Commercial Pest Control recruiters serving Modesto.
Modesto has 22% more pest control workers per job than the country as a whole, about 160 in the metro. BLS counts 34 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 Modesto.
BLS counts about 160 pest control workers in the Modesto metro. Relative to the size of the local economy, pest control workers are more concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 1.22). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Pest Control hub.
Commercial Pest Control Technician
Modesto: 160 employed · $47,480 median, 17th-highest of 109 metros
Licensed Pest Control Applicator
Termite / WDI Inspector
Fumigation Technician
Commercial Account Manager
Modesto: 840 employed · $60,930 median, 69th-highest of 111 metros
Pest Control Branch / Route Manager
Modesto: 300 employed · $107,390 median, 40th-highest of 112 metros
Pest Control Service Manager
Modesto: 2,790 employed · $104,330 median, 49th-highest of 112 metros
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Specialist
Bird / Wildlife Exclusion Technician
Pest Control Sales / Business Development Rep
Modesto: 1,250 employed · $78,420 median, 12th-highest of 112 metros
What Commercial Pest Control roles earn in Modesto.
Pest control workers in Modesto earn a median $47,480, 5% over the $45,250 national figure, and 17th of 109 metros. Pay runs $36,080 at the tenth percentile to $73,510 at the ninetieth.
| Role | Modesto median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Pest Control Technician · Licensed Pest Control Applicator · Termite / WDI InspectorPest Control Workers (37-2021) | $47,480 | $36,080–$73,510 | $45,250 | +5% | 160 |
| Commercial Account ManagerSales Representatives of Services (41-3091) | $60,930 | $38,050–$121,180 | $69,990 | −13% | 840 |
| Pest Control Branch / Route ManagerTransportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers (11-3071) | $107,390 | $69,230–$202,600 | $107,230 | 0% | 300 |
| Pest Control Service ManagerGeneral and Operations Managers (11-1021) | $104,330 | $54,280–$225,020 | $105,770 | −1% | 2,790 |
| Pest Control Sales / Business Development RepSales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing (41-4012) | $78,420 | $45,680–$136,880 | $72,080 | +9% | 1,250 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Modesto 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 Modesto's commercial pest control market has changed since 2018.
The number of pest control companies in Modesto rose from 22 in 2018 to 34 in 2023, up 55%, ahead of the 16% national rise. Headcount at those firms went down 8%, to about 211 people, so more firms are sharing fewer workers. Average annual pay there went from $48,154 to $53,905 (+12%), slower than the 22% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pest control companies: business locations | 22 | 34 | +55% |
| Pest control companies: employment | 229 | 211 | −8% |
| Pest control companies: average annual pay | $48,154 | $53,905 | +12% |
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
Modesto runs 22% more commercial pest control workers per job than the country as a whole — 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 Modesto's commercial pest control market compares
Among the 98 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Modesto ranks 85th for headcount, 14th for median pay and 41st for concentration for pest control workers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento | 1,860 | $48,420 | 2.61 | 116 |
| Riverside | 1,540 | $45,250 | 1.36 | 257 |
| San Diego | 1,230 | $47,470 | 1.21 | 182 |
| San Francisco | 1,210 | $53,380 | 0.77 | 147 |
| San Jose | 590 | $53,050 | 0.79 | 65 |
| Fresno | 480 | $45,730 | 1.53 | 64 |
| Bakersfield | 320 | $45,260 | 1.44 | 61 |
| Stockton | 230 | $47,240 | 1.18 | 29 |
| Modesto | 160 | $47,480 | 1.22 | 34 |
| Los Angeles | – | $47,190 | – | 625 |
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 Modesto, the pool is deep but local employers have been cutting headcount. Experienced people are here, and some will be open to a move, so a clear offer and a defined path up usually beat a higher posted rate.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Modesto metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Commercial Pest Control licensing in California.
Individuals are licensed as Applicators (Branch 2 general pest or Branch 3 wood-destroying organisms), Field Representatives (inspections and contracting in any branch) or Operators (can own a company or serve as its qualifying manager), and Applicators and Field Representatives must work for a registered company. Each license requires passing a board exam and a Live Scan background check, and Operator candidates must also complete pre-operator courses. The same state rules apply in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, San Jose, Fresno, Bakersfield and Stockton, so candidates licensed there can work in Modesto without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Structural Pest Control Board (California Department of Consumer Affairs). Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Modesto talent.
The closest metro we cover is Stockton, about 25 miles away, with roughly 230 pest control workers (1.4 times Modesto's 160). San Francisco pays the most nearby, a $53,380 median, 12% above Modesto. That is the number any Modesto offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. Sacramento has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Modesto | – | 160 | $47,480 |
| Stockton | 27 mi | 230 | $47,240 |
| San Jose | 53 mi | 590 | $53,050 |
| Sacramento | 71 mi | 1,860 | $48,420 |
| San Francisco | 78 mi | 1,210 | $53,380 |
| Fresno | 91 mi | 480 | $45,730 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Modesto crews.
Not commercial pest control work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Modesto in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Sutter Health Advanced Cancer Center and Care Complex$380MGroundbreak January 2026, completion by 2029
A four-story, 165,000 sq ft facility on the Memorial Medical Center campus - cancer treatment on floors 1-2, a 4-OR ambulatory surgery center on floor 3, and 50+ outpatient exam rooms on floor 4.
- Seventh Street Village apartments$56M ($33M in state funding)Completing late 2027
A five-story, 79-unit downtown Modesto apartment building for low-income residents.
- North County Corridor Phase 1UndisclosedUnder construction
A new four-lane, access-controlled expressway with a new interchange at Roselle Avenue and grade-separated structures over the BNSF rail line.
These are the 3 projects we track in Modesto. The Modesto market page covers hiring conditions across every trade here.
What credentials matter for commercial pest control, and what kills offers in Modesto.
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 Modesto.
What do pest control workers earn in Modesto?
BLS puts the Modesto median for pest control workers at $47,480 a year, 5% above the $45,250 national median. That ranks 17th of 109 metros with published figures, in the top quarter. Most of the market sits between $36,080 and $73,510, a 2.0x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. Within California, San Francisco pays more, at $53,380.
Is it hard to hire pest control workers in Modesto?
Not by national standards. Pest control workers make up 22% more of the Modesto workforce than they do nationally, about 160 people. The 34 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 55% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which commercial pest control roles pay the most in Modesto?
Of the roles we recruit for, Pest Control Branch / Route Manager pays the most in Modesto, a $107,390 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Commercial Pest Control Technician at $47,480, 56% below it. Relative to national pay, Pest Control Sales / Business Development Rep is the strongest-paying role here (9% above). Commercial Account Manager trails national pay the most (13% below).
How many pest control companies operate in Modesto?
BLS counted 34 pest control companies in Modesto in 2023, employing about 211 people between them. Up from 22 in 2018, a 55% 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 Modesto for pest control workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Stockton (27 miles, about 230, $47,240 median), San Jose (53 miles, about 590, $53,050 median) and Sacramento (71 miles, about 1,860, $48,420 median). San Jose has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. San Jose pays 12% more, which is where Modesto employers tend to lose people.
Plenty of people. Few of them looking.
Modesto 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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