💡 Why it matters: Trees cool cities, clean the air and support wildlife, but they must be cared for and made safe. Trained tree specialists are needed wherever there are towns.
🌍 Around the world
- United States: Jobs for tree trimmers and pruners are projected to grow 4% from 2025 to 2035 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
💰 What it can pay
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Starting out
- ₦600k – ₦1.5M
- Mid-career
- ₦1.5M – ₦4M
- Senior
- ₦4M – ₦10M
≈ ₦125k – ₦333k a month mid-career. Indicative estimate by Incusim.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
UK profile name: Tree surgeon (arborist is an alternative title). Typical starter to experienced salary. National Careers Service, 2026
🇺🇸 United States
Closest US category: Tree trimmers and pruners (from hourly median of $24.50 x 2,080 hours). Median pay. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025
🇨🇦 Canada
Hourly wage low/median/high x 2,080 hours. Job Bank (Government of Canada), 2023-2024
Yearly pay before tax. UK, US and Canada figures come from the official sources named on each card. Nigeria has no official salary survey, so those are our indicative estimates. Real pay depends on the employer, the place, your skills and experience.
🛠️ What you actually do
- Check the health of trees and spot disease
- Prune and remove branches or whole trees safely
- Climb with ropes, harnesses and saws
- Advise on planting and protecting trees
- Work after storms to clear fallen or dangerous trees
⚡ Skills you'll need
- Climbing and fitness
- Safety awareness
- Knowledge of trees
- Using power tools
- Teamwork
Get ready at school
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Work with councils or landscaping firms after forestry, agriculture or horticulture training
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Arboriculture apprenticeship with a tree care company
- Start as a groundworker under an experienced climber
🇺🇸 United States
- Start as a groundworker for a tree service, then learn to climb
- Utility vegetation management roles; extra safety training is required, and rules vary by state
🇨🇦 Canada
- Start as a groundworker for a tree care company, then learn to climb
- Utility arborist roles for power and telecom companies
🗺️ Your path to this career
- 1Study Biology and Geography at school
- 2Take a land-based college or arboriculture course
- 3Work as a ground worker under an experienced climber
- 4Earn chainsaw, climbing and safety certificates
- 5Become a climber or consulting arborist, or start your own company
⏰ A day in the life
You put on your helmet and harness and climb a tall tree to remove a dead branch. On the ground your partner guides the rope and keeps others away. Later you inspect another tree for disease and write advice for the owner.