Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation
SOC Code: 37-3012
Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation carries a 21% AI exposure score (Medium automation risk), with a median annual wage of $45,200 and +3.8% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 29,600 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
AI Exposure vs Industry Growth
Total occupations tracked
832
Covering all SOC major groups
Data currency
2024
BLS Employment Projections
AI exposure avg
40%
Fleet-wide median across all roles
Composite score weighing O*NET task data completeness, BLS projection methodology, and cross-validation with employer risk grades.
Employment Projections
Occupation Insight
Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation (SOC 37-3012) carries an AI exposure score of 21%, placing it in the Medium automation-risk tier. This score is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each task an occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score below 40% reflects tasks anchored in physical dexterity, unstructured environments, or high-touch human interaction that current AI cannot reliably replicate.
The economic context matters alongside the risk score. BLS counted approximately 29,600 workers in this occupation in 2024, and projects a +3.8% change through 2034 — modest growth that keeps the occupation viable even as tasks evolve. Median annual compensation stands at $45,200, reflecting both skill scarcity and the value employers place on the tasks that remain difficult to automate. Entry typically requires High school diploma or equivalent, plus None of related experience.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure. Pair the AI exposure score with the BLS employment projection and wage percentiles above for a complete career assessment.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Mix pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides for application to trees, shrubs, lawns, or botanical crops.
- 2. Fill sprayer tanks with water and chemicals, according to formulas.
- 3. Lift, push, and swing nozzles, hoses, and tubes to direct spray over designated areas.
- 4. Identify lawn or plant diseases to determine the appropriate course of treatment.
- 5. Cover areas to specified depths with pesticides, applying knowledge of weather conditions, droplet sizes, elevation-to-distance ratios, and obstructions.
- 6. Start motors and engage machinery, such as sprayer agitators or pumps or portable spray equipment.
- 7. Connect hoses and nozzles selected according to terrain, distribution pattern requirements, types of infestations, and velocities.
- 8. Clean or service machinery to ensure operating efficiency, using water, gasoline, lubricants, or hand tools.
- 9. Provide driving instructions to truck drivers to ensure complete coverage of designated areas, using hand and horn signals.
- 10. Plant grass with seed spreaders, and operate straw blowers to cover seeded areas with mixtures of asphalt and straw.
Key Skills Required
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Time Management
- Reading Comprehension
- Social Perceptiveness
- Coordination
- Complex Problem Solving
- Operations Monitoring
- Operation and Control
Knowledge Areas
- Customer and Personal Service
- Biology
- Production and Processing
- English Language
- Administration and Management
- Public Safety and Security
- Education and Training
- Mathematics
- Law and Government
- Transportation
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation?
Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation has an AI exposure score of 21%, indicating a medium level of automation risk. The majority of tasks in this role require human judgment, creativity, or physical presence that AI cannot easily replicate.
What is the job outlook for Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation is projected to grow by 3.8% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 29,600 workers.
What skills are needed for Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation?
Key skills for Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation include Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, and others. Typical entry-level education is High school diploma or equivalent.
How much do Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation earn?
The median annual wage for Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation is $45,200, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation?
The typical entry-level education for Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation is High school diploma or equivalent. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Moderate-term on-the-job training. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation?
Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
Medium automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. Most tasks require human judgment and are resistant to automation.
Related Occupations
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Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).