Tree trimmer vs tree climber

The differences between tree trimmers and tree climbers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a tree climber has an average salary of $42,833, which is higher than the $40,939 average annual salary of a tree trimmer.

The top three skills for a tree trimmer include work ethic, hand tools and CDL. The most important skills for a tree climber are CDL, bucket truck, and hand tools.

Tree trimmer vs tree climber overview

	Tree Trimmer	Tree Climber
Yearly salary	$40,939	$42,833
Hourly rate	$19.68	$20.59
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	3,590	9,285
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 57%	High School Diploma, 50%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	-	-

Tree trimmer vs tree climber salary

Tree trimmers and tree climbers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Tree Trimmer	Tree Climber
Average salary	$40,939	$42,833
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $55,000	Between $31,000 And $58,000
Highest paying City	Berkeley, CA	Santa Clara, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	University of California, Berkeley	Cagwin & Dorward
Best paying industry	Government	Manufacturing

Differences between tree trimmer and tree climber education

There are a few differences between a tree trimmer and a tree climber in terms of educational background:

	Tree Trimmer	Tree Climber
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 57%	High School Diploma, 50%
Most common major	General Studies	Business
Most common college	-	-

Tree trimmer vs tree climber demographics

Here are the differences between tree trimmers' and tree climbers' demographics:

	Tree Trimmer	Tree Climber
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 95.2% Female, 4.8%	Male, 97.7% Female, 2.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 1.0% White, 64.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8%	Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 1.0% White, 64.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8%
LGBT Percentage	3%	3%

Differences between tree trimmer and tree climber duties and responsibilities

Tree trimmer example 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.

Tree climber example responsibilities.

Trim, top, and reshape trees to achieve attractive shapes and to remove low-hanging branches.
Adhere to all ANSI and OSHA guidelines, to include company guidelines.
Cut branches from trees, using chainsaws, handsaws, clippers, etc.
Drag brush, chuck logs, run rope, removals, prune, clean out, rigging.
Drive CDL require company vehicles.
Spread rock with shovels and bobcats.

Tree trimmer vs tree climber skills

Common tree trimmer skills

Work Ethic, 23%
Hand Tools, 7%
CDL, 6%
Hand Saws, 5%
Bucket Truck, 5%
Lawn Care, 4%

Common tree climber skills

CDL, 24%
Bucket Truck, 13%
Hand Tools, 11%
Lawn Care, 10%
Aerial Lift, 8%
Line Clearance, 6%

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Tree Trimmer vs Tree Climber

Updated January 8, 2025

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