Occupation salary profile

Tree Trimmers and Pruners

SOC 37-3013 BLS OEWS May 2025

Using sophisticated climbing and rigging techniques, cut away dead or excess branches from trees or shrubs to maintain right-of-way for roads, sidewalks, or utilities, or to improve appearance, health, and value of tree. Prune or treat trees or shrubs using handsaws, hand pruners, clippers, and power pruners. Works off the ground in the tree canopy and may use truck-mounted lifts. Excludes workers who primarily perform duties of “Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers” (37-3011) and “Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation” (37-3012).

National median · BLS
$50,960
▲ +1.05% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$55,970
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
55,160
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Tree Trimmers and Pruners

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$37,940
25th$44,840
Median (50th)$50,960
75th$63,900
90th — top pay$80,310

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Tree Trimmers and Pruners

BLS projects employment of tree trimmers and pruners to grow 4.2% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 7,900 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
70,600 → 73,600
+3,000 jobs
Projected change
+4.2%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
7,900
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
24.4% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a high school diploma →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Tree Trimmers and Pruners

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Operation and Control3.8
  • Operations Monitoring3.6
  • Critical Thinking3.3
  • Complex Problem Solving3.1
  • Monitoring3.1
  • Coordination3.0
  • Instructing3.0
  • Speaking3.0
  • Active Listening2.9
  • Equipment Selection2.9
Top knowledge areas
  • Customer and Personal Service3.6
  • Mechanical3.3
  • Public Safety and Security2.9
  • Production and Processing2.8
  • Transportation2.7
  • Education and Training2.7
  • English Language2.6
  • Administration and Management2.5
Software and technology used
FacebookMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft Word

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What tree trimmers and pruners do

  • 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.
Also called
ArboristGroundsmanTree ClimberTree TrimmerClimberGrounds WorkerLaborerPlant Health Care TechnicianTrimmer
More job titles for this occupation (22)
Brush Clearing LaborerBucket OperatorBucket Truck OperatorClimber TrimmerClimbing ArboristDiagnosticianGrape PrunerGroundspersonLine Clearance TrimmerLine Clearing Tree TrimmerPrunerSales ArboristTanbark LaborerTimber CutterTree DoctorTree ExpertTree PrunerTree SpecialistTree SurgeonTree WorkerUtility ArboristVine Pruner

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.