Tree Trimmers and Pruners
Tree Trimmers and Pruners (SOC 37-3013) earn a median $50,960 a year ($24.50 an hour) in the United States, with 55,160 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Minnesota.
What tree trimmers and pruners do
Tree trimmers and pruners remove dead or surplus branches from trees and shrubs, either to keep roads, sidewalks, and utility lines clear or to improve how a tree looks, how healthy it is, and what it is worth. They reach the work by climbing with hooks and belts, using ladders, or riding a bucket on an extended truck boom, and they often work off the ground in the canopy. Handsaws, hand pruners, clippers, chain saws, and power pruners do the cutting. Large limbs are lowered with ropes or block and tackle, and brush goes through chipping and shredding machines. They also shape, top, and trim trees, maintain and sharpen their tools, and some supervise and train less experienced workers. People who mostly do groundskeeping or pesticide work are classified elsewhere. Arborist and climber are alternate names for the job.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report less than a high school diploma as the usual education level (about 57 percent).
Also called: Arborist, Brush Clearing Laborer, Climber, Climber Trimmer, Diagnostician.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $18.24 | $21.56 | $24.50 | $30.72 | $38.61 | $26.91 | 55,160 |
| Annual | $37,940 | $44,840 | $50,960 | $63,900 | $80,310 | $55,970 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where tree trimmers and pruners earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $30.57 | $34.41 | $37.24 | $37.24 | $37.24 | $35.03 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $63,580 | $71,560 | $77,460 | $77,460 | $77,460 | $72,860 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $24.63 | $30.00 | $36.27 | $40.30 | $45.42 | $35.40 | 1,610 | 0.82 | 2.30 |
| Annual | $51,220 | $62,400 | $75,440 | $83,830 | $94,470 | $73,630 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $25.40 | $29.66 | $34.59 | $38.61 | $38.81 | $33.54 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $52,830 | $61,700 | $71,940 | $80,310 | $80,730 | $69,760 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $24.18 | $29.26 | $30.99 | $36.36 | $43.67 | $32.14 | 700 | 0.12 | 0.32 |
| Annual | $50,300 | $60,860 | $64,450 | $75,630 | $90,840 | $66,850 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $21.41 | $23.53 | $30.70 | $38.31 | $45.01 | $32.20 | 700 | 0.20 | 0.55 |
| Annual | $44,530 | $48,940 | $63,850 | $79,680 | $93,620 | $66,980 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $17.19 | $22.54 | $30.07 | $37.74 | $44.36 | $30.58 | 9,610 | 0.53 | 1.49 |
| Annual | $35,750 | $46,880 | $62,550 | $78,500 | $92,270 | $63,610 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $17.12 | $18.53 | $19.17 | $22.03 | $23.66 | $20.44 | 4,460 | 0.32 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $35,610 | $38,540 | $39,880 | $45,820 | $49,220 | $42,510 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $20.00 | $22.99 | $30.00 | $38.00 | $40.24 | $30.35 | 3,750 | 0.39 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $41,600 | $47,820 | $62,400 | $79,030 | $83,700 | $63,130 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $22.50 | $22.95 | $27.98 | $30.89 | $36.42 | $28.58 | 3,160 | 0.52 | 1.47 |
| Annual | $46,800 | $47,740 | $58,200 | $64,250 | $75,750 | $59,450 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $13.79 | $18.45 | $22.15 | $23.50 | $27.99 | $21.96 | 2,770 | 0.28 | 0.79 |
| Annual | $28,690 | $38,370 | $46,070 | $48,880 | $58,210 | $45,670 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Hourly | $33.30 | $34.41 | $37.24 | $37.24 | $37.24 | $35.44 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $69,250 | $71,570 | $77,460 | $77,460 | $77,460 | $73,710 | ||||
| New Haven, CT | Hourly | $18.37 | $29.14 | $36.75 | $38.61 | $47.82 | $33.22 | 40 | 0.15 | 0.43 |
| Annual | $38,210 | $60,600 | $76,450 | $80,310 | $99,460 | $69,100 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $23.05 | $28.82 | $36.53 | $40.63 | $48.44 | $35.66 | 990 | 0.42 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $47,940 | $59,940 | $75,980 | $84,510 | $100,750 | $74,180 | ||||
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | Hourly | $24.63 | $30.00 | $36.33 | $40.30 | $43.67 | $35.04 | 1,160 | 0.96 | 2.70 |
| Annual | $51,220 | $62,400 | $75,570 | $83,830 | $90,830 | $72,870 | ||||
| Syracuse, NY | Hourly | $24.15 | $30.75 | $36.13 | $37.50 | $43.91 | $34.71 | 130 | 0.42 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $50,230 | $63,960 | $75,140 | $78,000 | $91,340 | $72,190 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $17.19 | $17.19 | $29.06 | $37.18 | $43.45 | $28.73 | 3,150 | 0.50 | 1.42 |
| Annual | $35,750 | $35,750 | $60,440 | $77,330 | $90,370 | $59,760 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $18.50 | $18.63 | $19.07 | $21.71 | $22.03 | $20.08 | 2,120 | 0.64 | 1.81 |
| Annual | $38,470 | $38,740 | $39,660 | $45,160 | $45,820 | $41,760 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $22.50 | $25.64 | $30.26 | $36.42 | $36.42 | $30.28 | 1,580 | 0.55 | 1.54 |
| Annual | $46,800 | $53,330 | $62,940 | $75,750 | $75,750 | $62,980 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $20.75 | $20.80 | $28.97 | $36.46 | $41.21 | $28.99 | 1,270 | 1.17 | 3.31 |
| Annual | $43,150 | $43,270 | $60,260 | $75,840 | $85,710 | $60,290 | ||||
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | Hourly | $24.63 | $30.00 | $36.33 | $40.30 | $43.67 | $35.04 | 1,160 | 0.96 | 2.70 |
| Annual | $51,220 | $62,400 | $75,570 | $83,830 | $90,830 | $72,870 | ||||
Top industries employing tree trimmers and pruners
Services to Buildings and Dwellings employ 89.8% of tree trimmers and pruners nationally (49,520 jobs) at a median $50,520 a year ($24.29 an hour), followed by Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (4.8%) and Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (1.9%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Services to Buildings and Dwellings NAICS 561700 | 49,520 | 89.8% | $50,520 | $24.29 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 2,650 | 4.8% | $63,810 | $30.68 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution NAICS 221100 | 1,040 | 1.9% | $61,110 | $29.38 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 450 | 0.8% | $42,070 | $20.22 |
| Utility System Construction NAICS 237100 | 210 | 0.4% | $56,640 | $27.23 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (55,160). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $46,970 for tree trimmers and pruners in May 2021 and $50,960 in May 2025, with employment of 41,920 and 55,160.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $46,970 | $22.58 | 41,920 |
| May 2022 | $47,080 | $22.64 | 48,150 |
| May 2023 | $49,070 | $23.59 | 50,270 |
| May 2024 | $50,430 | $24.25 | 47,870 |
| May 2025 | $50,960 | $24.50 | 55,160 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
49 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota profile | $37.24 | $77,460 | $63,580 | $77,460 | ** | ** | ** |
| 2 | Oregon profile | $36.27 | $75,440 | $51,220 | $94,470 | 1,610 | 0.82 | 2.30 |
| 3 | New Jersey profile | $34.59 | $71,940 | $52,830 | $80,730 | ** | ** | ** |
| 4 | Illinois profile | $30.99 | $64,450 | $50,300 | $90,840 | 700 | 0.12 | 0.32 |
| 5 | Washington profile | $30.70 | $63,850 | $44,530 | $93,620 | 700 | 0.20 | 0.55 |
| 6 | California profile | $30.07 | $62,550 | $35,750 | $92,270 | 9,610 | 0.53 | 1.49 |
| 7 | Massachusetts profile | $30.07 | $62,550 | $49,020 | $80,910 | 2,090 | 0.57 | 1.62 |
| 8 | New York profile | $30.00 | $62,400 | $41,600 | $83,700 | 3,750 | 0.39 | 1.09 |
| 9 | Vermont profile | $29.89 | $62,170 | $48,340 | $72,950 | 430 | 1.42 | 3.99 |
| 10 | Missouri profile | $29.40 | $61,140 | $37,560 | $70,950 | 970 | 0.33 | 0.93 |
| 11 | Rhode Island profile | $29.35 | $61,040 | $59,880 | $71,170 | 110 | 0.23 | 0.64 |
| 12 | New Hampshire profile | $28.68 | $59,660 | $47,320 | $63,000 | 330 | 0.48 | 1.35 |
| 13 | Montana profile | $28.65 | $59,580 | $46,950 | $69,760 | 230 | 0.45 | 1.27 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania profile | $27.98 | $58,200 | $46,800 | $75,750 | 3,160 | 0.52 | 1.47 |
| 15 | Wisconsin profile | $27.85 | $57,930 | $45,880 | $77,250 | 1,190 | 0.41 | 1.14 |
| 16 | Michigan profile | $27.67 | $57,550 | $45,500 | $66,880 | 1,840 | 0.42 | 1.18 |
| 17 | Hawaii profile | $27.40 | $56,990 | $46,310 | $77,160 | 170 | 0.27 | 0.77 |
| 18 | Utah profile | $27.35 | $56,890 | $52,070 | $71,260 | 200 | 0.12 | 0.33 |
| 19 | Colorado profile | $24.71 | $51,390 | $47,600 | $61,660 | 1,200 | 0.42 | 1.18 |
| 20 | Nevada profile | $24.62 | $51,210 | $39,850 | $62,940 | 190 | 0.12 | 0.35 |
| 21 | Arizona profile | $24.36 | $50,680 | $37,510 | $59,360 | ** | ** | ** |
| 22 | South Dakota profile | $24.25 | $50,430 | $40,040 | $70,650 | 270 | 0.58 | 1.63 |
| 23 | Ohio profile | $23.87 | $49,650 | $44,990 | $57,450 | 1,460 | 0.26 | 0.74 |
| 24 | Delaware profile | $23.72 | $49,330 | $47,950 | $78,580 | ** | ** | ** |
| 25 | West Virginia profile | $23.62 | $49,140 | $36,350 | $57,260 | 1,420 | 2.02 | 5.70 |
| 26 | Connecticut profile | $23.52 | $48,930 | $37,670 | $78,720 | 360 | 0.21 | 0.60 |
| 27 | Virginia profile | $23.34 | $48,550 | $38,930 | $59,350 | 1,070 | 0.26 | 0.74 |
| 28 | North Carolina profile | $23.31 | $48,480 | $36,130 | $62,600 | 1,560 | 0.32 | 0.89 |
| 29 | Kansas profile | $23.27 | $48,400 | $39,050 | $62,190 | 390 | 0.27 | 0.77 |
| 30 | Louisiana profile | $22.77 | $47,350 | $33,400 | $62,360 | 120 | 0.06 | 0.18 |
| 31 | Tennessee profile | $22.76 | $47,350 | $38,060 | $61,480 | 710 | 0.22 | 0.61 |
| 32 | New Mexico profile | $22.76 | $47,330 | $45,070 | $62,740 | ** | ** | ** |
| 33 | Maryland profile | $22.70 | $47,210 | $39,310 | $64,110 | 730 | 0.26 | 0.75 |
| 34 | Oklahoma profile | $22.57 | $46,950 | $38,110 | $56,170 | 860 | 0.50 | 1.42 |
| 35 | Georgia profile | $22.55 | $46,910 | $26,210 | $62,230 | 1,030 | 0.21 | 0.59 |
| 36 | Maine profile | $22.32 | $46,430 | $40,070 | $84,350 | ** | ** | ** |
| 37 | Wyoming profile | $22.22 | $46,210 | $28,270 | $74,050 | ** | ** | ** |
| 38 | Florida profile | $22.15 | $46,070 | $28,690 | $58,210 | 2,770 | 0.28 | 0.79 |
| 39 | Indiana profile | $22.14 | $46,050 | $37,900 | $58,910 | 1,850 | 0.58 | 1.63 |
| 40 | Arkansas profile | $21.95 | $45,650 | $28,950 | $67,920 | 290 | 0.23 | 0.64 |
| 41 | North Dakota profile | $21.55 | $44,820 | $32,010 | $59,760 | ** | ** | ** |
| 42 | Kentucky profile | $21.35 | $44,410 | $26,890 | $57,440 | 1,020 | 0.51 | 1.44 |
| 43 | Idaho profile | $21.08 | $43,840 | $41,080 | $56,560 | ** | ** | ** |
| 44 | South Carolina profile | $20.99 | $43,660 | $29,960 | $60,610 | 430 | 0.19 | 0.53 |
| 45 | Iowa profile | $20.62 | $42,890 | $20,440 | $68,530 | 380 | 0.25 | 0.69 |
| 46 | Mississippi profile | $19.98 | $41,560 | $35,650 | $60,520 | 260 | 0.22 | 0.63 |
| 47 | Alabama profile | $19.95 | $41,500 | $33,350 | $57,390 | 890 | 0.42 | 1.19 |
| 48 | Texas profile | $19.17 | $39,880 | $35,610 | $49,220 | 4,460 | 0.32 | 0.89 |
| 49 | Nebraska profile | $18.94 | $39,380 | $37,130 | $60,890 | ** | ** | ** |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (37-3010), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 37-3013 Tree Trimmers and Pruners.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 37-3013, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 37-3013.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.