Commercial Pest Control recruiters serving Virginia Beach.
Virginia Beach has 70% more pest control workers per job than the country as a whole, about 860 in the metro. BLS counts 116 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 Virginia Beach.
BLS counts about 860 pest control workers in the Virginia Beach metro. Relative to the size of the local economy, pest control workers are far more concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 1.70). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Pest Control hub.
Commercial Pest Control Technician
Virginia Beach: 860 employed · $45,270 median, 45th-highest of 109 metros
Licensed Pest Control Applicator
Termite / WDI Inspector
Fumigation Technician
Commercial Account Manager
Virginia Beach: 5,810 employed · $56,270 median, 95th-highest of 111 metros
Pest Control Branch / Route Manager
Virginia Beach: 630 employed · $108,430 median, 37th-highest of 112 metros
Pest Control Service Manager
Virginia Beach: 17,400 employed · $100,340 median, 73rd-highest of 112 metros
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Specialist
Bird / Wildlife Exclusion Technician
Pest Control Sales / Business Development Rep
Virginia Beach: 3,650 employed · $61,780 median, 95th-highest of 112 metros
What Commercial Pest Control roles earn in Virginia Beach.
Pest control workers in Virginia Beach earn a median $45,270, level with the $45,250 national figure, and 45th of 109 metros. Pay runs $36,860 at the tenth percentile to $61,460 at the ninetieth.
| Role | Virginia Beach median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Pest Control Technician · Licensed Pest Control Applicator · Termite / WDI InspectorPest Control Workers (37-2021) | $45,270 | $36,860–$61,460 | $45,250 | 0% | 860 |
| Commercial Account ManagerSales Representatives of Services (41-3091) | $56,270 | $32,180–$123,760 | $69,990 | −20% | 5,810 |
| Pest Control Branch / Route ManagerTransportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers (11-3071) | $108,430 | $73,780–$175,120 | $107,230 | +1% | 630 |
| Pest Control Service ManagerGeneral and Operations Managers (11-1021) | $100,340 | $47,490–$206,480 | $105,770 | −5% | 17,400 |
| Pest Control Sales / Business Development RepSales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing (41-4012) | $61,780 | $37,080–$130,550 | $72,080 | −14% | 3,650 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Virginia Beach 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 Virginia Beach's commercial pest control market has changed since 2018.
The number of pest control companies in Virginia Beach rose from 104 in 2018 to 116 in 2023, up 12%, behind the 16% growth nationally. Headcount at those firms went up 7%, to about 1,251 people. Average annual pay there went from $46,195 to $53,310 (+15%), slower than the 22% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pest control companies: business locations | 104 | 116 | +12% |
| Pest control companies: employment | 1,173 | 1,251 | +7% |
| Pest control companies: average annual pay | $46,195 | $53,310 | +15% |
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
Virginia Beach runs 70% 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 Virginia Beach's commercial pest control market compares
Among the 98 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Virginia Beach ranks 22nd for headcount, 40th for median pay and 17th for concentration for pest control workers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach | 860 | $45,270 | 1.70 | 116 |
| Richmond | 420 | $45,800 | 0.98 | 68 |
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 Virginia Beach, 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, Virginia Beach metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Commercial Pest Control licensing in Virginia.
Virginia has a Certified Commercial Applicator tier and a Registered Technician tier, and the employer must hold a pesticide business license. Structural work is category 7, Industrial, Institutional, Structural and Health-Related Pest Control, with subcategory 7a general pest control, 7b wood-destroying pest control and 7c fumigation. A Registered Technician must complete at least 40 hours of training on safe and proper pesticide application under the direct on-site supervision of a Certified Commercial Applicator and then pass an exam, and must attend a category-specific recertification session every two years. Verify the exact subcategory, since 7b is required to treat termites and other wood-destroying organisms. Governed by Va. Code Title 3.2, Chapter 39 and 2VAC5-685. The same state rules apply in Richmond, so candidates licensed there can work in Virginia Beach without re-qualifying. The Virginia Beach metro crosses a state line, so check the rules in the neighboring state too for crews that work on both sides.
Licensing authority: Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Office of Pesticide Services. Confirm current rules with the agency.
Nearby markets competing for Virginia Beach talent.
The closest metro we cover is Richmond, about 95 miles away, with roughly 420 pest control workers (0.5 times Virginia Beach's 860). Washington, D.C. pays the most nearby, a $48,010 median, 6% above Virginia Beach. That is the number any Virginia Beach offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. Washington, D.C. has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach | – | 860 | $45,270 |
| Richmond | 95 mi | 420 | $45,800 |
| Washington, D.C. | 152 mi | 1,630 | $48,010 |
| Raleigh | 166 mi | 820 | $46,470 |
| Baltimore | 172 mi | 870 | $45,780 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | 173 mi | 210 | $46,720 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Virginia Beach crews.
Not commercial pest control work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Virginia Beach in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- FY2026 Navy shipbuilding program$47.4BFY2026, largest single-year US shipbuilding investment since the Cold War
Triggers major construction and outfitting activity at public shipyards, with a distributed manufacturing model spanning 11 states. Newport News Shipbuilding, Virginia's largest industrial employer, is a primary beneficiary.
- Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarine contracts (combined)~$76.6B combinedMulti-year build program
HII's own reporting cites this as one combined figure across both concurrent submarine programs (Virginia-class: 9 boats plus material for a 10th; Columbia-class: 5 boats) rather than a per-class split. Sustained, large-scale demand for structural and pipe welders, marine pipefitters, and industrial electricians at Newport News Shipbuilding.
- HII shipbuilding work outsourcing2.5M+ hours in 2026 (+30% YoY)2026, across 25 locations in 11 states
Newport News Shipbuilding's parent company is outsourcing a record volume of shipbuilding work, signaling the regional labor pool cannot keep pace with the Navy's build schedule on its own.
Showing 3 of 4 projects tracked in this metro. The Virginia Beach market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for commercial pest control, and what kills offers in Virginia Beach.
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 Virginia Beach.
What do pest control workers earn in Virginia Beach?
BLS puts the Virginia Beach median for pest control workers at $45,270 a year, about the same as the $45,250 national median. That ranks 45th of 109 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Most of the market sits between $36,860 and $61,460, a 1.7x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. No other Virginia metro we cover pays more for this work (Richmond: $45,800).
Is it hard to hire pest control workers in Virginia Beach?
Not by national standards. Pest control workers make up 70% more of the Virginia Beach workforce than they do nationally, about 860 people. The 116 pest control companies here average about 11 employees per location. With 12% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which commercial pest control roles pay the most in Virginia Beach?
Of the roles we recruit for, Pest Control Branch / Route Manager pays the most in Virginia Beach, a $108,430 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Commercial Pest Control Technician at $45,270, 58% below it. Commercial Account Manager trails national pay the most (20% below).
How many pest control companies operate in Virginia Beach?
BLS counted 116 pest control companies in Virginia Beach in 2023, employing about 1,251 people between them. Up from 104 in 2018, a 12% increase against 16% growth nationally. That averages 11 people per location. They pay about the national average of $54,678.
Which nearby metros compete with Virginia Beach for pest control workers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Richmond (95 miles, about 420, $45,800 median), Washington, D.C. (152 miles, about 1,630, $48,010 median) and Raleigh (166 miles, about 820, $46,470 median). Washington, D.C. has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Washington, D.C. pays 6% more, which is where Virginia Beach employers tend to lose people.
Plenty of people. Few of them looking.
Virginia Beach 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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