Commercial Pest Control recruiters serving New York.
New York has about 4,380 pest control workers, more than any metro we cover, and still 30% fewer per job than the country - so they are rarely short of offers. BLS counts 901 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 New York.
BLS counts about 4,380 pest control workers in the New York metro. Relative to the size of the local economy, pest control workers are far less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.70). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Pest Control hub.
Commercial Pest Control Technician
New York: 4,380 employed · $49,940 median, 6th-highest of 109 metros
Licensed Pest Control Applicator
Termite / WDI Inspector
Fumigation Technician
Commercial Account Manager
New York: 91,680 employed · $93,750 median, 4th-highest of 111 metros
Pest Control Branch / Route Manager
New York: 10,410 employed · $133,640 median, 7th-highest of 112 metros
Pest Control Service Manager
New York: 177,850 employed · $157,000 median, 2nd-highest of 112 metros
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Specialist
Bird / Wildlife Exclusion Technician
Pest Control Sales / Business Development Rep
New York: 61,860 employed · $81,140 median, 5th-highest of 112 metros
What Commercial Pest Control roles earn in New York.
Pest control workers in New York earn a median $49,940, 10% over the $45,250 national figure, and 6th of 109 metros. Pay runs $41,060 at the tenth percentile to $71,930 at the ninetieth.
| Role | New York median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Pest Control Technician · Licensed Pest Control Applicator · Termite / WDI InspectorPest Control Workers (37-2021) | $49,940 | $41,060–$71,930 | $45,250 | +10% | 4,380 |
| Commercial Account ManagerSales Representatives of Services (41-3091) | $93,750 | $46,370–$176,300 | $69,990 | +34% | 91,680 |
| Pest Control Branch / Route ManagerTransportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers (11-3071) | $133,640 | $88,330–$217,500 | $107,230 | +25% | 10,410 |
| Pest Control Service ManagerGeneral and Operations Managers (11-1021) | $157,000 | $71,030–$364,770 | $105,770 | +48% | 177,850 |
| Pest Control Sales / Business Development RepSales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing (41-4012) | $81,140 | $48,160–$161,940 | $72,080 | +13% | 61,860 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, New York 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 New York's commercial pest control market has changed since 2018.
The number of pest control companies in New York rose from 842 in 2018 to 901 in 2023, up 7%, behind the 16% growth nationally.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pest control companies: business locations | 842 | 901 | +7% |
| Pest control companies: employment | – | 6,209 | – |
| Pest control companies: average annual pay | – | $58,098 | – |
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
New York runs 30% 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 New York's commercial pest control market compares
Among the 98 metros we cover with published BLS figures, New York ranks 1st for headcount, 6th for median pay and 71st for concentration for pest control workers. Pay here is among the highest we see, so offers need to start near the top of the range.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 4,380 | $49,940 | 0.70 | 901 |
| Rochester | 310 | $47,350 | 0.96 | 40 |
| Albany | 270 | $45,390 | 0.91 | 34 |
| Buffalo | 150 | $46,110 | 0.42 | 24 |
| Syracuse | 100 | $45,670 | 0.51 | 15 |
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 New York, the headline number is misleading. About 4,380 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, New York metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Commercial Pest Control licensing in New York.
New York has three commercial tiers, Commercial Apprentice, Commercial Technician and Commercial Applicator, and the business itself must be registered with the department. Structural work is category 7A, Structural and Rodent Control, which covers rodents, roaches, ants, fleas, ticks and stinging and biting insects but excludes food processing areas and termiticides, while termite work requires category 7C. An apprentice must be at least 16, complete eight hours of instruction and 40 hours of supervised pesticide use, and work under the direct supervision of a Commercial Applicator employed by the same business. A technician qualifies through an approved 30-hour course, a relevant associate degree, or two documented years of apprenticeship, and may apply general use products unsupervised but not restricted use products. Governed by ECL Article 33 and 6 NYCRR Part 325. The same state rules apply in Buffalo, Rochester, Albany and Syracuse, so candidates licensed there can work in New York without re-qualifying. The New York metro crosses a state line, so check the rules in the neighboring state too for crews that work on both sides.
Licensing authority: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Bureau of Pest Management. Confirm current rules with the agency.
We have not closed a commercial pest control search in New York 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 New York than imply a record in this trade that we do not have yet.
- HVAC Service TechnicianTwo months to find a technician who could run commercial, public and industrial service calls alone - the seniority bar is what made it long.
- HVAC Service TechnicianFifteen years across VRV/VRF, rooftop units and controls integration.
- HVAC Service TechnicianA second seat for the same contractor, filled with a strong diagnostician earlier in his independent career.
Nearby markets competing for New York talent.
The closest metro we cover is Bridgeport, about 55 miles away, with roughly 180 pest control workers (0.0 times New York's 4,380). New York pays more than every metro we cover within reach ($49,940 median), which helps when recruiting people in from Scranton at $45,740. New York 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | – | 4,380 | $49,940 |
| Bridgeport | 53 mi | 180 | $49,750 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem | 78 mi | 100 | $46,100 |
| Philadelphia | 81 mi | 1,350 | $47,260 |
| Scranton | 99 mi | 80 | $45,740 |
| Hartford | 100 mi | 340 | $48,670 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for New York crews.
Not commercial pest control work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into New York in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- JFK Airport Terminal 6 + Terminal 1 redevelopment$13-14B combinedThrough 2030
Massive MEP scope across both terminals. Airport-grade mechanical, electrical, baggage systems. Multi-year crew demand for senior trades.
- LaGuardia Airport rebuild$4-5.3BCompleted January 2025
Now complete - a historical example of the mechanical and finish trades capacity this metro delivers under a project labor agreement, not an active current driver.
- NYC Local Law 97 climate compliance retrofit wave$15-20B across buildings 25k+ sq ft2024-2030 enforcement
Largest commercial HVAC retrofit driver in US history. Building owners must hit carbon caps - driving heat pump installs, control system upgrades, building electrification. Mechanical PMs with retrofit + commissioning experience in extreme demand.
Showing 3 of 6 projects tracked in this metro. The New York market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for commercial pest control, and what kills offers in New York.
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 New York.
What do pest control workers earn in New York?
BLS puts the New York median for pest control workers at $49,940 a year, 10% above the $45,250 national median. That ranks 6th of 109 metros with published figures, in the top quarter. Most of the market sits between $41,060 and $71,930, a 1.8x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. No other New York metro we cover pays more for this work.
Is it hard to hire pest control workers in New York?
Yes. New York has 30% fewer pest control workers per job than the country as a whole, roughly 4,380 in the metro, so most of the people worth hiring are already employed. The 901 pest control companies here average about 6.9 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 New York?
Of the roles we recruit for, Pest Control Service Manager pays the most in New York, a $157,000 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Commercial Pest Control Technician at $49,940, 68% below it. Relative to national pay, Pest Control Service Manager is the strongest-paying role here (48% above).
How many pest control companies operate in New York?
BLS counted 901 pest control companies in New York in 2023, employing about 6,209 people between them. Up from 842 in 2018, a 7% increase against 16% growth nationally. That averages 6.9 people per location, so most are small shops. They pay an average of $58,098, 6% above the $54,678 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with New York for pest control workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Bridgeport (53 miles, about 180, $49,750 median), Allentown-Bethlehem (78 miles, about 100, $46,100 median) and Philadelphia (81 miles, about 1,350, $47,260 median). New York out-pays Allentown-Bethlehem and Philadelphia, an advantage when recruiting from there.
Deep pool. Heavily fished.
New York has 4,380 pest control workers, 1st of the 108 metros we cover, and still 30% 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.
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