Career Explorer Buildings and grounds
Human edge, growing
Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation
Mix or apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or insecticides through sprays, dusts, vapors, soil incorporation, or chemical application on trees, shrubs, lawns, or crops. Usually requires specific training and state or federal certification.
Among the most resilient careers: more resilient than 82% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is low (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it low), and US jobs are projected to change by +3.9% by 2035, faster than average.
AI struggles with much of this work, and US employers are expected to hire more people into it than average.
- Median pay (2025)
- $46,340
- Job growth to 2035
- +3.9%
- Openings a year
- 3,300
- People doing it (2025)
- 25,700
- Usual route in
- High school diploma, then moderate on-the-job training
Where people already use AI for this work
- Prepare mixtures or solutions
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Apply protective solutions or coatings
- Operate agricultural or forestry equipment
- Clean tools, equipment, facilities, or work areas
What the work looks like
- Fill sprayer tanks with water and chemicals, according to formulas.
- Record information about pesticide applications, such as the type used and amount applied.
- Mix pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides for application to trees, shrubs, lawns, or botanical crops.
- Start motors and engage machinery, such as sprayer agitators or pumps or portable spray equipment.
- Lift, push, and swing nozzles, hoses, and tubes to direct spray over designated areas.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Food batchmakersHuman edge, growing, Index 85, +6.5%
- Grounds maintenance workers, all otherHuman edge, growing, Index 84, +3.7%
- Agricultural workers, all otherHuman edge, growing, Index 83, +3.8%
- Cooling and freezing equipment operators and tendersHuman edge, growing, Index 90, +5.9%
Also known as: Applicator, Chemical Applicator, Pesticide Applicator, Spray Technician (Spray Tech), Herbicide Applicator, IPM Technician (Integrated Pest Management Technician), Lawn Specialist, Shrub Technician (Shrub Tech).
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.