These 5 AI-proof jobs are hiring — here’s how much they pay and how to get them
pest control jobs featured in Marketwatch round-up of best ai-proof jobs
Job: Pest-control technician
Salary: $52,253
Requirements: State-mandated certification
The job targeting cockroaches, ants, mice and rats is less vulnerable to being replaced by AI. Pest control requires specialized expertise and non-repetitive work that’s done in the real world. It also involves the ability to communicate with stressed customers who want insects and vermin gone — and the stomach to accomplish the task.
“For jobs that require physical skills, AI replacement risk is still quite low,” said Felix Aidala, an economist at Indeed Hiring Lab. But pest control has an extra advantage. AI’s top risk for many blue-collar workers is that the technology provides customers with the ability to solve problems instead of calling a professional, he said.
Perhaps people could use AI to identify the weird bug crawling under their bed, he said. But “it’s hard to see homeowners putting up their own fumigation tents.”
As another bright spot, there’s no shortage of bugs — and pest control companies are looking for employees. More than one-third of pest-control businesses said their growth last year was constrained by having too few technicians, according to the National Pest Management Association.
Real earnings, including overtime and bonuses, routinely exceed the $48,000 to $55,000 range and jobs have good insurance benefits with room to grow, according to the organization. Some technicians make up to $100,000 and possibly more at the right company, according to one Reddit thread. “The potential to build a long-term, well-compensated career in this industry is very real,” the National Pest Management Association told MarketWatch.
