Tree Trimmers and Pruners
What Tree Trimmers and Pruners Do
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.
See full salary breakdown & percentiles →
Career Outlook
National employment outlook, 2024–2034.
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Self-employed
- 16.5%
Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.
How Much Preparation Does This Take?
Job Zone 2 of 5Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Job training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Source: O*NET Job Zones.
Key Knowledge Areas
Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.
- Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 3.6/5
- Mechanicalimportance 3.3/5
- Public Safety and Securityimportance 2.9/5
- Production and Processingimportance 2.8/5
- Transportationimportance 2.7/5
- Education and Trainingimportance 2.7/5
- English Languageimportance 2.6/5
- Administration and Managementimportance 2.5/5
Work Environment
What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets5.0/5
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions4.9/5
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.7/5
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.7/5
- Frequency of Decision Making4.5/5
- Exposed to Hazardous Equipment4.4/5
Careers With Similar Skills
Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.
- Floor Sanders and Finishers97% skill match
- Motorboat Operators96% skill match
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic96% skill match
- Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation96% skill match
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand95% skill match
- Foundry Mold and Coremakers95% skill match
- Hazardous Materials Removal Workers95% skill match
- Hoist and Winch Operators95% skill match
Transferable Skills
Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.
- Operation and Controlimportance 3.8/5
- Operations Monitoringimportance 3.6/5
- Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.1/5
- Coordinationimportance 3.0/5
- Instructingimportance 3.0/5
- Service Orientationimportance 2.9/5
- Equipment Selectionimportance 2.9/5
- Equipment Maintenanceimportance 2.8/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Hot Technologies
Work Style
Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.
- Cautiousness
- Dependability
- Perseverance
- Stress Tolerance
- Attention to Detail
- Self-Confidence
- Self-Control
Career Interests
This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.
- RealisticHigh
- ConventionalMedium
- InvestigativeLow
- SocialLow
- EnterprisingLow
- ArtisticLow
Specific Interests
A more detailed breakdown of this occupation’s interest profile, per O*NET.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Where This Career Is Most Concentrated
Metro areas where tree trimmers and pruners make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1Barnstable Town, MA7.17× national avg
- 2Kingston, NY4.98× national avg
- 3Medford, OR4.55× national avg
- 4Macon-Bibb County, GA3.89× national avg
- 5Cheyenne, WY3.76× national avg
Possible Career Moves
A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.
- Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, VegetationLateral Move
- Landscaping and Groundskeeping WorkersLateral Move
- Forest and Conservation WorkersCareer Change
- Highway Maintenance WorkersCareer Change