Tree Trimmers and Pruners Salary
In Columbia, MO, tree trimmers and pruners earn $51,470 at the median, or about $24.75 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $65K for experienced workers.
So what does $51K get you in Columbia?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbia’s Regional Price Parity (89.4). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About tree trimmers and pruners
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What this looks like in Columbia
Tree trimmers and pruners pay in Columbia tracks closely to the national median, $51K locally vs. $51K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,160/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.4 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for tree trimmers and pruners in metros near Columbia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | $51K | , |
| Springfield | $61K | , |
| St. Louis | $63K | , |
| Cleveland | $40K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbia, MO
Entry-level tree trimmers and pruners (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $51K. Top earners bring in $65K or more, a $28K spread from bottom to top.
Tree Trimmers and Pruners pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Tree Trimmers and Pruners salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $77K | +52% | N/A |
| Oregon | $75K | +48% | 1,610 |
| New Jersey | $72K | +41% | N/A |
| Illinois | $64K | +26% | 700 |
| Washington | $64K | +25% | 700 |
| Massachusetts | $63K | +23% | 2,090 |
| California | $63K | +23% | 9,610 |
| New York | $62K | +22% | 3,750 |
| Vermont | $62K | +22% | 430 |
| Missouri | $61K | +20% | 970 |
| Rhode Island | $61K | +20% | 110 |
| New Hampshire | $60K | +17% | 330 |
| Montana | $60K | +17% | 230 |
| Pennsylvania | $58K | +14% | 3,160 |
| Wisconsin | $58K | +14% | 1,190 |
| Michigan | $58K | +13% | 1,840 |
| Hawaii | $57K | +12% | 170 |
| Utah | $57K | +12% | 200 |
| Colorado | $51K | +1% | 1,200 |
| Nevada | $51K | +0% | 190 |
| Arizona | $51K | -1% | N/A |
| South Dakota | $50K | -1% | 270 |
| Ohio | $50K | -3% | 1,460 |
| Delaware | $49K | -3% | N/A |
| West Virginia | $49K | -4% | 1,420 |
| Connecticut | $49K | -4% | 360 |
| Virginia | $49K | -5% | 1,070 |
| North Carolina | $48K | -5% | 1,560 |
| Kansas | $48K | -5% | 390 |
| Louisiana | $47K | -7% | 120 |
| Tennessee | $47K | -7% | 710 |
| New Mexico | $47K | -7% | N/A |
| Maryland | $47K | -7% | 730 |
| Oklahoma | $47K | -8% | 860 |
| Georgia | $47K | -8% | 1,030 |
| Maine | $46K | -9% | N/A |
| Wyoming | $46K | -9% | N/A |
| Florida | $46K | -10% | 2,770 |
| Indiana | $46K | -10% | 1,850 |
| Arkansas | $46K | -10% | 290 |
| North Dakota | $45K | -12% | N/A |
| Kentucky | $44K | -13% | 1,020 |
| Idaho | $44K | -14% | N/A |
| South Carolina | $44K | -14% | 430 |
| Iowa | $43K | -16% | 380 |
| Mississippi | $42K | -18% | 260 |
| Alabama | $42K | -19% | 890 |
| Texas | $40K | -22% | 4,460 |
| Nebraska | $39K | -23% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track tree trimmers and pruners salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Columbia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tree trimmers and pruner afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $51K, rent takes 33.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,160/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for tree trimmers and pruners in Columbia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tree trimmers and pruners typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,239/month. At HUD’s $1,160/month FMR, rent would take 52% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is tree trimmers and pruner a high-paying job in Columbia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $51K locally vs. $51K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Columbia compare to the national average for tree trimmers and pruners?
Columbia pays $51K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.4), the purchasing-power equivalent is $58K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do tree trimmers and pruners make in Columbia, MO?
The median is $51,470 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,310, and experienced tree trimmers and pruners can clear $65,280. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $51K enough to live in Columbia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,478/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,160/month, which eats 33.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a tree trimmers and pruners salary go in Columbia?
Columbia has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median tree trimmers and pruners salary is worth about $57,573 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do tree trimmers and pruners get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.