Tree Trimmers and Pruners Salary
In Kentucky, tree trimmers and pruners earn $44,410 at the median, or about $21.35 an hour. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $57K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $49,219 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,110/month, about 36.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Kentucky. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $44K get you in Kentucky?
About tree trimmers and pruners
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What this looks like in Kentucky
Pay for tree trimmers and pruners in Kentucky runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $51K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,110/month, which is 37% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.23 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% 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, Kentucky
Entry-level tree trimmers and pruners (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $57K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
Tree Trimmers and Pruners salary by metro in Kentucky
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington-Fayette | $44K | -1% | 140 |
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kentucky numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tree trimmers and pruner afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 37% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,110/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 Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tree trimmers and pruners typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,613/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 69% 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 Kentucky?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $44K here vs. $51K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for tree trimmers and pruners?
Kentucky pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — below the national median.
How much do tree trimmers and pruners make in Kentucky?
The median is $44,410 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $26,890, and experienced tree trimmers and pruners can clear $57,440. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,996/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/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 Kentucky?
Kentucky has a Regional Price Parity of 90.23 (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 $49,219 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.