How Much Does a Rat Exterminator Cost in 2025?
Exterminating rats costs an average of $394
A rat exterminator costs most homeowners between $176 and $614 or $394 on average. Minor jobs can run as low as $80, while severe or hard-to-reach infestations can reach $1,500.
Cost factors include the severity of infestation and the method used for extermination.
You may also face plumbing, HVAC, and drywall repairs after extermination.
You can reduce costs by investing in a proper professional rodent inspection and setting your own traps.
This article was updated using automation technology and thoroughly reviewed for accuracy by HomeAdvisor Editor Ryan Noonan.
On average, homeowners spend between $176 and $614 on rat exterminator costs, with an average cost of $394. Key cost factors include infestation severity and extermination method. Proper budgeting and professional extermination assistance help ensure safe, rapid, and effective rodent control.
Mouse and Rat Exterminator Cost Factors
Your rat exterminator costs depend on a couple of key cost factors. Here’s a closer look at how your total breaks down.
Infestation Severity
The severity of the infestation determines the price because it impacts what treatment methods are necessary and how many follow-up visits the rodent exterminator needs to make. Keep in mind, fumigation is often a last resort. For severe infestations, professional treatment may require fumigation, which costs $1 to $3 per square foot, translating to roughly $2,000 to $6,000 for a 2,000-square-foot home.
Removal Method
You can choose from various methods to catch or kill rodents. We discuss them in detail below.
Live Removal
Live removal costs vary by region, but plan on $50 per rat for trapping and relocation. The added expense comes from relocating the pests at least one mile from any home, which takes time, adds mileage to vehicles, and uses extra fuel.
Some pros advise against this method for rodents since they’re likely to die outside in the winter. It’s also illegal in some areas to prevent rodents from becoming invasive to new ecosystems and harming the environment.
Fumigation
Rat fumigation costs $1 to $3 per square foot, or $2,000 to $6,000 for a 2,000-square-foot home. However, qualified pros can easily control any rodent infestation with bait, traps, and exclusion; most don't even offer fumigation services. Only fumigate as a last resort. It's disruptive and harmful for several reasons, such as the following:
Fumigation can expose you, your family, and your pets to chemicals.
You'll need to move out of your home for a few days.
It leaves dead rodents to decompose in the walls.
Chemicals escape into the environment, possibly causing harm.
Lethal Traps
Lethal traps are the most common way exterminators remove rodents from a home. Fees increase if your local rodent exterminator needs to set more than 10 traps.
Trap costs vary depending on the type of trap used, with the most common being traditional snap traps, jaw traps, glue traps, CO2 traps, and electronic traps.
Budgeting for Rodent Extermination
There’s no way to get around paying for rodent extermination when you need it, but there are a few ways you can reduce the costs:
Schedule a professional inspection, which costs between $100 and $200, to assess the scope of the problem and avoid paying for unnecessary services.
Consider setting up your own traps if you have a minor infestation.
Seal any entry points into your home as soon as you notice them—you can also fill cavities with steel wool to discourage rodents from traveling through them.
Contact a professional pest control technician in your area as soon as you notice rodents, as unchecked infestations can escalate rapidly.
Pay to have your home professionally sealed after extermination to prevent future infestations.
How HomeAdvisor Gets Its Cost Data
No place is more important than your home, which is why HomeAdvisor connects homeowners with local pros to transform their houses into homes they love. To help homeowners prepare for their next project, HomeAdvisor provides readers with accurate cost data and follows strict editorial guidelines. We surveyed thousands of real customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Rodent exclusion seals every gap, vent, and crack that rodents use to sneak inside your home. Most homeowners pay an average of $200 to $600 for this add-on. By blocking entry points, you create a long-term barrier that cuts down on repeat infestations and helps protect both your family and your property.
Pros start with an inspection, then place tamper-resistant bait stations and traps in high-traffic spots. They’ll also seal entry points and clean droppings to reduce health risks. Follow-up visits confirm that the plan worked and that no new rodents have moved in. This step-by-step approach removes the current infestation and helps keep your home rodent-free going forward.
A trained pest-control pro can pinpoint hidden access points using a flashlight, thermal imaging, and plenty of crawl-space sleuthing. During an inspection, the specialist maps every gap, vent, or pipe run that rats use, then explains how to seal each one. This detailed report lets you tackle the weak spots immediately and dramatically lowers the odds of another infestation.
Rodent prevention starts with managing food and entry points. Store pantry items in airtight containers, take out trash promptly, and keep pet food sealed. Outside, trim vegetation and stack firewood away from the house. Inside, seal gaps with steel wool or hardware cloth. A tidy yard and a buttoned-up home give rats and mice few reasons—or routes—to move in.
For wall or attic nests, pros place snap traps or CO2-powered units in the exact runways rats use, then return to remove carcasses and reset as needed. Poison is risky indoors because rats may die in hidden spots, creating odors or health issues, so most technicians avoid it. Once trapping is complete, they’ll seal entry points and clean droppings to finish the job.
Plan on several weeks, especially for larger infestations. Your pro will set traps, return every few days to collect rats, and adjust placement until activity stops. Final visits include sealing access points and sanitizing affected areas. Timelines vary, but most homes are rat-free after two to four follow-ups. Prompt scheduling and good sanitation can shorten the process.
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