Tree work and power-line installer work compared: what the official profiles list
Tree trimmers and electrical power-line installers both climb, both have tasks that involve power lines, and both appear in US government occupation data. This page sets out what the Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET report for each.
Checked against the sources at the bottom of this page on October 9, 2026. Rules, fees and pay change: the source has the last word.
This page reports what the official sources say. It is not career advice and does not say which job is better. Figures are United States figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook, with the O*NET occupation codes: 37-3013.00 for tree trimmers and pruners and 49-9051.00 for electrical power-line installers and repairers. The overview of all the trades is on the parent page, tree work compared with other outdoor and trade jobs. How the two kinds of work meet on the same pole line is in the guides to utility line clearance and working near power lines.
The figures side by side
| Item | Tree trimmers and pruners | Line installers |
|---|---|---|
| Median hourly wage, May 2025 | US$24.50 | US$45.83 (US$95,320 a year) |
| Jobs, 2025 | 70,600 | 131,900 |
| Projected change, 2025 to 2035 | 3,000 more jobs, 4 percent | 13,600 more jobs, 10 percent |
| Openings a year | Not published for this occupation alone | About 10,900 |
| Entry | Grounds maintenance workers typically need no formal educational credential | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Training | On the job | Long-term on the job; apprenticeships common |
The tree trimmer wage and jobs come from a table on the BLS grounds maintenance workers profile, which covers a larger group. The profile gives that group a 2025 median of US$19.27 an hour and 162,500 openings a year. The line installer figures are on the BLS power-line installers and repairers profile, last modified August 27, 2026.
What the power-line profile lists
The BLS profile gives these duties: installing, maintaining or repairing the power lines that move electricity; stringing cable and wire between poles, towers and buildings; identifying defective devices, voltage regulators, transformers and switches; inspecting and testing lines and equipment; climbing poles and transmission towers and using truck-mounted buckets to reach equipment; and operating power equipment when installing and repairing poles, towers and lines. It says the work is outdoors in all types of weather, is physically demanding, and often involves driving utility vehicles. Most work full time and some work more than 40 hours a week.
On entry, the profile says apprenticeship programs may last up to 3 years and combine on-the-job training with technical instruction, and that qualified apprentices reach the fully trained grade after 3 or 4 years of working. It says workers who drive heavy vehicles usually need a state-issued commercial driver's license, and that certification is available but not mandatory.
Hazards in the two profiles
The BLS grounds maintenance profile says tree trimmers and pruners have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. The line installer profile says these workers encounter serious hazards, may be electrocuted if they touch a live cable on a high-voltage line, and that safety procedures and training have reduced the danger. It does not give an injury rate.
Workers surveyed by O*NET answered the same work-context questions for power-line installers and for tree trimmers:
| Question | Tree trimmers | Line installers |
|---|---|---|
| Exposed to high places every day | 48% | 83% |
| Exposed to hazardous equipment every day | 71% | 81% |
| Outdoors in all weather every day | 91% | 100% |
| Protective equipment worn every day | 100% | 99% |
| Typical week of more than 40 hours | 40% | 59% |
| Consequence of error | 30% said Serious | 67% said Extremely serious |
| Responsibility for others' safety | 38% said Moderate | 86% said Very high |
O*NET lists 23 tasks for power-line installers. They include climbing poles or using truck-mounted buckets to reach equipment, opening switches or attaching grounding devices to remove electrical hazards from disturbed or fallen lines, adhering to safety practices such as erecting barriers around work areas, and one task that overlaps tree work directly: trimming trees that could be hazardous to the functioning of cables or wires. Its reported job titles include electrical lineman, lineworker and power lineman. For tree trimmers, O*NET lists 24 tasks and reported titles such as arborist, climber, tree climber and plant health care technician. The tree trimmer list includes supervising and training others, and estimating the monetary value of trees.
Sources
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers, last modified August 27, 2026, read October 9, 2026
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Grounds Maintenance Workers (includes tree trimmers and pruners), last modified September 14, 2026, read October 9, 2026
- O*NET OnLine (US Department of Labor), 49-9051.00 Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers, updated 2026, read October 9, 2026
- O*NET OnLine (US Department of Labor), 37-3013.00 Tree Trimmers and Pruners, updated 2026, read October 9, 2026