SalariesWhat the occupation covers
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).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 37-3013.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $37,940 | $3,162 | $730 | $18.24 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $44,840 | $3,737 | $862 | $21.56 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $50,960 | $4,247 | $980 | $24.50 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $63,900 | $5,325 | $1,229 | $30.72 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $80,310 | $6,692 | $1,544 | $38.61 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Tree Trimmers and Pruners is $50,960, which is about the same. Among the 10 occupations of the field Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance, it ranks number 2 by median pay. With 55,160 jobs, it makes up about 3.5 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Tree Trimmers and Pruners pay by state
The highest median pay was in Minnesota ($77,460), Oregon ($75,440) and New Jersey ($71,940). The lowest was in Nebraska ($39,380), Texas ($39,880) and Alabama ($41,500). The most jobs were in California (9,610), Texas (4,460) and New York (3,750). The occupation is most concentrated in West Virginia, where its share of all jobs is 5.7 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | not published | $77,460 | $72,860 | $37.24 |
| Oregon | 1,610 | $75,440 | $73,630 | $36.27 |
| New Jersey | not published | $71,940 | $69,760 | $34.59 |
| Illinois | 700 | $64,450 | $66,850 | $30.99 |
| Washington | 700 | $63,850 | $66,980 | $30.70 |
| California | 9,610 | $62,550 | $63,610 | $30.07 |
| Massachusetts | 2,090 | $62,550 | $66,100 | $30.07 |
| New York | 3,750 | $62,400 | $63,130 | $30.00 |
| Vermont | 430 | $62,170 | $61,040 | $29.89 |
| Missouri | 970 | $61,140 | $57,080 | $29.40 |
| Rhode Island | 110 | $61,040 | $61,150 | $29.35 |
| New Hampshire | 330 | $59,660 | $56,750 | $28.68 |
| Montana | 230 | $59,580 | $58,520 | $28.65 |
| Pennsylvania | 3,160 | $58,200 | $59,450 | $27.98 |
| Wisconsin | 1,190 | $57,930 | $58,290 | $27.85 |
| Michigan | 1,840 | $57,550 | $55,630 | $27.67 |
| Hawaii | 170 | $56,990 | $58,610 | $27.40 |
| Utah | 200 | $56,890 | $59,890 | $27.35 |
| Colorado | 1,200 | $51,390 | $54,020 | $24.71 |
| Nevada | 190 | $51,210 | $50,170 | $24.62 |
| Puerto Rico | not published | $50,770 | $49,310 | $24.41 |
| Arizona | not published | $50,680 | $50,920 | $24.36 |
| South Dakota | 270 | $50,430 | $54,370 | $24.25 |
| Ohio | 1,460 | $49,650 | $51,230 | $23.87 |
| Delaware | not published | $49,330 | $56,250 | $23.72 |
| West Virginia | 1,420 | $49,140 | $49,360 | $23.62 |
| Connecticut | 360 | $48,930 | $55,680 | $23.52 |
| Virginia | 1,070 | $48,550 | $49,800 | $23.34 |
| North Carolina | 1,560 | $48,480 | $52,020 | $23.31 |
| Kansas | 390 | $48,400 | $51,250 | $23.27 |
| Louisiana | 120 | $47,350 | $48,450 | $22.77 |
| Tennessee | 710 | $47,350 | $47,570 | $22.76 |
| New Mexico | not published | $47,330 | $52,530 | $22.76 |
| Maryland | 730 | $47,210 | $49,510 | $22.70 |
| Oklahoma | 860 | $46,950 | $48,030 | $22.57 |
| Georgia | 1,030 | $46,910 | $46,610 | $22.55 |
| Maine | not published | $46,430 | $51,920 | $22.32 |
| Wyoming | not published | $46,210 | $50,310 | $22.22 |
| Florida | 2,770 | $46,070 | $45,670 | $22.15 |
| Indiana | 1,850 | $46,050 | $47,100 | $22.14 |
| Arkansas | 290 | $45,650 | $47,180 | $21.95 |
| North Dakota | not published | $44,820 | $45,130 | $21.55 |
| Kentucky | 1,020 | $44,410 | $43,690 | $21.35 |
| Idaho | not published | $43,840 | $50,860 | $21.08 |
| South Carolina | 430 | $43,660 | $45,260 | $20.99 |
| Iowa | 380 | $42,890 | $44,890 | $20.62 |
| Mississippi | 260 | $41,560 | $44,550 | $19.98 |
| Alabama | 890 | $41,500 | $43,700 | $19.95 |
| Texas | 4,460 | $39,880 | $42,510 | $19.17 |
| Nebraska | not published | $39,380 | $43,990 | $18.94 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers$58,430 a year
- First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers$49,100 a year
- Grounds Maintenance Workers, All Other$46,860 a year
- Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation$46,340 a year
Common questions
How much do Tree Trimmers and Pruners earn in the United States?
The median pay was $50,960 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $37,940 and the highest-paid 10% more than $80,310.
How many people work as Tree Trimmers and Pruners?
About 55,160 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.
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