Pest Control Technicians in the Johnson City area earn a median of $36,190 a year, 19% below the typical U.S. metro. That ranks #228 of 243 metros for pest control technician pay nationwide.
Within driving distance, the same work pays more in Kingsport and Asheville.
It's one of 8 Tennessee metros with published pay for this trade; see pest control technicians across Tennessee.
Pest Control Technician pay in Johnson City at a glance
- Pest control technicians in the Johnson City, TN metro earn a median $36,190 a year ($17.40 an hour), #228 of 243 U.S. metros (BLS, May 2025).
- The middle 80% earn between $28,600 and $47,430.
- After local prices, that median buys what $41,159 would in a typical U.S. place (BEA, 2024).
- A typical 1-bedroom rents for $948 a month, 31% of the median pay (HUD, FY2027).
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Enter a rate to see where it falls among pest control technicians in Johnson City.
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What this means Our calculation
Pay for pest control technicians here is in the bottom 20% of U.S. metros, and also in the bottom 20% once local prices are factored in. For the wider job market, unemployment is lower than in most metros (3.6%) and the population is growing faster than most (+4.3% since 2020). On your own, you'd join about 9 one-person pest control businesses averaging $71,333 in revenue, and you'd need to bill roughly $54/hour to match the median salary (at our default assumptions).
Johnson City scorecard for pest control technicians Our calculation
Grades compare Johnson City with every other U.S. metro for this trade (A = top 20%).
Pay Government data
Pay range
Shaded: the middle half of workers. Grey line: typical U.S. metro ($44,460).
Compared with nearby metros
What the pay is really worth in Johnson City Our calculation
Prices in Johnson City run 12% below the U.S. average. Adjusted for that, a median paycheck here buys what $41,159 would in a typical place, ranking #199 of 242 on real pay.
Real pay or rent burden?
Real pay already accounts for housing, because the price index includes rent. Rent burden shows what share of pay a typical 1-bedroom takes. Use either one, not both together.
Want the full picture? Build a monthly budget for Johnson City from this pay, local rent and prices.
What pest control technicians do
Apply or release chemical solutions or toxic gases and set traps to kill or remove pests and vermin that infest buildings and surrounding areas.
Most important day-to-day tasks
- Record work activities performed.
- Clean work site after completion of job.
- Measure area dimensions requiring treatment, calculate fumigant requirements, and estimate cost for service.
- Spray or dust chemical solutions, powders, or gases into rooms, onto clothing, furnishings, or wood, or over marshlands, ditches, or catch basins.
- Recommend treatment and prevention methods for pest problems to clients.
Outlook & getting started
Nationally, pest control technician jobs are projected to grow 5.5% from 2025 to 2035 (all jobs: 3.5%), with about 13,700 openings a year. About 5% are self-employed.
What the work is like Government data
How often pest control technicians deal with each condition, from surveys of workers in the job.
Getting started usually takes some preparation (high school plus months of training).
O*NET 31.0 Work Context and Job Zones (U.S. Department of Labor), national.
Licensing in Tennessee Official source
The main state licensing office in Tennessee is the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors. It can point you to the right license for pest control technicians.
Official Tennessee licensing site ↗
Requirements for pest control technicians vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.
On-the-job safety Government data
Nationally, pest control technicians have 150 injuries or illnesses serious enough to miss work per 10,000 full-time workers, 1.7× the rate for all jobs (87). The most common cause is falls, slips and trips.
BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, 2023–2024 (national, cases with days away from work).
Highest-paying TN metros for pest control technicians
| Metro | Median | Real pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| NashvilleTENNESSEE · TN | $44,350 | $46,036 | 1,050 |
| KnoxvilleTENNESSEE · TN | $41,710 | $45,058 | 460 |
| ClarksvilleTENNESSEE · TN | $40,150 | $44,147 | 130 |
| MemphisTENNESSEE · TN | $39,860 | $43,242 | 650 |
| ChattanoogaTENNESSEE · TN | $38,410 | $41,995 | 280 |
| JacksonTENNESSEE · TN | $38,410 | $44,912 | 100 |
| KingsportTENNESSEE · TN | $38,110 | $44,085 | 70 |
| Johnson CityTENNESSEE · TN | $36,190 | $41,159 | 90 |
See every metro in Tennessee.
How much work is there? Government data
Local job market
The Johnson City area's unemployment rate was 3.6% in 2025 (all workers, not just pest control technicians), below the typical U.S. metro's 4.1%. It was 3.9% in 2021.
BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual averages 2021–2025 (2025 preliminary).
Getting to work
The average commute in the Johnson City area is 22 minutes each way, shorter than the typical metro (24 min). 10% of commuters spend 45 minutes or more. 76% drive alone, 0% take transit and 11% work from home (all workers, not just trades).
Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year estimates (table S0801).
Population
The Johnson City area's population grew 4.3% from 2020 to 2025 (207,475 → 216,416), ranking #115 of 387 metros for growth (typical metro +2.5%). People moving in (net +14,438) account for more than all of the change.
Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year, 2020–2025.
Homes in Johnson City
The Johnson City area has about 100,882 homes. 48% were built before 1980 (typical metro 45%), so its housing is older than most; 12% were built in 2010 or later. Older homes often need more repair, replacement and upgrade work. 69% of households own their home, and the median home value is $244,500.
Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year estimates (table DP04).
New construction
New-home permits in Johnson City are up 12% from 2021 to 2025 (819 → 915).
In 2025 the Johnson City area approved permits for 915 new homes (868 single-family), or 4.3 per 1,000 residents, ranking #158 of 393 metros.
Competition
In 2024 the area had 9 one-person businesses (no employees) in pest control, averaging $71,333 a year in revenue before expenses. See how Johnson City compares among the best cities to start a pest control technician business.
They compete with 13 pest control companies that have employees (about 130 workers in total). 62% of those companies have fewer than 5 employees.
Working outdoors in Johnson City Government data
In an average year, Johnson City has 23 days at 90°F or hotter (about typical; typical metro 33), 94 nights below freezing (typical 90) and 89 days with a tenth of an inch of rain or more, and 9 inches of snow. Summer afternoons average 85°F and winter nights 28°F. That matters for pest control technicians: heat and freezes shape the working season and the hours.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 averages, Bristol Tri City Airport, TN station. Compare cities on outdoor work weather.
Employee vs. working for yourself Your scenario
A model, not a market rate. It shows the break-even rate to match a $36,190 employee salary once you cover what an employer normally pays for (including the employer half of Social Security and Medicare, 7.65%), then adds your profit margin. Change any number.
Break-even rate
With your profit margin
How this calculator works. Weighing a contractor job against a W-2 one? Try the 1099 vs. W-2 comparison. Billable hours are hours you can charge a customer. Driving, quoting, paperwork and slow weeks aren't billable, which is why 1,400 is a common starting point versus 2,080 paid hours as an employee.
Get pest control technician pricing & estimate templates →Compare Johnson City with another city →
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ToolJohnson City budgetMonthly take-home, HUD rent and local prices on this pay.About this data
Local to the Johnson City metro: pay (BLS, May 2025) and pay over time (2020–2025, CPI-adjusted), prices (BEA, 2024), rent (HUD, FY2027), new construction, housing, population and commuting (Census), unemployment (BLS) and business counts (Census, by industry). National: job outlook and training (BLS projections), injury rates (BLS) and duties (O*NET). Jobs are employment estimates, not open positions; grades rank Johnson City against every other metro for pest control technicians. Every source, year and formula is on our data page.