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COL-adjusted ranking

Best Cities for Tree Trimmers and Prunerss by Take-Home Pay

The cities that pay Tree Trimmers and Prunerss the most on paper aren't usually the best deals once rent and prices are factored in. Syracuse ranks first with a COL-adjusted equivalent of $78,483/year, better purchasing power than San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont's higher nominal pay of $75,980. The table below uses BLS OEWS May 2025 salary data and BEA Regional Price Parities.

Highest nominal pay

#1 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont$75,980
#2 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro$75,570
#3 Syracuse$75,140

Best purchasing power

#1 Syracuse$78,483
#2 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro$71,685
#3 Salem$68,683

Top 25 metros by purchasing power

Ranked by COL-adjusted salary. Metros with fewer than 100 employed tree trimmers and prunerss excluded.

Rank
Metro
Nominal
COL-adj.
#1
Syracuse
22% rent burden
$75,140
$78,483
#2
$75,570
$71,685
#3
Salem
26% rent burden
$71,190
$68,683
#4
Santa Rosa-Petaluma
46% rent burden
$73,570
$68,259
#5
Sioux Falls
23% rent burden
$60,610
$66,876
#6
St. Louis
23% rent burden
$62,950
$66,200
#7
$75,980
$65,721
#8
Kingston
33% rent burden
$66,160
$65,694
#9
Springfield
34% rent burden
$60,980
$63,481
#10
Barnstable Town
47% rent burden
$61,360
$62,389
#11
$64,260
$62,033
#12
Milwaukee-Waukesha
27% rent burden
$60,100
$61,997
#13
$62,520
$61,932
#14
Akron
26% rent burden
$57,450
$61,529
#15
$62,940
$61,375
#16
$68,110
$61,289
#17
$58,210
$60,921
#18
Providence-Warwick
34% rent burden
$61,040
$59,978
#19
$63,500
$59,658
#20
Bakersfield-Delano
30% rent burden
$60,080
$59,550
#21
Modesto
34% rent burden
$61,270
$58,851
#22
Fresno
33% rent burden
$59,990
$58,722
#23
$58,350
$58,175
#24
$62,780
$57,985
#25
$63,630
$57,625

COL-adjusted = nominal salary divided by (BEA RPP divided by 100). Rent burden = annual 2BR FMR as % of nominal salary. Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents.

Common questions

What does "COL-adjusted pay" mean for Tree Trimmers and Prunerss?

COL-adjusted pay divides the BLS median salary by the BEA Regional Price Parity index (100 = national average). A salary of $75,980 in a city with RPP 120 has the same purchasing power as $63,317 at national average prices.

Why doesn't New York or San Francisco top this list?

Both cities pay above-average salaries, but rent and everyday costs eat most of that premium. A tree trimmers and pruners in New York might earn 30% more but pay 60-80% more in rent. The net result is often less purchasing power than mid-cost metros.

How is purchasing power calculated?

Purchasing power equals nominal median salary divided by (BEA RPP divided by 100). BEA's Regional Price Parities measure relative price levels across metro areas, updated annually from the National Income and Product Accounts.

What's the most affordable metro for Tree Trimmers and Prunerss?

Syracuse has one of the lowest rent burdens for Tree Trimmers and Prunerss in this dataset. HUD FMR for a 2-bedroom is $1,392/month, with a median salary of $75,140.

Where do Tree Trimmers and Prunerss get paid the most in nominal terms?

San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont pays the highest nominal median salary at $75,980/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. But check the COL-adjusted column before accepting any relocation offer.

National salary breakdown for Tree Trimmers and PrunerssView →How to become a tree trimmers and prunersGuide →Compare two cities side by sideCompare →