Tree Trimmers and Pruners
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance
Cuts away dead or excess limbs so trees stay healthy and roads, sidewalks, and power lines stay clear. Work happens off the ground—climbing with hooks and belts, using ladders, or riding truck-mounted lifts and boom buckets—then lowering branches with ropes. On the ground, limbs go into chippers; saws, sprayers, and other machines need cleaning, sharpening, and lubrication. Some crews also reshape trees for appearance or train newer trimmers. Suits people who like strenuous outdoor work at height and careful handling of saws and rigging.
Typical education: Less than a High School Diploma
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$50'960
Median Wage Market Position
$50'960
What you might do
- Cut dead or extra branches from trees
- Climb trees or work from a truck lift
- Clear branches around roads and power lines
- Feed limbs and brush into chippers
- Lower cut branches with ropes or pulleys
- Sharpen and oil saws, shears, and clippers
Skills that matter
- Climbing with hooks, belts, or boom lifts
- Cutting limbs away from power lines
- Rope work to lower cut branches
- Showing newer trimmers how to work
- Operating chippers, lifts, and power saws
- Judging which branches to take off
AI & the future of this role
Climbing, rigging, and cutting at height demand judgment, strength, and live hazard awareness that machines struggle to match. Some planning tools may assist crews, but safety-critical outdoor work is likely to stay strongly human-led.
Does Tree Trimmers and Pruners fit your values?
Take the free LostInCareer assessment to see personalized matches based on your core values—not just a personality label.
Related careers
Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details