Fallers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,180 | $16.91 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $52,100 | $25.05 |
| Mean (average) | $57,110 | $27.46 |
| 90th percentile | $82,360 | $39.60 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Fallers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 20 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Data unavailable | 80 | 1.77 | ||
| Arkansas | $67,060 | $43,580 | $71,410 | ||
| California | $59,590 | $49,180 | $76,770 | 260 | 0.71 |
| Georgia | $39,380 | $35,160 | $47,230 | 170 | 1.77 |
| Idaho | $78,330 | $61,780 | $121,750 | 190 | 11.04 |
| Indiana | $26,210 | $26,210 | $63,810 | 40 | 0.68 |
| Louisiana | $62,040 | $47,150 | $63,390 | 200 | 5.17 |
| Maryland | $58,300 | $47,530 | $66,780 | 60 | 1.13 |
| Michigan | $51,700 | $37,960 | $61,390 | 410 | 4.63 |
| Mississippi | $54,110 | $41,360 | $84,020 | 140 | 6.13 |
| New York | $36,190 | $32,240 | $72,020 | 120 | 0.6 |
| North Carolina | $46,080 | $29,500 | $63,460 | 200 | 2.01 |
| Ohio | $47,700 | $40,670 | $59,350 | ||
| Oregon | $84,490 | $47,800 | $135,250 | 180 | 4.55 |
| Pennsylvania | Data unavailable | 80 | 0.65 | ||
| South Carolina | $76,350 | $55,680 | $88,400 | 130 | 2.73 |
| Tennessee | $47,560 | $35,140 | $77,310 | 80 | 1.22 |
| Virginia | $48,340 | $35,130 | $54,960 | 330 | 4.04 |
| Washington | $77,340 | $63,400 | $115,940 | ||
| Wisconsin | $50,010 | $50,010 | $98,910 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for fallers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 500. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 30.4%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for fallers
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- NO MATCH CIP 99.9999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Saw back-cuts, leaving sufficient sound wood to control direction of fall.
- Control the direction of a tree's fall by scoring cutting lines with axes, sawing undercuts along scored lines with chainsaws, knocking slabs from cuts with single-bit axes, and driving wedges.
- Stop saw engines, pull cutting bars from cuts, and run to safety as tree falls.
- Select trees to be cut down, assessing factors such as site, terrain, and weather conditions before beginning work.
- Measure felled trees and cut them into specified log lengths, using chain saws and axes.
- Insert jacks or drive wedges behind saws to prevent binding of saws and to start trees falling.
- Assess logs after cutting to ensure that the quality and length are correct.
- Appraise trees for certain characteristics, such as twist, rot, and heavy limb growth, and gauge amount and direction of lean, to determine how to control the direction of a tree's fall with the least damage.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Assisi Compiler
- Assisi Software Assisi Inventory
- Assisi Software Assisi Manager
- Assisi Software Assisi Resource
- BCS Woodlands Software The Logger Tracker
- BCS Woodlands Software Woodlands Tracker
- ESRI ArcView
- Geographic information system GIS systems
Transferable skills for career changers: Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management, Complex Problem Solving, Equipment Maintenance.
Common job titles: Bucker, Cutter Operator, Feller, Logger, Sawyer, Timber Cutter, Timber Faller, Timber Feller, Tree Faller, Tree Feller.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do fallers make?
The national median annual wage for fallers was $52,100 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $35,180 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $82,360. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do fallers need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is fallers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of fallers to change -9.9% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 500 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay fallers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Oregon ($84,490), Idaho ($78,330), Washington ($77,340). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.