What Does A Tree Trimmer and Pruner Do (including Their Typical Day at Work)

Stan T.Career, Overview

Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz

Tree Trimmers and Pruners

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.

Salary
$44040
Becoming One
Easy
Education
No degree required
Job Satisfaction
Job Growth

Personality
Interest Match


What they do

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.

  • 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.
  • Cutaway 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.

Typical day

On a daily basis, Tree Trimmers and Pruners clean, sharpen, and lubricate tools and equipment. They operate shredding and chipping equipment and feed limbs and brush into the machines.

A typical day for a Tree Trimmer and Pruner will also include:

  • Hoist tools and equipment to tree trimmers, and lower branches with ropes or block and tackle.
  • Collect debris and refuse from tree trimming and removal operations into piles, using shovels, rakes, or other tools.
  • Trim jagged stumps, using saws or pruning shears.
  • Load debris and refuse onto trucks and haul it away for disposal.
  • Inspect trees to determine if they have diseases or pest problems.

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Tree Trimmers and Pruners also apply tar or other protective substances to cut surfaces or seal surfaces and to protect them from fungi and insects. They may also cable, brace, tie, bolt, stake, and guy trees and branches to provide support.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Tree Trimmers and Pruners split logs or wooden blocks into bolts, pickets, posts, or stakes, using hand tools such as ax wedges, sledgehammers, and mallets. They might also climb trees, using climbing hooks and belts, or climb ladders to gain access to work areas.

In addition, they water, root-feed, and fertilize trees.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them remove broken limbs from wires, using hooked extension poles.

To some Tree Trimmers and Pruners, it is also their responsibility to supervise others engaged in tree trimming work and train lower-level employees.

What is the job like

Job satisfaction

Very High

Is this job meaningful

High

75% said they were satisfied with their job and 59% said they found their job meaningful.


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Pros

Suitable for people who like practical and hands-on work.

Suitable for people who value relationships between co-workers and customers and want to work in a friendly non-competitive environment.

This career is perfect for people who love to work outdoors.

It is easy to get into this career. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career.

Cons

Not suitable for people who like to help and teach others.

One of the lowest paying jobs.

Long working hours (More than 40 hours per week).

How much do they make

Average salary

$44040 per year

Average hourly wage

$21 per hour

Entry-level Tree Trimmers and Pruners with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $27,510 to $33,390 per year or $13 to $16 per hour.

Salary by experience Annual Hourly
Highest (Top 10%) $64,520 $31
Senior (Top 25%) $52,520 $25
Median $41,340 $20
Junior (Bottom 25%) $33,390 $16
No experience (Bottom 10%) $27,510 $13

This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Tree Trimmers and Pruners based on their average annual salary.

Salary by industry Annual Hourly
Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions $69780 $33.55
Federal Executive Branch $60580 $29.13
Local Government $55710 $26.78
State Government $53670 $25.80
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools $47600 $22.89
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution $47030 $22.61
Logging $44390 $21.34
Services to Buildings and Dwellings $43280 $20.81
Other Specialty Trade Contractors $41800 $20.10
Employment Services $40960 $19.69

View more salary by industries here.

Where can they work

Where can Tree Trimmers and Pruners work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Tree Trimmers and Pruners including the average salary in that industry.

Employers Total Employed Annual Salary Hourly Wages
Services to Buildings and Dwellings 45930 $43280 $20.81
Local Government 2390 $55710 $26.78
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 810 $47030 $22.61
Utility System Construction 180 $ $*
State Government 160 $53670 $25.80
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 120 $47600 $22.89
Federal Executive Branch 70 $60580 $29.13
Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations 30 $40800 $19.62
Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions 30 $69780 $33.55
Logging $44390 $21.34

What is the work day like

Working hours

Less than 40 hours
21%

40 hours
39%

More than 40 hours
40%

Working schedule

41%

43%

16%

Email

How often do you use email in this job?

Once a week
22%

Every day
4%

Telephone

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Once a week
10%

Every day
57%

Group discussions

How often do you have group discussions in this job?

Once a week
6%

Every day
84%

Public speaking

How often does this job require you to do public speaking?

Never
87%

Once a year
2%

Once a month
0%

Once a week
1%

Every day
10%

Level of competition

How much competitive pressure is in this job?

Not competitive at all
17%

Slightly competitive
6%

Moderately competitive
15%

Highly competitive
32%

Extremely competitive
30%

What is the work environment like

Office-style environment

Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition

Never
92%

Once a year or more
8%

Once a month or more
0%

Once a week or more
0%

Every day
0%

Warehouse-style environment

Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse

Never
54%

Once a year or more
14%

Once a month or more
8%

Once a week or more
10%

Every day
13%

Outdoors

Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions

Never
0%

Once a year or more
0%

Once a month or more
0%

Once a week or more
9%

Every day
91%

Outdoors – Under Cover

Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)

Never
66%

Once a year or more
11%

Once a month or more
7%

Once a week or more
4%

Every day
11%

How to become one

Difficulty to become one

Easy
You may need some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience. Most careers in this difficulty category usually don’t require a degree. However, you will need a few months of on-the-job training with experienced employees. Similar careers include Customer Service Representatives, Security Guards, and Bank Tellers.

Required level of education

What level of education do you need to perform the job?

Less than a High School Diploma
57%

High School Diploma or equivalent
37%

Post-Secondary Certificate
2%

Some College Courses
4%

Associate’s Degree or similar
0%

Bachelor’s Degree
0%

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate
0%

Master’s Degree
0%

Post-Master’s Certificate
0%

First Professional Degree
0%

Doctoral Degree
0%

Post-Doctoral Training
0%

Relevant majors

No majors found

Relevant work experience

How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?

None
21%

1 month
7%

1 to 3 months
2%

3 to 6 months
0%

6 months to 1 year
9%

1 to 2 years
6%

2 to 4 years
18%

4 to 6 years
0%

6 to 8 years
2%

8 to 10 years
14%

Over 10 years
20%

On The Job Training

How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?

None or short demonstration
8%

1 month
10%

1 to 3 months
18%

3 to 6 months
14%

6 months to 1 year
21%

1 to 2 years
19%

2 to 4 years
5%

4 to 10 years
6%

Over 10 years
0%

Should you become one

Best personality type for this career

The Builder

People with this personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

The Builder
100%

People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.


The Thinker
19%

People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.


The Artist
19%

People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.


The Helper
19%

People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.


The Leader
33%

People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.


The Organizer
33%

People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.


You can read more about these career personality types here.

People who are suitable for this job tend to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

They also like starting up and carrying out projects. They like leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk-taking and often deal with business.

Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.

Work Values

Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?

Achievement
38%

You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.

Working Conditions
40%

You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.

Recognition
38%

You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.

Relationships
62%

You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.

Support
62%

You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.

Independence
48%

You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.

FAQ


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