Tree Trimmers and Pruners Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks
SOC 37-3013 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data
Median Annual Salary
$50,960
$24.50/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Tree Trimmers and Pruners is $50,960 per year ($24.50/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $44,845 and $63,898 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $80,309 per year. There are approximately 55,160 tree trimmers and pruners employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
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.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+3.3%
About as fast as average
Annual openings
7K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
60K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
3% from new growth97% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Services to Buildings and Dwellings
NAICS 561700
50K
$50,520
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999300
3K
$63,810
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution
NAICS 221100
1K
$61,110
Employment Services
NAICS 561300
450
$42,070
Utility System Construction
NAICS 237100
210
$56,640
Wage range across top 5 industries: $42,070 to $63,810 (52% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$18.24
$37,939
P25
$21.56
$44,845
P50MEDIAN
$24.50
$50,960
P75
$30.72
$63,898
P90
$38.61
$80,309
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · other sector
Active
Openings Rate
3.4%
Quits Rate
2.0%
The labor market rebounded in March: hires jumped to 5.6M (+655K) and separations rose to 5.4M (+356K), both more than offsetting February's drop. Job openings held at 6.9M. Quits ticked to 2.0%.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average tree trimmers and pruners salary?
The national median salary for Tree Trimmers and Pruners is $50,960 per year ($24.50/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $44,845 and $63,898 annually.
How much do top-earning tree trimmers and pruners make?
The 90th percentile salary for Tree Trimmers and Pruners is $80,309 per year ($38.61/hr). The 75th percentile is $63,898 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for tree trimmers and pruners?
Entry-level Tree Trimmers and Pruners (10th percentile) earn approximately $37,939 per year ($18.24/hr). The 25th percentile is $44,845 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
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