- The New Mexico Department of Agriculture issues a Commercial Applicator license for anyone who applies pesticides on someone else's property for pay.
- Two years of experience applying pesticides, or 20 college credit hours in biological or agricultural sciences plus one year. Termite work needs one more year of specific experience and four hours of approved training.
- Plan for a trade exam.
- Pay runs from about $13.75 an hour for the lowest-paid tenth of pest control technicians to $33.85 for the top tenth.
- Jobs are projected to grow 8.1% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 3.2% projected nationally.
The path in New Mexico, step by step
New Mexico licenses pest control work at the state level through the New Mexico Department of Agriculture, Pesticide Compliance. These are the steps it lays out, in order.
- Fill out the Commercial Applicator application form.
- Document your experience or education.
- Pass the National Core exam and at least one category exam.
- Show proof of financial responsibility and pay the $100 license fee, all within 60 days.
The full license guide, with every fee and form: pest control license in New Mexico.
Finding an apprenticeship in New Mexico
New Mexico runs Registered Apprenticeship through its own State Apprenticeship Agency, recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor to register and oversee programs there. Its staff are state employees, and it may use the federal paperwork or forms of its own. Apprenticeship.gov lists the New Mexico State Apprenticeship Agency as the contact.
Either way, a registered program means paid work with a mentor, raises as you progress, classroom instruction and a credential recognized in every state. Search open spots in the Apprenticeship Job Finder.
Across the country. Pest control is learned mostly on the job rather than in a long apprenticeship. Training can usually be finished in less than 3 months.
License levels and exams in New Mexico
The license to aim for: Commercial Applicator license.
Trade exam. The National Core exam, which also covers New Mexico laws and rules, and at least one pest control category exam.
Coming from another state. License holders in other states may have some certifications recognized and may only need to pass the New Mexico laws test.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Category 7D, Wood-Destroying Pest Control | Termites and other wood destroying organisms, including inspections. |
What the New Mexico license costs
The fees the New Mexico Department of Agriculture, Pesticide Compliance lists. Exam fees from a testing company, insurance and any bond come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Commercial Applicator license | $100 |
| Exam given by department staff, each | $20 |
What pest control technicians earn in New Mexico
The median pest control technician in New Mexico earned $17.82 an hour in May 2025, the lowest median of 50 states, with 320 on payrolls. The national median was $21.75.
At the bottom of the range, a quarter of pest control technicians in New Mexico earned under $16.61 an hour and a tenth under $13.75. At the top, a quarter earned over $20.12 and a tenth over $33.85.
| Pay level | Hourly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $13.75 | $28,600 |
| 25th percentile | $16.61 | $34,540 |
| Median | $17.82 | $37,070 |
| 75th percentile | $20.12 | $41,850 |
| 90th percentile | $33.85 | $70,410 |
Every state, the neighbors and what a business should charge: pest control technician salary in New Mexico.
Jobs ahead in New Mexico
New Mexico's labor market office projects jobs for pest control technicians growing from 370 in 2022 to 400 in 2032, a change of 8.1%. Counting people who retire or change careers, that is about 50 openings a year.
Jobs are projected to grow 8.1% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 3.2% projected nationally, ranking 23rd of the 39 states in the file.
These are the state's own long-term projections, published together on Projections Central for the occupation group pest control workers.
Starting your own pest control technician business in New Mexico
To contract on your own in New Mexico, the license is the Commercial Applicator license.
Insurance. Liability insurance or a surety bond of at least $25,000 each aggregate for bodily injury and property damage on ground applications.
Bond. A surety bond can be used instead of a liability policy to show financial responsibility.
Pricing comes next. Paying yourself the New Mexico median of $17.82 an hour, the labor rate calculator's starting numbers (one person, 2 unbilled hours a day, $90,000 of overhead, 15% profit) come to $101.88 per billable hour. Try your own in the labor rate calculator.
The full checklist is in how to start a pest control business. The free Koira Office plan gives you a website on a Koira address, estimates customers sign with a deposit, invoices with card payments and your day's jobs in one place, with no per-person fee. See the plans.
Where this comes from
The license steps, fees and rules are from the official pages below, read on the date shown. Pay is the BLS May 2025 state estimate, the job outlook is New Mexico's own long-term projection, and the apprenticeship details are from the U.S. Department of Labor. A detail an official page did not confirm is left out.
- Commercial applicators (checked 2026-10-09)
- Pesticide license types (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 37-2021
- Projections Central, long-term occupational projections 2022 to 2032 (state labor market offices) (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, Apprenticeship System (Office of Apprenticeship and State Apprenticeship Agencies) (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, State Offices (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, Registered Apprenticeship Program (checked 2026-10-09)
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Pest Control Workers (checked 2026-10-09)
Training, schools and certifications for every state: how to become a pest control technician.