Tree Trimmer

Explore This Path

Perfect for those who love working outdoors and ensuring tree health and safety.
Maintain landscapes and protect infrastructure by trimming and pruning trees.
Use advanced climbing and rigging skills to manage tree canopies safely.

💰 Earn $54K-$77K

📚 High School Diploma or GED

⏱️ 6–12 MONTH TRAINING

📈 4.8% JOB GROWTH

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What You’ll 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.

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.
Cut away 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.
Hoist tools and equipment to tree trimmers, and lower branches with ropes or block and tackle.

Scoop

Minimum Education

High School Diploma or GED

Career Prospects

Good (Increasing by 1-5%)

Training Time

6 months to 1 year

Job Openings

8,700 Annually

Median Earnings

$61,910 in California

$49,070 Nationally

$25K

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Real Talk Reel

Want to see what it's like to be a Tree Trimmer? We've curated a playlist for you to get a glimpse into a day in the life.

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Best For You If...

YOU Like 💕

Working with my hands

You are skilled in 💫

Active Listening
Judgment and Decision Making
Service Orientation
Social Perceptiveness
Speaking

You value 🙏

Having support
Having freedom
Personal relationships

Deep Dive

Tree Trimmer

Explore career pathways, key skills, and what each role has to offer.

Pathways to this Career

Learn about the education and training paths that can lead to this career — and what to expect from each one.

Strategic Employment

Strategic employment provides individuals with valuable work experience, opportunities for professional growth and networking, and exposure to an industry where they may want to pursue advancement.

🎓 Paid Work

⏱️ FINISH IN 1-3 years

Vocational School

A vocational school typically equips students with specialized skills and practical training in specific trades or occupations, enhancing their employability and providing direct pathways to relevant careers.

🎓 Skills-Focused

⏱️ FINISH IN 6 months - 2 years

Workforce Development Program

A workforce development program typically enhances participants' opportunities to succeed in the workforce through employment skill-building, career counseling, connections to employers, and pathways to high-demand and high-wage jobs.

🎓 Skills-Focused

⏱️ FINISH IN 6 months - 2 years

Apprenticeship

An apprenticeship typically offers a combination of hands-on training and classroom instruction, leading to practical skills, industry-specific knowledge, and the potential for long-term employment in a specific trade or profession.

🎓 Paid Work

⏱️ FINISH IN 2-5 years