Arborist Tree Trimmer Salary Review 2020: How does your state compare?

Knowledge is power when it comes to your salary.

Government data for arborists is hard to pin down, since the U.S. government puts arborists in the same category as ground maintenance workers, but the future looks good as far as employment over the next decade.

One thing the data does is spilt tree trimmers and pruners into its own category, even offering a few statistics on those who perform work around utility lines.

Under the category of grounds maintenance workers, tree trimmers are the specialty that has the rosiest outlook at job growth. The industry is expected to grow by 10% over the next decade as cities continue to increase tree planting in urban areas, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics.

Local governments typically pay the best annual salaries, with an average salary of about $51,000. Your next best bet for decent pay is trimming trees around utility lines, which isn’t far behind with an average of $46,000 per year. 

Local governments are the second biggest employer for tree trimmers, and some smaller municipalities will hire trimmers to help clear areas around some power lines. Generally, this work is required to be handled by utility companies, especially around high-voltage lines. Tree trimmers face many of the same dangers as linemen, so these companies are usually looking for people who are well-trained in the craft.

How well you can do as a tree trimmer is dependent on where you live. One positive is that this is an industry where every state needs employees. The higher the population, the higher the number of tree trimmers. Warmer states where tree growing lasts longer are also good areas for jobs. The states with the highest employment are California, Texas, Pennsylvania, Florida, and New York. Of these states, only New York pays in the top five, along with Washington, Minnesota, Illinois, and the District of Columbia.

Glassdoor salary reports are about the same as the government’s figures. Data from more than 4,500 reports shows a salary range of $22,000-$61,000. The bottom is significantly lower than the government statistics, which has a floor of $31,000. 

When looking at regional data, it’s important to keep in mind that the data is not absolute for all areas of the state. You can find pockets of well-paying jobs in areas where the state has low wages. You can also find affordable places in states where the cost of living is high. The urban data tends to bring costs higher, and the rural areas tend to bring overall salaries down. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics has data available by county if there’s a specific area you’re looking at.