Prevailing Wage for Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation
Chemical Applicator roles, including positions titled Lawn Technician, Licensed Pesticide Applicator, and Integrated Pest Management Technician (IPM Technician), must meet the DOL prevailing wage before an employer can sponsor a visa. DOL sets four experience levels for this occupation, and the floor shifts considerably depending on the worksite city.
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Entry-level Chemical Applicator positions with minimal prior experience, typically working under close supervision while learning application methods, equipment operation, and state certification requirements. Employers commonly file Level 1 for recent hires with no independent licensing history.
Qualified applicators who hold a state pesticide applicator license and can handle routine treatment programs with limited supervision. Level 2 is the most common filing level for this occupation, reflecting the licensing threshold most employers require before independent fieldwork.
Experienced applicators who manage complex treatment schedules, train junior technicians, or specialize in areas such as integrated pest management or turf disease control. These professionals typically hold multiple state or commercial certifications and work with minimal oversight.
Fully competent applicators in senior or lead roles with broad program authority, including client account oversight, compliance management, or regional crew supervision. Employers file Level 4 for applicators whose scope includes mentoring staff or directing multi-site operations.
Prevailing Wage for Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Chemical Applicator and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Verify your state license matches your filed level
Pesticide applicator licensing tiers vary by state, and employers sometimes file an L1 LCA for a candidate who already holds a commercial applicator license. Holding an active state license typically signals L2 eligibility, so confirm the filed level reflects your certification before signing an offer.
Watch how seasonal bonus pay is counted
Lawn care and vegetation management employers often structure compensation with a base wage plus seasonal production bonuses. Only guaranteed wages count toward the prevailing wage floor on your LCA; production bonuses and performance pay cannot be used to close a gap below the DOL floor.
Compare Boston and Seattle against lower-paying metros
Top-paying metros for this occupation, including Boston and Seattle, carry wage floors significantly above the national median, while metros like Oklahoma City sit well below it. If your offer is in a high-cost market, confirm the worksite city on the LCA matches where you will actually work.
Find employers who have sponsored this role before
Migrate Mate shows which employers have historical visa sponsorship records for vegetation management and pesticide applicator roles, letting you filter by visa type and location so you can focus on companies that have actually filed for this occupation rather than speculating about willingness.
Jobs for Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Chemical ApplicatorPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 37-3012.00 alongside Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Chemical Applicator Prevailing Wage
Chemical Applicator Prevailing Wage
Chemical Applicator positions fall under SOC 37-3012.00 (Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Integrated Pest Management Technician (IPM Technician) Prevailing Wage
Integrated Pest Management Technician (IPM Technician) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Integrated Pest Management Technician (IPM Technician) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 37-3012.00 (Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Lawn Specialist Prevailing Wage
Lawn Specialist Prevailing Wage
Lawn Specialist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 37-3012.00 (Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Lawn Technician Prevailing Wage
Lawn Technician Prevailing Wage
Lawn Technician positions fall under SOC 37-3012.00 (Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Licensed Pesticide Applicator Prevailing Wage
Licensed Pesticide Applicator Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Licensed Pesticide Applicator for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 37-3012.00 (Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Pest Control Technician Prevailing Wage
Pest Control Technician Prevailing Wage
Pest Control Technician is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 37-3012.00 (Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Pesticide Applicator Prevailing Wage
Pesticide Applicator Prevailing Wage
Pesticide Applicator positions fall under SOC 37-3012.00 (Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Spray Applicator Prevailing Wage
Spray Applicator Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Spray Applicator for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 37-3012.00 (Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Spray Technician Prevailing Wage
Spray Technician Prevailing Wage
Spray Technician is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 37-3012.00 (Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Tree and Shrub Technician Prevailing Wage
Tree and Shrub Technician Prevailing Wage
Tree and Shrub Technician positions fall under SOC 37-3012.00 (Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for a Chemical Applicator role?
DOL determines the prevailing wage for Chemical Applicator positions using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. For each area, DOL publishes four wage levels tied to experience and responsibility. Employers sponsoring a visa must submit a Labor Condition Application through OFLC certifying that the offered wage meets or exceeds the applicable level for the worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
The four levels reflect increasing experience and responsibility: Level 1 covers entry-level work under close supervision, Level 2 covers licensed applicators working independently on routine programs, Level 3 covers experienced specialists or those who train others, and Level 4 covers senior lead roles with program or staff oversight. Your level should match the actual duties and supervision described in your job offer, not just your years of experience. If the LCA level seems lower than your role warrants, ask the employer to review the position description before filing.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Chemical Applicator role vary so much from city to city?
DOL derives area wages from regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so the floor reflects what employers in each metro actually pay. Labor markets in Boston or Seattle have higher baseline wages for lawn and vegetation technicians than markets in Oklahoma City or Puerto Rico. The worksite location on the LCA, not the employer's headquarters, determines which area wage applies, so a role that moves to a different metro requires a new or amended LCA at that city's rate.
What happens if my job offer for a sponsored position is below the prevailing wage?
OFLC will not certify a Labor Condition Application where the offered wage falls below the prevailing wage for the worksite area and experience level. If the LCA is not certified, the employer cannot file the underlying visa petition with USCIS. An uncertified LCA means the sponsorship process stops before it reaches USCIS review. The employer must either raise the offered wage to meet the floor or file at a lower experience level that corresponds to a wage floor the offer does satisfy.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Chemical Applicator job at a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool, which is DOL's official lookup for prevailing wages by occupation and metropolitan area. Search for SOC code 37-3012 and select the worksite metro to see the current L1 through L4 wages for that area. You can also check O*NET for occupation details that help confirm the correct SOC code applies to the duties in your offer. Always verify directly through OFLC because wages update annually and figures from secondary sources may be outdated.
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