Tree trimmers and pruners salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,940 | $18.24 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $50,960 | $24.50 |
| Mean (average) | $55,970 | $26.91 |
| 90th percentile | $80,310 | $38.61 |
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
Tree trimmers and pruners pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 50 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $41,500 | $33,350 | $57,390 | 890 | 1.19 |
| Arizona | $50,680 | $37,510 | $59,360 | ||
| Arkansas | $45,650 | $28,950 | $67,920 | 290 | 0.64 |
| California | $62,550 | $35,750 | $92,270 | 9,610 | 1.49 |
| Colorado | $51,390 | $47,600 | $61,660 | 1,200 | 1.18 |
| Connecticut | $48,930 | $37,670 | $78,720 | 360 | 0.6 |
| Delaware | $49,330 | $47,950 | $78,580 | ||
| Florida | $46,070 | $28,690 | $58,210 | 2,770 | 0.79 |
| Georgia | $46,910 | $26,210 | $62,230 | 1,030 | 0.59 |
| Hawaii | $56,990 | $46,310 | $77,160 | 170 | 0.77 |
| Idaho | $43,840 | $41,080 | $56,560 | ||
| Illinois | $64,450 | $50,300 | $90,840 | 700 | 0.32 |
| Indiana | $46,050 | $37,900 | $58,910 | 1,850 | 1.63 |
| Iowa | $42,890 | $20,440 | $68,530 | 380 | 0.69 |
| Kansas | $48,400 | $39,050 | $62,190 | 390 | 0.77 |
| Kentucky | $44,410 | $26,890 | $57,440 | 1,020 | 1.44 |
| Louisiana | $47,350 | $33,400 | $62,360 | 120 | 0.18 |
| Maine | $46,430 | $40,070 | $84,350 | ||
| Maryland | $47,210 | $39,310 | $64,110 | 730 | 0.75 |
| Massachusetts | $62,550 | $49,020 | $80,910 | 2,090 | 1.62 |
| Michigan | $57,550 | $45,500 | $66,880 | 1,840 | 1.18 |
| Minnesota | $77,460 | $63,580 | $77,460 | ||
| Mississippi | $41,560 | $35,650 | $60,520 | 260 | 0.63 |
| Missouri | $61,140 | $37,560 | $70,950 | 970 | 0.93 |
| Montana | $59,580 | $46,950 | $69,760 | 230 | 1.27 |
| Nebraska | $39,380 | $37,130 | $60,890 | ||
| Nevada | $51,210 | $39,850 | $62,940 | 190 | 0.35 |
| New Hampshire | $59,660 | $47,320 | $63,000 | 330 | 1.35 |
| New Jersey | $71,940 | $52,830 | $80,730 | ||
| New Mexico | $47,330 | $45,070 | $62,740 | ||
| New York | $62,400 | $41,600 | $83,700 | 3,750 | 1.09 |
| North Carolina | $48,480 | $36,130 | $62,600 | 1,560 | 0.89 |
| North Dakota | $44,820 | $32,010 | $59,760 | ||
| Ohio | $49,650 | $44,990 | $57,450 | 1,460 | 0.74 |
| Oklahoma | $46,950 | $38,110 | $56,170 | 860 | 1.42 |
| Oregon | $75,440 | $51,220 | $94,470 | 1,610 | 2.3 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,200 | $46,800 | $75,750 | 3,160 | 1.47 |
| Puerto Rico | $50,770 | $50,760 | $50,780 | ||
| Rhode Island | $61,040 | $59,880 | $71,170 | 110 | 0.64 |
| South Carolina | $43,660 | $29,960 | $60,610 | 430 | 0.53 |
| South Dakota | $50,430 | $40,040 | $70,650 | 270 | 1.63 |
| Tennessee | $47,350 | $38,060 | $61,480 | 710 | 0.61 |
| Texas | $39,880 | $35,610 | $49,220 | 4,460 | 0.89 |
| Utah | $56,890 | $52,070 | $71,260 | 200 | 0.33 |
| Vermont | $62,170 | $48,340 | $72,950 | 430 | 3.99 |
| Virginia | $48,550 | $38,930 | $59,350 | 1,070 | 0.74 |
| Washington | $63,850 | $44,530 | $93,620 | 700 | 0.55 |
| West Virginia | $49,140 | $36,350 | $57,260 | 1,420 | 5.7 |
| Wisconsin | $57,930 | $45,880 | $77,250 | 1,190 | 1.14 |
| Wyoming | $46,210 | $28,270 | $74,050 |
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 tree trimmers and pruners
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 7,900. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 24.4%.
- 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 tree trimmers and pruners
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-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
- Operate shredding and chipping equipment, and feed limbs and brush into the machines.
- Operate boom trucks, loaders, stump chippers, brush chippers, tractors, power saws, trucks, sprayers, and other equipment and tools.
- Cut away dead and excess branches from trees, or clear branches around power lines, using climbing equipment or buckets of extended truck booms, or chainsaws, hooks, handsaws, shears, and clippers.
- Clean, sharpen, and lubricate tools and equipment.
- Hoist tools and equipment to tree trimmers, and lower branches with ropes or block and tackle.
- Climb trees, using climbing hooks and belts, or climb ladders to gain access to work areas.
- Supervise others engaged in tree trimming work and train lower-level employees.
- Trim, top, and reshape trees to achieve attractive shapes or to remove low-hanging branches.
Technology skills
- Facebook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Complex Problem Solving, Coordination, Instructing, Service Orientation.
Common job titles: Arborist, Climber, Grounds Worker, Groundsman, Laborer, Plant Health Care Technician, Tree Climber, Tree Trimmer, Trimmer.
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 tree trimmers and pruners make?
The national median annual wage for tree trimmers and pruners was $50,960 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $37,940 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $80,310. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do tree trimmers and pruners need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and short-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is tree trimmers and pruners a growing career?
BLS projects employment of tree trimmers and pruners to change +4.2% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 7,900 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay tree trimmers and pruners the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Minnesota ($77,460), Oregon ($75,440), New Jersey ($71,940). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.