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The differences between arborists and irrigation technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an arborist and an irrigation technician. Additionally, an arborist has an average salary of $41,881, which is higher than the $35,472 average annual salary of an irrigation technician.
The top three skills for an arborist include CDL, hand tools and CPR. The most important skills for an irrigation technician are golf courses, trenchers, and sprinkler heads.
| Arborist | Irrigation Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $41,881 | $35,472 |
| Hourly rate | $20.14 | $17.05 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 4,040 | 27,291 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
An arborist is responsible for studying the tree structures and cultivating it for its growth and development as part of environmental conservation efforts. Arborists conduct regular pruning and fertilization, keeping the trees away from parasites and other harmful substances. They also operate various tools and equipment for efficiency and accurate processing. An arborist coordinates with environmental and community organizations to keep the trees' healthy condition, as well as recommending activities that would help in sustaining efforts, such as planting and growing trees across the desired location.
An irrigation technician is responsible for installing, testing, and maintaining irrigation equipment such as sprinklers, suction valves, and pumps. Typical duties for this position include operating heavy machinery for trenching, installing wiring systems for irrigation timers, and inspecting equipment for a day's work. In addition, an irrigation technician may be required to travel to the client's location to install, test, or perform preventative maintenance of irrigation equipment. You are also expected to dig trenches and install lines and pipes and troubleshoot and replace faulty parts.
Arborists and irrigation technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Arborist | Irrigation Technician | |
| Average salary | $41,881 | $35,472 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $57,000 | Between $27,000 And $45,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | Concord, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Florida Power & Light | San Diego College of Continuing Education |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Construction |
There are a few differences between an arborist and an irrigation technician in terms of educational background:
| Arborist | Irrigation Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Most common major | Forestry | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between arborists' and irrigation technicians' demographics:
| Arborist | Irrigation Technician | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% | Male, 96.1% Female, 3.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 1.5% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 26.0% Asian, 2.0% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 3% |