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What is a climber and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a climber. For example, did you know that they make an average of $20.38 an hour? That's $42,388 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 5% and produce 61,300 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreClimberUS Average
Salary
3.3

Avg. Salary $42,388

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
6.2

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
10.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.34%

Asian 1.53%

Black or African American 9.76%

Hispanic or Latino 20.82%

Unknown 3.88%

White 62.66%

Gender

female 3.19%

male 96.81%

Age - 41
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41
Stress level
6.2

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.0

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
7.0

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Climber career paths

Key steps to become a climber

  1. Explore climber education requirements

    Most common climber degrees

    High School Diploma

    55.3 %

    Diploma

    15.0 %

    Associate

    12.3 %
  2. Start to develop specific climber skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Hand Tools20.31%
    Line Clearance10.10%
    Power Saws9.77%
    Transmission Lines7.09%
    CPR6.48%
  3. Research climber duties and responsibilities

    • Install lte and umts anttennnas.
    • Train in the proper use of rigging equipment (porta wrap, pulleys, ect.
    • Operate heavy equipment trucks with booms and lift systems, company service trucks and vehicles, and a cherry picker.
    • Hand dig area between old and new poles to ensure enough room to transfer wires, dips etc to new poles.
  4. Prepare your climber resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your climber resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a climber resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable climber resume templates

    Build a professional climber resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your climber resume.
    Climber Resume
    Climber Resume
    Climber Resume
    Climber Resume
    Climber Resume
    Climber Resume
    Climber Resume
    Climber Resume
    Climber Resume
  5. Apply for climber jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a climber job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first climber job

Zippi

Are you a climber?

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Average climber salary

The average climber salary in the United States is $42,388 per year or $20 per hour. Climber salaries range between $31,000 and $57,000 per year.

Average climber salary
$42,388 Yearly
$20.38 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do climbers rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Climber reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on May 2019
Pros

Climbing and the science of rigging and operating any type of forestry equipment

Cons

Not having enough cash to get proper equipment to climb or bad groundsman when equipment fails


Working as a climber? Share your experience anonymously.
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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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