How to hire a tree trimmer

How to hire a tree trimmer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step tree trimmer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a tree trimmer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new tree trimmer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

Post a tree trimmer job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a tree trimmer, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect tree trimmer also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of tree trimmer salaries for various roles:

   Type of Tree Trimmer	Description	Hourly rate
   Tree Trimmer	Grounds maintenance workers ensure that the grounds of houses, businesses, and parks are attractive, orderly, and healthy in order to provide a pleasant outdoor environment.	$13-26
   Groundsman	Groundsmen or greenkeepers are professionals who take responsibility for the maintenance of materials and equipment. They make certain to provide enough stock of consumables... Show more	$12-20
   Grounds Person	A grounds person is responsible for the overall upkeep of an institution's grounds, public parks, and other similar areas. They are usually employed in schools, especially in schools with provisions for outdoor sports or lawn sports such as soccer, golf, tennis, and football, among others... Show more	$12-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Work Ethic
   • Hand Tools
   • CDL
   • Hand Saws
   • Bucket Truck
   • Lawn Care
   • Line Clearance
   • Safety Devices
   • Aerial Lift
   • Safety Equipment
   • Tree Removal
   • CPR
   • Safety Regulations
   • Wright

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Tree boarding, bush trimming, and lawn mowing.
   • Complete CPR training and all safety courses.
   • Grind cleanup on job site each day by using back pack blowers, rakes etc.
   • Use knives and require PPE equipment to pull the flank steak out of the carcass.
   • Work closely with HACCP and the USDA to comply with all state and federal rules and regulations.
   • Used industry tools such as brush chippers, handsaws, pruning hooks, clippers, power pruners, shredders.

   More tree trimmer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your tree trimmer job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A tree trimmer can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, tree trimmers' average salary in wisconsin is 41% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level tree trimmers 47% less than senior-level tree trimmers.
   • Certifications. A tree trimmer with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a tree trimmer's salary.

   Average tree trimmer salary

   $40,939yearly

   $19.68 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level tree trimmer salary

   $29,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average tree trimmer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$54,668	$26
   2	New Jersey	$50,703	$24
   3	Ohio	$45,545	$22
   4	Massachusetts	$42,941	$21
   5	Virginia	$41,193	$20
   6	Washington	$40,885	$20
   7	Indiana	$40,746	$20
   8	New Mexico	$40,689	$20
   9	Colorado	$40,313	$19
   10	Michigan	$40,040	$19
   11	Oregon	$39,547	$19
   12	Pennsylvania	$36,976	$18
   13	Tennessee	$36,650	$18
   14	Georgia	$36,535	$18
   15	Texas	$35,857	$17
   16	Louisiana	$35,787	$17
   17	Alabama	$34,892	$17
   18	Missouri	$34,734	$17

   Average tree trimmer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	University of California-Berkeley	$51,778	$24.89
   2	Four Seasons	$46,911	$22.55
   3	Wayne County, Michigan	$43,805	$21.06	2
   4	Lakeland Electric	$43,370	$20.85
   5	County Of Los Angeles Public Library	$42,618	$20.49
   6	Westchester	$42,616	$20.49
   7	Hazlett	$42,616	$20.49	2
   8	Noble REMC	$42,616	$20.49
   9	The Summit	$42,616	$20.49
   10	Ever-Green Tree Care	$42,598	$20.48
   11	SavATree	$42,586	$20.47	129
   12	R B Stout	$42,565	$20.46
   13	The Davey Tree Expert Company	$42,559	$20.46	220
   14	WEST TREE SERVICE	$42,419	$20.39	3
   15	ABC Professional Tree Services	$42,393	$20.38	2
   16	MB Haynes	$42,380	$20.38
   17	TLC Plumbing	$42,278	$20.33
   18	City of Oxnard	$42,169	$20.27
   19	Lewis Tree Service	$42,063	$20.22	77
   20	The Townsend	$42,056	$20.22	31

4. Writing a tree trimmer job description

   A tree trimmer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a tree trimmer job description:

   Tree trimmer job description example

   Climber **Up to $35.00hr! **

   SavATree’s mission is to take our passion for nature and keep this country’s outdoors beautiful and flourishing. Through our comprehensive tree, shrub, and lawn care we work hard to make sure our discerning customers have attractive, healthy and cared-for green spaces to enjoy. Over the last thirty years, we have opened new offices across the country, and we are looking for people who want to grow with us.

   The General Tree Care Team are the muscle of our operation. These industrial athletes work together to provide high-quality tree care, helping to maintain and preserve the overall health of our clients’ landscapes.

   In this role, team members have the opportunity to work outside and visit beautiful properties in their community. The Tree Care team applies expertise in climbing, pruning, and safety to ensure the health and well-being of each client’s landscape.

   What a day is like:

   Daily focus is working together on a General Tree Care crew to provide high quality tree care to our clients. The Tree Care Team is involved in all aspects of tree climbing, pruning, removals, cable bracing and other concepts related to tree care. Team members are able to safely operate all equipment and perform the assigned job tasks while also providing excellent service to our clients.

   What kind of person are we looking for? Someone with:

   • Experience with proper pruning practices including large shade trees and ornamentals
   • Ability to identify native and introduced tree and shrub species and have a working knowledge of each species’ characteristics
   • Ability to climb without spurs
   • Experience with tree care safety standards
   • Practical knowledge of chainsaw and equipment operation
   • Valid Driver’s license, CDL a plus
   • previous tree climbing experience a plus
   • Experience with aerial lifts (bucket truck)

   Why you might love working here:

   • We have lots of training and development opportunities and support continuing education in the industry
   • Our Tree Care Team works alongside some of the best trained and equipped teams in the industry, with an emphasis on quality and safety
   • We offer competitive compensation and benefits, including health and dental, paid time off, 401(K) Savings Plan, Flexible Spending Plan, Equipment Account

   Interested in taking your career to another location? We have several openings at other SavATree locations across the United States, and we offer relocation assistance in most cases. Just ask us for further details.

   SavATree is an equal opportunity employer and a Drug Free Workplace

   #sponsor

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right tree trimmer for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your tree trimmer job on Zippia to find and recruit tree trimmer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with tree trimmer candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new tree trimmer

   Once you've found the tree trimmer candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a tree trimmer?