Building and grounds
Tree trimmers and pruners
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.
Median pay
$50,960
Growth to 2035
+4%
about as fast as average
Openings a year
7,900
Time to qualify*
1 month
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Tree trimmers and pruners
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Tree trimmers and pruners: 40% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core 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.
Also called: Arborist · Climber · Grounds Worker · Groundsman · Laborer · Plant Health Care Technician · Tree Climber · Tree Trimmer
Outlook and AI
Tree trimmers and pruners held 70,600 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 73,600 by 2035 (+4%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).
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