Tree Trimmers and Pruners Salary
In New York, tree trimmers and pruners earn $62,400 at the median, or about $30 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $84K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.21), that's roughly $63,537 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,917/month, about 47.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New York. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $62K get you in New York?
About tree trimmers and pruners
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What this looks like in New York
New York sits well above the national pay line for tree trimmers and pruners, local pay runs about 22% 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 $1,917/month, which is 46.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.21) 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 York
Entry-level tree trimmers and pruners (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $84K or more, a $42K spread from bottom to top.
Tree Trimmers and Pruners salary by metro in New York
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Syracuse | $75K | +20% | 130 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $75K | +20% | N/A |
| Kingston | $66K | +6% | 100 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $65K | +4% | N/A |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh | $57K | -9% | N/A |
| Binghamton | $53K | -15% | 40 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $48K | -23% | N/A |
Compare to other states
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tree trimmers and pruner afford a 2BR apartment alone in New York?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 46.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,917/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 York?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tree trimmers and pruners typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,496/month. At HUD’s $1,917/month FMR, rent would take 77% 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 York?
Local pay is 22% above the national median — $62K here vs. $51K nationally.
How does New York compare to the national average for tree trimmers and pruners?
New York pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $51K — that’s +22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $64K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do tree trimmers and pruners make in New York?
The median is $62,400 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,600, and experienced tree trimmers and pruners can clear $83,700. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in New York?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,112/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,917/month, which eats 46.6% 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 York?
New York has a Regional Price Parity of 98.21 (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 $63,537 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.