Tree Trimmers and Pruners Salary
In New Jersey, tree trimmers and pruners earn $71,940 at the median, or about $34.59 an hour. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $81K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.34), that's roughly $72,418 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,067/month, about 44% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New Jersey. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $72K get you in New Jersey?
About tree trimmers and pruners
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What this looks like in New Jersey
New Jersey sits well above the national pay line for tree trimmers and pruners, local pay runs about 41% higher than the U.S. median of $51K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,067/month, which is 43.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 99.34) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Jersey
Entry-level tree trimmers and pruners (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $72K. Top earners bring in $81K or more, a $28K spread from bottom to top.
Tree Trimmers and Pruners salary by metro in New Jersey
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton-Princeton | $50K | -31% | N/A |
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tree trimmers and pruner afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Jersey?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $72K, rent takes 43.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,067/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/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 New Jersey?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tree trimmers and pruners typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,170/month. At HUD’s $2,067/month FMR, rent would take 65% 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 New Jersey?
Local pay is 41% above the national median — $72K here vs. $51K nationally.
How does New Jersey compare to the national average for tree trimmers and pruners?
New Jersey pays $72K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s +41%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do tree trimmers and pruners make in New Jersey?
The median is $71,940 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,830, and experienced tree trimmers and pruners can clear $80,730. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $72K enough to live in New Jersey?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,710/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,067/month, which eats 43.9% 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 New Jersey?
New Jersey has a Regional Price Parity of 99.34 (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 $72,418 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.