Tree Trimmers and Pruners Salary
In Iowa, tree trimmers and pruners earn $42,890 at the median, or about $20.62 an hour. The range runs from $20K at the entry level to $69K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $48,267 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 36.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Iowa. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $43K get you in Iowa?
About tree trimmers and pruners
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What this looks like in Iowa
Pay for tree trimmers and pruners in Iowa runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $51K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,064/month, which is 37% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.86 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for tree trimmers and prunerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level tree trimmers and pruners (10th percentile) start around $20K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $69K or more, a $48K spread from bottom to top.
Tree Trimmers and Pruners salary by metro in Iowa
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $42K | -2% | 160 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tree trimmers and pruner afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 37% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,064/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tree trimmers and pruners typically earn — is $20K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,226/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 87% 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 Iowa?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $43K here vs. $51K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for tree trimmers and pruners?
Iowa pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — below the national median.
How much do tree trimmers and pruners make in Iowa?
The median is $42,890 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $20,440, and experienced tree trimmers and pruners can clear $68,530. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,874/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 37% 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 Iowa?
Iowa has a Regional Price Parity of 88.86 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median tree trimmers and pruners salary is worth about $48,267 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.