Building & Grounds Maintenance
Tree Trimmers and Pruners
Also called: Arborist, Climber, Grounds Worker, Groundsman
US median pay
$50,960
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+4.2%
about average or slower
Openings a year (US)
7,900
70,600 employed
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Preparation 2/5 · Some preparation
What this job is
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.
What they do day to day
- 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.
- Load debris and refuse onto trucks and haul it away for disposal.
- Inspect trees to determine if they have diseases or pest problems.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Operation and Control3.8/5
- Operations Monitoring3.6/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.1/5
- Instructing3.0/5
- Coordination3.0/5
- Service Orientation2.9/5
- Equipment Selection2.9/5
- Troubleshooting2.8/5
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service3.6/5
- Mechanical3.3/5
- Public Safety and Security2.9/5
- Production and Processing2.8/5
- Transportation2.7/5
- Education and Training2.7/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 2 of 5 — Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma; some previous work experience or training helps.
Typical entry education (BLS): High school diploma or equivalent.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Less than high school57%
- High school diploma37%
Who this job suits
Mostly Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.