How to hire a Tree Climber

How to hire a tree climber, step by step

Here's a step-by-step tree climber hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a tree climber job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new tree climber
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a Tree Climber do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The tree climber hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine Employee vs Contractor Status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect tree climber also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of tree climbers.

   Type Of Tree Climber	Description	Hourly Rate
   Tree Climber	Grounds maintenance workers ensure that the grounds of houses, businesses, and parks are attractive, orderly, and healthy in order to provide a pleasant outdoor environment.	$14-27
   Groundsman	Groundsmen or greenkeepers are professionals who take responsibility for the maintenance of materials and equipment. They make certain to provide enough stock of consumables... Show More	$12-20
   Grounds Person	A grounds person is responsible for the overall upkeep of an institution's grounds, public parks, and other similar areas. They are usually employed in schools, especially in schools with provisions for outdoor sports or lawn sports such as soccer, golf, tennis, and football, among others... Show More	$12-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common Skills:

   • CDL
   • Bucket Truck
   • Hand Tools
   • Lawn Care
   • Aerial Lift
   • Line Clearance
   • Safety Procedures
   • ANSI
   • Safety Standards
   • Pruners
   • Tree Care
   • Blowers
   • Grinders
   • Prune

   Check All Skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Trim, top, and reshape trees to achieve attractive shapes and to remove low-hanging branches.
   • Adhere to all ANSI and OSHA guidelines, to include company guidelines.
   • Cut branches from trees, using chainsaws, handsaws, clippers, etc.
   • Drag brush, chuck logs, run rope, removals, prune, clean out, rigging.
   • Drive CDL require company vehicles.
   • Spread rock with shovels and bobcats.

   More Tree Climber duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your tree climber job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A tree climber salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, tree climbers' average salary in wisconsin is 41% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level tree climbers earn 47% less than senior-level tree climbers.
   • Certifications. A tree climber with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a tree climber's salary.

   Average tree climber salary

   $42,833yearly

   $20.59 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level tree climber salary

   $31,000 yearly salary

   Updated March 16, 2025

   Average tree climber salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate
   1	California	$57,023	$27
   2	Utah	$53,211	$26
   3	Illinois	$52,865	$25
   4	New Jersey	$52,770	$25
   5	Massachusetts	$44,391	$21
   6	Oklahoma	$44,152	$21
   7	Indiana	$43,024	$21
   8	Virginia	$42,880	$21
   9	Pennsylvania	$42,561	$20
   10	Washington	$42,521	$20
   11	Michigan	$41,410	$20
   12	Oregon	$41,301	$20
   13	Arizona	$41,051	$20
   14	Maine	$39,156	$19
   15	Colorado	$38,906	$19
   16	Texas	$38,564	$19
   17	Georgia	$37,258	$18
   18	Florida	$34,335	$17
   19	Wisconsin	$32,959	$16

   Average tree climber salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
   1	Cagwin & Dorward	$49,633	$23.86
   2	The Lanco Group	$46,523	$22.37
   3	DigitalPath	$45,246	$21.75
   4	The Care of Trees	$44,362	$21.33
   5	Juniper	$44,347	$21.32
   6	DJ's Landscape Management	$44,307	$21.30	4
   7	The Davey Tree Expert Company	$44,286	$21.29	432
   8	AAA Landscape	$44,264	$21.28	2
   9	SavATree	$44,242	$21.27	7
   10	Penn Line	$44,217	$21.26	46
   11	BrightView Landscape Development Inc	$44,188	$21.24	522
   12	Acres Group	$44,176	$21.24
   13	Lewis Tree Service	$43,807	$21.06	179
   14	Ryan Lawn & Tree	$43,256	$20.80	1
   15	BrightView	$41,403	$19.91	291
   16	City of Rockville	$38,937	$18.72
   17	BAM	$38,383	$18.45
   18	City of Aurora	$36,913	$17.75
   19	Pebble Beach Resorts	$35,627	$17.13	1
   20	The Landrum Company, Inc.	$33,982	$16.34

4. Writing a Tree Climber Job Description

   A tree climber job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a tree climber job description:

   Tree Climber job description example

   Perform various activities related to urban forestry/arboriculture on private and commercial properties
   
   To include tasks such as tree diagnostics, climbing, pruning, removal, stump grinding, cabling, stumping, fertilizing, and planting
   
   To operate and perform maintenance on specialized equipment including brush chipper, stump grinder, and chainsaws in a safe and efficient manner
   Heavy lifting required Hourly pay-scale is between $18.00 - $25.00
   Assets/Skills/Education Required: Post-secondary certificate or diploma in Urban Forestry or similar courses from a recognized institute A certified arborist is preferred Minimum of Two (2) years climbing experience Competent in all tree climbing skills, including assessing safety hazards, tying in, rigging limbs down safely Responsible with strong work ethics Excellent verbal and interpersonal skills Outstanding communication and client relations skills Attention to detail and quality work CPR/First Aid an asset Transportation to yard required Valid Driver’s License and acceptable Motor Vehicle record. You must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
   BENEFITS Weekly Pay (40 hrs) New Hire and Referral Bonus Health Insurance after 60 Days: Medical | Dental | Vision Supplemental Voluntary Insurance Plans Company-Paid Life Insurance & AD&D Plan after 90 days 401K Plan with Employer Match after 90 days Vacation Sick Time Applicable to State Law Life Assistance Program Employee Development Program Certification Assistance Program In-House Arizona Landscape Contractors’ Association Certification (ALCA) Training
   AAA Landscape is following all CDC Guidelines for Workplace regarding Covid-19 including additional company protocols for the safety of the employees.
   AAA Landscape is a Drug-Free Workplace. As a federal contractor with safety-sensitive position we adhere to Federal regulations.
   AAA Landscape provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
   #zr

   Copy This Example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right tree climber for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your tree climber job on Zippia to find and recruit tree climber candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting tree climbers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new tree climber

   Once you've found the tree climber candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new tree climber first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a tree climber?