# Tree Trimmers and Pruners

US SOC code 37-3013. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/37-3013

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **55,160** US tree trimmers and pruners, with median pay of **$50,960** a year. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asplundh_Tree_Expert_Company) of **1,500** from 1928, not measured the same way as today's count. The current technology era for tree trimmers and pruners: Drone canopy assessment, GIS vegetation management, and arborist mobile apps, since 2015.

Figures: Official statistic (latest count and pay); Researched context (earliest figure).

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 4.2% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=37-3013&ioType=o) (Official statistic).

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35.

## Tree Trimmers and Pruners employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1880
- Latest US employment: 55,160 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [4]
- Latest US median pay: $50,960 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [5]
- Outlook: +4.2% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [16]

### All 26 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1928 | 1,500 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Asplundh Tree Expert Company [1] |
| 1950 | 15,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Arboriculture through the ages [2] |
| 1995 | 38,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., ISA Certified Arborist program history [3] |
| 2003 | 40,710 | $25,630 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [4] |
| 2004 | 39,600 | $26,150 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [4] |
| 2005 | 29,790 | $27,920 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [4] |
| 2006 | 28,300 | $28,250 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [4] |
| 2007 | 30,670 | $29,800 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [4] |
| 2008 | 35,420 | $29,970 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [4] |
| 2009 | 37,830 | $30,310 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [4] |
| 2010 | 37,540 | $30,450 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [4] |
| 2011 | 38,530 | $31,320 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [4] |
| 2012 | 39,750 | $32,310 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [4] |
| 2013 | 40,720 | $32,590 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [4] |
| 2014 | 39,640 | $32,960 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [4] |
| 2015 | 40,160 | $33,500 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [4] |
| 2016 | 40,680 | $35,030 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [4] |
| 2017 | 41,140 | $36,460 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [4] |
| 2018 | 42,440 | $38,190 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [4] |
| 2019 | 47,210 | $39,980 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [4] |
| 2020 | 52,040 | $41,340 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [4] |
| 2021 | 41,920 | $46,970 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [4] |
| 2022 | 48,150 | $47,080 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [4] |
| 2023 | 50,270 | $49,070 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [4] |
| 2024 | 47,870 | $50,430 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [4] |
| 2025 | 55,160 | $50,960 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [4] |

## Sources (71)

### Employment series

1. [Asplundh Tree Expert Company — founding history (1928, brothers Griffith, Lester, and Carl Asplundh, first contract with Philadelphia Electric Company 1929)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asplundh_Tree_Expert_Company), Wikipedia / Asplundh Tree Expert Company
2. [Arboriculture through the ages: 1900s-1960s (National Arborist Association had 162 members by 1950; suburban expansion driving demand)](https://protips.vermeer.com/tree-care-landscape/2017/10/arboriculture-through-the-ages-1900s-1960s/), Vermeer ProTips
3. [ISA Certified Arborist program history: launched 1992, nearly 50,000 credentials issued by mid-2020s (ISA Certification Program Guide)](https://www.isa-arbor.com/credentials/types-of-credentials/isa-certified-arborist), International Society of Arboriculture
4. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Wage series

5. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Tool eras

6. [The Davey Tree Expert Company: founding history, Davey Institute of Tree Sciences (1909), and early methodology (John Davey: "Father of Tree Surgery")](https://www.davey.com/about/history/), The Davey Tree Expert Company
7. [Britannica — John Davey (American horticulturalist, "The Tree Doctor" 1901)](https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Davey), Encyclopaedia Britannica
8. [Asplundh Tree Expert Company — Wikipedia (founding August 28, 1928; first utility contract 1929; expansion through Mid-Atlantic and Midwest by 1940)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asplundh_Tree_Expert_Company), Wikipedia / Asplundh Tree Expert Company
9. [The F.A. Bartlett Tree Expert Company — About Us (first power spray equipment, cabling and bracing methods, founded 1907)](https://www.bartlett.com/about-bartlett), F.A. Bartlett Tree Expert Company
10. [History of the Chainsaw: 1920s electric models, 1940s-50s portable gasoline revolution (McCulloch and Stihl compact two-stroke engines under 25 lbs)](https://www.titantec.com/blog/history-of-the-chainsaw/), Titan Tec
11. [A Quick History of Bucket Trucks: 1950s-60s widespread adoption in utility, telecommunications, and tree care industries](https://www.apexutilityparts.com/blog/a-quick-history-of-bucket-trucks), Apex Utility Parts
12. [ANSI Z133 history: committee organized April 4, 1968, after Jeffrey Hugg's death (August 10, 1965); standard unanimously adopted July 14, 1971; approved December 20, 1972](https://townsendcompanyllc.com/2024/09/06/the-journey-of-safety-in-tree-care-a-look-at-the-ansi-z133-standard/), Townsend Corporation
13. [Alex Shigo — Wikipedia (USDA Forest Service, 25-year tenure, CODIT model developed 1970s-80s, over 10,000 trees dissected)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Shigo), Wikipedia
14. [ISA Certified Arborist credential: launched 1992, requires 3 years experience and exam, nearly 50,000 credentials issued](https://www.isa-arbor.com/credentials/types-of-credentials/isa-certified-arborist), International Society of Arboriculture
15. [Trends in Arboriculture: urbanization, regulations, and emerging technology in the tree service industry (drones, GIS, mobile field tools)](https://nipgroup.com/broker-blogs/trends-in-arboriculture/), NIP Group

### Forecasts and exposure studies

16. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 37-3013 Tree trimmers and pruners (2025: 70.6 thousand; 2035: 73.6 thousand; +4.2%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=37-3013&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Historical notes

17. [Davey Tree Expert Company history and John Davey biography (founded 1880, incorporated 1909, Davey Institute of Tree Sciences 1909)](https://www.davey.com/about/history/), The Davey Tree Expert Company
18. [Bartlett Tree Experts: The Bartlett Story (founded 1907, innovations in power spray and cabling)](https://www.bartlett.com/about-bartlett), F.A. Bartlett Tree Expert Company
19. [International Society of Arboriculture turns 100: founded as National Shade Tree Conference in 1924 at Bartlett's Stamford office with 36 participants](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/browardco/2024/07/02/the-international-society-of-arboriculture-turns-100/), University of Florida IFAS Extension
20. [Asplundh Tree Expert Company — Wikipedia (founded August 28, 1928; first utility contract Philadelphia Electric Company 1929; 34,000 employees by 2021)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asplundh_Tree_Expert_Company), Wikipedia
21. [EBSCO Research Starters: Dutch Elm Disease Arrives in the United States (1930 arrival, millions of elms killed, 31 states affected)](https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/dutch-elm-disease-arrives-united-states), EBSCO Research Starters
22. [The Journey of Safety in Tree Care: ANSI Z133 standard history (Jeffrey Hugg 1965, Z133 Committee 1968, standard adopted 1971, approved 1972)](https://townsendcompanyllc.com/2024/09/06/the-journey-of-safety-in-tree-care-a-look-at-the-ansi-z133-standard/), Townsend Corporation
23. [Alex Shigo — Wikipedia (USDA Forest Service plant pathologist, CODIT model 1970s-1985, over 10,000 trees dissected)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Shigo), Wikipedia

### Predecessors & successors

24. [Davey Tree Expert Company history: John Davey professionalized what had been general labor, founding the Davey Institute of Tree Sciences in 1909 to train workers](https://www.davey.com/about/history/), The Davey Tree Expert Company
25. [Arboriculture through the ages 1900s-1960s: early arboricultural training built on orchard pruning methods](https://protips.vermeer.com/tree-care-landscape/2017/10/arboriculture-through-the-ages-1900s-1960s/), Vermeer ProTips

### Present-day analysis

- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-05-21
- [O\*NET 30.3 — US Department of Labor](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), accessed 2026-05-21

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.