Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation Salary
The median pay for a pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $49,550/year ($23.82/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $64K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.59), that's roughly $47,833 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,781/month, about 52.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $50K get you in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chicago-Naperville-Elgin’s Regional Price Parity (103.59). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
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What this looks like in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation pay in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin tracks closely to the national median, $50K locally vs. $46K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,781/month, which is 54.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.59) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetations in metros near Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Champaign-Urbana | $50K | $54K |
| Peoria | $46K | $50K |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $51K | $54K |
| Kansas City | $48K | $52K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Entry-level pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetations (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $64K or more, a $21K spread from bottom to top.
Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $63K | +36% | N/A |
| Delaware | $54K | +17% | 40 |
| Oregon | $52K | +11% | 290 |
| Hawaii | $51K | +11% | 60 |
| North Dakota | $50K | +9% | 280 |
| Ohio | $50K | +8% | 490 |
| Wyoming | $49K | +6% | 120 |
| Kansas | $49K | +6% | 520 |
| Minnesota | $49K | +6% | 950 |
| Pennsylvania | $49K | +5% | 360 |
| Arizona | $49K | +5% | 210 |
| Virginia | $49K | +5% | 240 |
| Indiana | $49K | +5% | 950 |
| New York | $48K | +4% | 220 |
| Rhode Island | $48K | +4% | 100 |
| Illinois | $48K | +4% | 1,040 |
| North Carolina | $48K | +4% | 360 |
| Nevada | $48K | +4% | 100 |
| Idaho | $48K | +3% | 610 |
| Nebraska | $48K | +3% | 380 |
| Washington | $47K | +2% | 470 |
| Tennessee | $47K | +2% | N/A |
| Colorado | $47K | +1% | 960 |
| Iowa | $47K | +1% | 600 |
| South Dakota | $46K | -0% | 460 |
| Wisconsin | $46K | -0% | 540 |
| Utah | $45K | -2% | 360 |
| Florida | $45K | -2% | 4,530 |
| California | $45K | -3% | 2,260 |
| Missouri | $45K | -3% | 450 |
| Michigan | $44K | -4% | 860 |
| Maryland | $44K | -4% | N/A |
| New Jersey | $44K | -4% | 320 |
| Alabama | $43K | -6% | 320 |
| Maine | $40K | -13% | 60 |
| Kentucky | $39K | -15% | 290 |
| Georgia | $39K | -16% | 1,300 |
| New Mexico | $39K | -16% | 120 |
| South Carolina | $38K | -18% | 610 |
| Arkansas | $38K | -18% | 490 |
| Montana | $38K | -19% | 630 |
| Oklahoma | $37K | -20% | 370 |
| Mississippi | $36K | -23% | 650 |
| Louisiana | $26K | -43% | 220 |
Showing 1–10 of 44 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Chicago-Naperville-Elgin numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 54.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,781/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetations in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetations typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,614/month. At HUD’s $1,781/month FMR, rent would take 68% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation a high-paying job in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $50K locally vs. $46K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin compare to the national average for pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetations?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.59), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetations make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median is $49,550 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,560, and experienced pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetations can clear $64,280. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,283/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,781/month, which eats 54.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation salary go in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin has a Regional Price Parity of 103.59 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation salary is worth about $47,833 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetations get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.