Pest controllers: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time pest controllers in the UK earned a median £28,323 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): 27% less than the £39,039 median for all full-time jobs.
What the figures show
It is in the lowest-paid third of the 382 occupations (71st from the bottom).
Median full-time pay: women £25,057 a year, men £28,718 a year.
Paid hours are long: a full-time median of 40 a week including overtime, against 37.5 across all jobs.
Since 2021 it has risen 13.6%, from £24,943, slower than the 25.0% for all jobs.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30th percentile | – | – | – | – | – | £13.28 |
| 40th percentile | – | £537.40 | £14.29 | £25,154* | £531.40 | £14.37 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £28,323* | £558.70 | £14.42 | £27,487* | £539.70 | £14.84 |
| 60th percentile | £29,521* | £586.60* | £15.01* | £28,574* | £563.00* | £15.07 |
| Mean | £29,850 | £614.20 | £15.06 | £28,623 | £587.80 | £15.13 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £24,943* | £468.80 | £11.71 | £22,642* | £460.30 |
| 2022 revised | £27,133* | £521.30* | £12.93 | £26,513* | £518.70* |
| 2023 revised | £28,196 | £549.20* | £13.18 | – | £470.70* |
| 2024 revised | £30,726 | £546.60 | £14.18 | £29,660 | £526.80 |
| 2025 provisional | £28,323* | £558.70 | £14.42 | £27,487* | £539.70 |
What pest controllers do
Pest controllers investigate the presence of pests that are hazardous to public health or cause nuisance, lay traps to capture pests and treat areas of infestation. (ONS SOC 2020, 6121)
Also covers: fumigator, pest control officer, pest control technician, pest controller, destroyer (pest), disinfecting officer, exterminator (pest), infestation inspector, mole catcher, pest officer, rat catcher, rodent inspector, rodent officer, rodent operative, rodent operator, woodworm specialist, colorado beetle operator and pest control inspector (26 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Receives reports from public, property owners and authorities regarding the presence of pests and infestations
- Visits sites to investigate the presence of rodents, infestations and other pests that may be hazardous to public health
- Lays traps to capture pests, and fumigates and disinfects areas to remove infestations
- Advises property owners on courses of action to prevent the return of pests
- Liaises with environmental health officers, housing officers and other relevant authorities where measures on a large scale are required to remove pests
- Returns to sites to examine contents of traps laid and the continued presence of reported pests
There are no formal academic entry qualifications, though some employers may expect entrants to possess GCSEs/S grades. Training is provided on-the-job, supplemented by specialist courses covering different aspects of pest control.
Related
Animal care and control services (median £25,387) · Animal care services occupations n.e.c · Playworkers · salary percentile · Average weekly hours worked in the UK · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026