Description
Using sophisticated climbing and rigging techniques, cut away dead or excess branches from trees or shrubs to maintain right-of-way for roads, sidewalks, or utilities, or to improve appearance, health, and value of tree. Prune or treat trees or shrubs using handsaws, hand pruners, clippers, and power pruners. Works off the ground in the tree canopy and may use truck-mounted lifts.
Interests
- Realistic
- Conventional
Work Values
- Support
- Relationships
- Independence
Work Styles
- Attention to Detail
- Cooperation
- Concern for Others
- Dependability
- Integrity
Tasks
- Operate shredding and chipping equipment, and feed limbs and brush into the machines.
- Operate boom trucks, loaders, stump chippers, brush chippers, tractors, power saws, trucks, sprayers, and other equipment and tools.
- Cut away dead and excess branches from trees, or clear branches around power lines, using climbing equipment or buckets of extended truck booms, or chainsaws, hooks, handsaws, shears, and clippers.
- Clean, sharpen, and lubricate tools and equipment.
- Hoist tools and equipment to tree trimmers, and lower branches with ropes or block and tackle.
Work Activities
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
- Performing General Physical Activities
- Getting Information
- Handling and Moving Objects
Detailed Work Activities
- Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
- Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
- Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
- Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
- Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Technology Skills
- Spreadsheet software
- Electronic mail software
- Word processing software
- Web page creation and editing software
Abilities
- Control Precision
- Manual Dexterity
- Multilimb Coordination
- Problem Sensitivity
- Reaction Time
Skills
- Operation and Control
- Operations Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Monitoring
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service
- Mechanical
Most Common Education Level
The “Most Common Education Level” refers to the level of education held by the majority of workers in a given occupation. For example, if the highest percentage of workers in a role have an Associate’s Degree, that suggests this is the typical educational requirement. Knowing this helps you plan how many years of education you may need to pursue that career.
Certificates
Certificate name
Certified Grounds TechnicianCertifying Organization
Professional Grounds Management Society
Type
Core
Certificate name
Certified Tree Worker Aerial Lift SpecialistCertifying Organization
International Society of Arboriculture
Type
Specialty
Certificate name
Certified Arborist/Utility SpecialistCertifying Organization
International Society of Arboriculture
Type
Specialty
Certificate name
Landscape Industry Certified Technician - Exterior (Irrigation)Certifying Organization
National Association of Landscape Professionals
Type
Specialty
Certificate name
Certified Tree Worker/Tree Climber SpecialistCertifying Organization
International Society of Arboriculture
Type
Specialty
Income Percentile
The income percentiles show how earnings are distributed within a profession. The 10th percentile means that 10% of workers earned less than that amount. The median (50th percentile) indicates that half of workers earned more, and half earned less. The 90th percentile reflects what the top 10% of earners in the field make.
| Income Percentile | Annual Income |
|---|---|
| Low (10%) | $38,742 |
| Median (50%) | $48,653 |
| High (90%) | $61,378 |
Income by Experience
This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–5 years), to senior level (6–8 years), to expert level (8+ years).
| Experience | Income |
|---|---|
Entry Level  | $48,702 |
| Mid Level | $60,061 |
| Senior Level | $67,172 |
| Expert Level | $82,102 |
Employability
There are currently 67,100 jobs in this career path. Over the next 10 years, that number is expected to increase to 70,400 positions, reflecting a projected growth of 5%.
The Projected Job Growth figure refers to the expected increase or decrease in employment within a specific career field over a certain period of time.
Projected Job Growth of 5%
Related Careers
The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services, Lightcast, CareerOneStop, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For more details regarding the data sources and the specific information sourced, click here.
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