Trimmer vs tree cutter

The differences between trimmers and tree cutters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a tree cutter has an average salary of $38,948, which is higher than the $31,600 average annual salary of a trimmer.

The top three skills for a trimmer include ladders, PPE and hand tools. The most important skills for a tree cutter are lawn care, safety devices, and rakes.

Trimmer vs tree cutter overview

	Trimmer	Tree Cutter
Yearly salary	$31,600	$38,948
Hourly rate	$15.19	$18.73
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	2,023	5,386
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 61%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	-	-

Trimmer vs tree cutter salary

Trimmers and tree cutters have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Trimmer	Tree Cutter
Average salary	$31,600	$38,948
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $40,000	Between $29,000 And $51,000
Highest paying City	Cleveland, OH	-
Highest paying state	North Dakota	-
Best paying company	Post Holdings	-
Best paying industry	Finance	-

Differences between trimmer and tree cutter education

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

	Trimmer	Tree Cutter
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 61%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Trimmer vs tree cutter demographics

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

	Trimmer	Tree Cutter
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 55.6% Female, 44.4%	Male, 95.2% Female, 4.8%
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 trimmer and tree cutter duties and responsibilities

Trimmer example responsibilities.

Operate power equipment, such as chippers, aerial lifts, power saws, ladders and hand tools.
Trim beef clod, brisket, and flap meat.
Comply with safety standards and regulations.
Spice ribs, chicken, and brisket.
Document and report any safety issue as a safety member.
Prune or treat trees or shrubs using handsaws, hand pruners, clippers, and power pruners.

Tree cutter example responsibilities.

Trim, top, and reshape trees to achieve attractive shapes and to remove low-hanging branches.
Operate chain saws, stump grinders, wood chippers, skid loaders, trailer trucks, and other tree service equipment.
Collect debris and refuse from tree trimming and removal operations into piles, using shovels, rakes and other tools.
Trim with pruners and pole see from the ground.
Assist with lawn mowing and landscaping.
Purchase, lease or rent required equipment including skid steer, mowers, extend trailers, etc.

Trimmer vs tree cutter skills

Common trimmer skills

Ladders, 31%
PPE, 16%
Hand Tools, 13%
Wedges, 9%
CDL, 9%
Line Clearance, 8%

Common tree cutter skills

Lawn Care, 77%
Safety Devices, 7%
Rakes, 2%
Prune, 2%
Handsaws, 2%
Trim Trees, 2%

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Trimmer vs Tree Cutter

Updated January 8, 2025

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