The Salary of a Tree Trimmer
Tree trimmers -- or arborists -- are grounds workers who maintain trees by cutting away dead growth and excess branches. They can specialize in pruning to ensure that trees do not block power lines or damage sidewalks, or in diagnosing and treating tree diseases. The job occurs mostly outdoors, and requires the use of pole saws, handsaws, shears and clippers.
Other People Are Reading
-
Training
-
No specific educational background is needed to enter the profession. Most tree trimmers learn their trade on the job. However, formal education is available in horticulture, landscape design or business management for those wanting to advance to higher-paid positions such as supervisor or designer. Voluntary certification from the Professional Grounds Management Society can increase opportunities and wages. States may require those who apply insecticides and other chemicals to obtain a license.
Salaries
-
Much of tree-trimming work in the United States is performed on a per-project or per-hour basis. The median hourly wage is $14.57, with a low of $9.83 and a high of $22.91. Those working in full-time positions can make $30,310 a year, with a low of $20,450 and a high of $47,650. This information is as of May 2009, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS.
-
Industries
-
The industries that hire the most tree trimmers are building and dwelling services, with an estimated 32,620 out of the total 37,830 positions, as of 2009. These employers include landscaping services who regularly maintain gardens and grounds. Unfortunately, they pay some of the lowest wages, $14.82 an hour or $30,830 annually. The best-paid tree trimmers work for the federal executive government, earning $24.53 an hour or $51,010 annually, according to the BLS. Not surprisingly, these jobs are hard to get, with only a few hundred positions available.
Geography
-
The state with the best-paying jobs for tree trimmers is Alaska, with earnings at $33.53 an hour or $69,740 a year, according to 2009 BLS statistics. This is most likely because the severe weather makes the work harder, thus making it difficult to attract workers. For urban areas, employers with the best salaries are in Barnstable Town, Massachusetts, an area with many trees and a four-season climate. Pay here is $25.41 an hour or $52,850 a year.
Outlook
-
The Bureau of Labor Statistics sees jobs for all landscape workers, including tree trimmers, growing at 18 percent from 2008 to 2018, which is much faster than average for all occupations. Business and other institutions are often surrounded by trees, used to attract both clients and staff. Trimmers are needed to maintain these landscapes. In addition, two-worker households may lack both the time and skill to trim trees at home and instead turn to professionals.
-
References
- Photo Credit tree trimmer up high image by Pix by Marti from Fotolia.com
