220 median, 87th-highest of 112 metros
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Specialist
Bird / Wildlife Exclusion Technician
Pest Control Sales / Business Development Rep
Lakeland: 2,510 employed · $62,960 median, 79th-highest of 112 metros
What Commercial Pest Control roles earn in Lakeland.
Pest control workers in Lakeland earn a median $44,130, level with the $45,250 national figure, and 71st of 109 metros. Pay runs $33,950 at the tenth percentile to $58,740 at the ninetieth.
| Role | Lakeland median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Pest Control Technician · Licensed Pest Control Applicator · Termite / WDI InspectorPest Control Workers (37-2021) | $44,130 | $33,950–$58,740 | $45,250 | −2% | 240 |
| Commercial Account ManagerSales Representatives of Services (41-3091) | $46,070 | $38,800–$96,330 | $69,990 | −34% | 2,250 |
| Pest Control Branch / Route ManagerTransportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers (11-3071) | $99,980 | $61,240–$172,190 | $107,230 | −7% | 450 |
| Pest Control Service ManagerGeneral and Operations Managers (11-1021) | $96,220 | $47,830–$211,760 | $105,770 | −9% | 5,150 |
| Pest Control Sales / Business Development RepSales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing (41-4012) | $62,960 | $37,580–$122,530 | $72,080 | −13% | 2,510 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Lakeland 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 Lakeland's commercial pest control market has changed since 2018.
Lakeland lost pest control companies between 2018 and 2023, from 68 business locations to 64 (down 6%), behind the 16% growth nationally. Headcount at those firms went up 10%, to about 435 people, so fewer firms are employing more people each. Average annual pay there went from $39,146 to $44,123 (+13%), slower than the 22% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pest control companies: business locations | 68 | 64 | −6% |
| Pest control companies: employment | 395 | 435 | +10% |
| Pest control companies: average annual pay | $39,146 | $44,123 | +13% |
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
Lakeland runs 40% more commercial pest control workers per job than the country as a whole — well above the national concentration. More per job means more people to reach, and more employers reaching 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 Lakeland's commercial pest control market compares
Among the 98 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Lakeland ranks 74th for headcount, 65th for median pay and 32nd for concentration for pest control workers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami | 2,480 | $44,890 | 1.33 | 683 |
| Tampa | 1,820 | $45,190 | 1.91 | 332 |
| Orlando | 1,560 | $44,800 | 1.67 | 268 |
| Jacksonville | 1,030 | $43,580 | 2.04 | 149 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers | 600 | $44,490 | 2.96 | 122 |
| North Port-Sarasota | 550 | $44,830 | 2.44 | 105 |
| Deltona-Daytona | 340 | $44,430 | 2.36 | 92 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne | 340 | $45,450 | 2.08 | 81 |
| Pensacola | 310 | $38,910 | 2.44 | 49 |
| Port St. Lucie | 280 | $44,690 | 2.47 | 74 |
| Lakeland | 240 | $44,130 | 1.40 | 64 |
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 Lakeland, the local pool is deeper than most, so a well-run search can usually fill field roles from inside the metro.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Lakeland metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Commercial Pest Control licensing in Florida.
Pest control businesses are licensed by FDACS and operate under a certified operator in charge. The licensee and that operator must get each employee an FDACS identification card within 30 days of hire, and applicants for the card must have at least 5 days of field training under a certified operator's direct supervision. The same state rules apply in Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, North Port-Sarasota, Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Deltona-Daytona, Palm Bay-Melbourne, Port St. Lucie and Pensacola, so candidates licensed there can work in Lakeland without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Lakeland talent.
The closest metro we cover is Tampa, about 30 miles away, with roughly 1,820 pest control workers (7.6 times Lakeland's 240). Pay is close across the region: medians run from $44,430 in Deltona-Daytona to $45,450 in Palm Bay-Melbourne, against $44,130 here. Tampa has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeland | – | 240 | $44,130 |
| Tampa | 32 mi | 1,820 | $45,190 |
| Orlando | 49 mi | 1,560 | $44,800 |
| North Port-Sarasota | 71 mi | 550 | $44,830 |
| Deltona-Daytona | 73 mi | 340 | $44,430 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne | 83 mi | 340 | $45,450 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Lakeland crews.
Not commercial pest control work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Lakeland in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- AdventHealth medical complex (Polk Parkway/Harden Blvd)Undisclosed (up to 720,000 sq ft)Free-standing ER as early as 2026; full 400-bed hospital 2028-2029
A separate 400-bed hospital campus with medical offices, an apartment complex, and retail space - the third concurrent hospital-scale project in this metro. The full hospital opens later than the initial ER; a 2027 date understates the timeline for the full campus.
- AdventHealth Winter Haven hospitalUndisclosedPlanned
A four-story, 192-bed hospital with a dedicated emergency department, medical offices, and ancillary facilities.
- Watson Clinic Lakeland Highlands HospitalUndisclosedOpened July 8, 2026
Lakeland's first new hospital in a century - a 7-story, 306-bed facility with inpatient care, ICU/progressive care, an emergency department, and 13 ORs now receiving patients; labor/delivery and NICU beds expected to open in the coming months, plus two new Watson Clinic locations on the same site.
Showing 3 of 4 projects tracked in this metro. The Lakeland market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for commercial pest control, and what kills offers in Lakeland.
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 Lakeland.
What do pest control workers earn in Lakeland?
BLS puts the Lakeland median for pest control workers at $44,130 a year, about the same as the $45,250 national median. That ranks 71st of 109 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Most of the market sits between $33,950 and $58,740, a 1.7x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. No other Florida metro we cover pays more for this work.
Is it hard to hire pest control workers in Lakeland?
Not by national standards. Pest control workers make up 40% more of the Lakeland workforce than they do nationally, about 240 people. The 64 pest control companies here average about 6.8 employees per location, mostly small shops, so candidates often know every employer in town by name.
Which commercial pest control roles pay the most in Lakeland?
Of the roles we recruit for, Pest Control Branch / Route Manager pays the most in Lakeland, a $99,980 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Commercial Pest Control Technician at $44,130, 56% below it. Commercial Account Manager trails national pay the most (34% below).
How many pest control companies operate in Lakeland?
BLS counted 64 pest control companies in Lakeland in 2023, employing about 435 people between them. Down from 68 in 2018, a 6% decline against 16% growth nationally. That averages 6.8 people per location, so most are small shops. They pay an average of $44,123, 19% below the $54,678 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Lakeland for pest control workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Tampa (32 miles, about 1,820, $45,190 median), Orlando (49 miles, about 1,560, $44,800 median) and North Port-Sarasota (71 miles, about 550, $44,830 median). Tampa has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move.
Plenty of people. Few of them looking.
Lakeland has one of the deeper pools of pest control workers we cover, but the best of them are already working. Let's find the ones ready to move.
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