Commercial Pest Control recruiters serving San Francisco.
San Francisco has about 1,210 pest control workers, 16th of the 108 we cover, and still 23% fewer per job than the country - so they are rarely short of offers. BLS counts 147 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 San Francisco.
BLS counts about 1,210 pest control workers in the San Francisco metro. Relative to the size of the local economy, pest control workers are less concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 0.77). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Pest Control hub.
Commercial Pest Control Technician
San Francisco: 1,210 employed · $53,380 median, 3rd-highest of 109 metros
Licensed Pest Control Applicator
Termite / WDI Inspector
Fumigation Technician
Commercial Account Manager
San Francisco: 29,980 employed · $96,960 median, 3rd-highest of 111 metros
Pest Control Branch / Route Manager
San Francisco: 3,750 employed · $145,170 median, 3rd-highest of 112 metros
Pest Control Service Manager
San Francisco: 43,520 employed · $149,990 median, 5th-highest of 112 metros
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Specialist
Bird / Wildlife Exclusion Technician
Pest Control Sales / Business Development Rep
San Francisco: 13,190 employed · $93,100 median, 2nd-highest of 112 metros
What Commercial Pest Control roles earn in San Francisco.
Pest control workers in San Francisco earn a median $53,380, 18% over the $45,250 national figure, and 3rd of 109 metros. Pay runs $40,320 at the tenth percentile to $75,850 at the ninetieth.
| Role | San Francisco median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Pest Control Technician · Licensed Pest Control Applicator · Termite / WDI InspectorPest Control Workers (37-2021) | $53,380 | $40,320–$75,850 | $45,250 | +18% | 1,210 |
| Commercial Account ManagerSales Representatives of Services (41-3091) | $96,960 | $50,830–$191,380 | $69,990 | +39% | 29,980 |
| Pest Control Branch / Route ManagerTransportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers (11-3071) | $145,170 | $79,690–$233,200 | $107,230 | +35% | 3,750 |
| Pest Control Service ManagerGeneral and Operations Managers (11-1021) | $149,990 | $70,960–$330,110 | $105,770 | +42% | 43,520 |
| Pest Control Sales / Business Development RepSales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing (41-4012) | $93,100 | $49,580–$177,370 | $72,080 | +29% | 13,190 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, San Francisco 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 San Francisco's commercial pest control market has changed since 2018.
The number of pest control companies in San Francisco rose from 133 in 2018 to 147 in 2023, up 11%, behind the 16% growth nationally. Headcount at those firms went down 4%, to about 1,519 people, so more firms are sharing fewer workers. Average annual pay there went from $59,821 to $73,113 (+22%), in step with the 22% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pest control companies: business locations | 133 | 147 | +11% |
| Pest control companies: employment | 1,578 | 1,519 | −4% |
| Pest control companies: average annual pay | $59,821 | $73,113 | +22% |
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
San Francisco runs 23% 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 San Francisco's commercial pest control market compares
Among the 98 metros we cover with published BLS figures, San Francisco ranks 16th for headcount, 3rd for median pay and 65th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 San Francisco, 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, San Francisco 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 Diego, Sacramento, San Jose, Fresno, Bakersfield, Stockton and Modesto, so candidates licensed there can work in San Francisco without re-qualifying.
Licensing authority: Structural Pest Control Board (California Department of Consumer Affairs). Confirm current rules with the agency.
We have not closed a commercial pest control search in San Francisco 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 San Francisco than imply a record in this trade that we do not have yet.
- Roofing ShinglerThree weeks to add a safety-conscious shingler to a crew the client keeps building year-round.
- Roofing Project ManagerTwo decades of superintendent and project management experience against a five-year bar - placed in days.
- Commercial Construction ForemanFifteen years of construction with foreman-level crew leadership on both commercial and residential builds.
Nearby markets competing for San Francisco talent.
The closest metro we cover is San Jose, about 40 miles away, with roughly 590 pest control workers (0.5 times San Francisco's 1,210). San Francisco pays more than every metro we cover within reach ($53,380 median), which helps when recruiting people in from Fresno at $45,730. Sacramento has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | – | 1,210 | $53,380 |
| San Jose | 42 mi | 590 | $53,050 |
| Stockton | 63 mi | 230 | $47,240 |
| Sacramento | 75 mi | 1,860 | $48,420 |
| Modesto | 78 mi | 160 | $47,480 |
| Fresno | 162 mi | 480 | $45,730 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for San Francisco crews.
Not commercial pest control work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into San Francisco in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Transbay district high-rise towers (downtown SF)Real trend, no verified regional totalRolling
Salesforce Tower district build-out continues with adjacent office + residential towers. Seismic-rated high-rise structural + MEP at the highest wage scale in the country.
- UCSF / Kaiser / Sutter hospital expansionsReal trend, no verified regional totalRolling
OSHPD/HCAI-compliant healthcare construction. Seismic retrofit deadlines drive urgent demand for healthcare mechanical PMs and hospital-experienced trades.
- South San Francisco life-sciences build-outsReal trend, no verified regional totalRolling
Biotech capital of the world. Lab TI, cleanroom mechanical, and process piping. Specialty MEP with life-sciences experience commands large premiums.
Showing 3 of 6 projects tracked in this metro. The San Francisco market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for commercial pest control, and what kills offers in San Francisco.
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 San Francisco.
What do pest control workers earn in San Francisco?
BLS puts the San Francisco median for pest control workers at $53,380 a year, 18% above the $45,250 national median. That ranks 3rd of 109 metros with published figures, in the top quarter. Most of the market sits between $40,320 and $75,850, a 1.9x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. No other California metro we cover pays more for this work.
Is it hard to hire pest control workers in San Francisco?
Yes. San Francisco has 23% fewer pest control workers per job than the country as a whole, roughly 1,210 in the metro, so most of the people worth hiring are already employed. The 147 pest control companies here average about 10 employees per location. With 11% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which commercial pest control roles pay the most in San Francisco?
Of the roles we recruit for, Pest Control Service Manager pays the most in San Francisco, a $149,990 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Commercial Pest Control Technician at $53,380, 64% below it. Relative to national pay, Pest Control Service Manager is the strongest-paying role here (42% above).
How many pest control companies operate in San Francisco?
BLS counted 147 pest control companies in San Francisco in 2023, employing about 1,519 people between them. Up from 133 in 2018, a 11% increase against 16% growth nationally. That averages 10 people per location. They pay an average of $73,113, 34% above the $54,678 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with San Francisco for pest control workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are San Jose (42 miles, about 590, $53,050 median), Stockton (63 miles, about 230, $47,240 median) and Sacramento (75 miles, about 1,860, $48,420 median). Sacramento has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. San Francisco out-pays Stockton and Sacramento, an advantage when recruiting from there.
Deep pool. Heavily fished.
San Francisco has 1,210 pest control workers, 16th of the 108 metros we cover, and still 23% 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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