# 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/tree-trimmers-and-pruners
- SOC code: 37-3013.00
- Career family: Building and grounds
- Median annual pay: $50,960 (10th percentile $37,940, 90th percentile $80,310)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +4.2%
- Openings a year: 7,900
- Typical entry education: High school diploma
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code RCI)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 100 |
| Investigative (I) | 19 |
| Artistic (A) | 0 |
| Social (S) | 13 |
| Enterprising (E) | 4 |
| Conventional (C) | 35 |

## What you'd do

- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials (importance 94/100)
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment (importance 89/100)
- Performing General Physical Activities (importance 81/100)
- Getting Information (importance 78/100)
- Handling and Moving Objects (importance 75/100)
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 74/100)
- Controlling Machines and Processes (importance 72/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 71/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 71/100)
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 65/100)

## Skills

Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving, Monitoring, Coordination, Instructing, Speaking, Active Listening, Equipment Selection

## Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service, Mechanical, Public Safety and Security, Production and Processing, Transportation, Education and Training, English Language, Administration and Management, Law and Government, Physics

## Also called

Arborist, Brush Clearing Laborer, Bucket Operator, Bucket Truck Operator, Climber, Climber Trimmer, Climbing Arborist, Diagnostician, Grape Pruner, Grounds Worker

## Related careers

- [Fallers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/fallers): $52,100 median pay
- [Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/landscaping-and-groundskeeping-workers): $39,150 median pay
- [Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/pesticide-handlers-sprayers-and-applicators-vegetation): $46,340 median pay
- [Forest and Conservation Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/forest-and-conservation-workers): $43,680 median pay
- [Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/farmworkers-and-laborers-crop-nursery-and-greenhouse): $35,660 median pay
- [Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/operating-engineers-and-other-construction-equipment-operators): $59,850 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.