Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation Salary
The median pay for a pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA is $58,550/year ($28.15/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $77K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.42), so that salary is closer to $55,540 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,922/month, about 50.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $59K get you in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro’s Regional Price Parity (105.42). 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.
About pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetations
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What this looks like in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro sits well above the national pay line for pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation, local pay runs about 26% higher than the U.S. median of $46K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,922/month, which is 51.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.42), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetations in metros near Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Bend | $50K | $48K |
| Visalia | $39K | $39K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $46K | $41K |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $48K | $42K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
Entry-level pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetations (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $77K or more, a $28K 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation afford a 2BR apartment alone in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 51.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,922/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetations typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,944/month. At HUD’s $1,922/month FMR, rent would take 65% 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Local pay is 26% above the national median — $59K here vs. $46K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 5% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro compare to the national average for pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetations?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s +26%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetations make in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA?
The median is $58,550 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,070, and experienced pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetations can clear $77,290. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,707/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,922/month, which eats 51.8% 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro has a Regional Price Parity of 105.42 (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 $55,540 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.