SOC 37-3013 · Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro

Tree Trimmers and Pruners Salary in Des Moines, IA

The average salary for tree trimmers and pruners in Des Moines, Iowa is $44,780 a year ($21.53 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $42,080: half of the 160 people in this job in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 20% less than the U.S. average for this job ($55,970).

$44,780average per year

$21.53 / hourMedian $42,080Take-home ≈ $37,071

  • $21K10th
  • $29K25th
  • $42KMedian
  • $55K75th
  • $69K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

160people in this job
-20%vs U.S. average
92cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Tree Trimmers and Pruners pay range in Des Moines

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $21,340 a year or less, while the top 10% make $68,530 or more. The middle half of tree trimmers and pruners in Des Moines earn between $28,680 and $55,350.

  • $21K10th
  • $29K25th
  • $42KMedian
  • $55K75th
  • $69K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$44,780$3,732$21.53
Median$42,080$3,507$20.23
Entry level (25th percentile)$28,680$2,390$13.79
Experienced (75th percentile)$55,350$4,612$26.61

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Tree Trimmers and Pruners pay in Des Moines vs. Iowa and the U.S.

Tree trimmers and pruners in Des Moines earn about the same as the Iowa average ($44,890) and 20% less than the U.S. average ($55,970). At the median the gap is -17% against the U.S. median of $50,960.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Des Moines$44,780$42,080$21,340$68,530160
Iowa$44,890$42,890$20,440$68,530380
United States$55,970$50,960$37,940$80,31055,160

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Tree Trimmers and Pruners salary after taxes in Des Moines

On the average salary of $44,780, a single filer in Des Moines takes home about $37,071 a year, or $3,089 a month and $1,426 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.

Iowa paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Des Moines a good place for tree trimmers and pruners? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Des Moines area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 91.7), so the average $44,780 buys what about $48,833 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Des Moines ($51,820). A typical home costs $296,070, or 6.6 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $44,780 is worth in another city

Tree Trimmers and Pruners salary in nearby metro areas

Highest-paying cities for tree trimmers and pruners

Santa Rosa, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($76,580).

Tree Trimmers and Pruners salary by city

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Tree Trimmers and Pruners salary in Des Moines: questions

How much do tree trimmers and pruners make an hour in Des Moines?

$21.53 an hour on average, and $20.23 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level tree trimmers and pruners salary in Des Moines?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $21,340 a year and the 25th percentile is $28,680, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the tree trimmers and pruners take-home pay in Des Moines?

About $37,071 a year ($3,089 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $44,780. Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.

Do tree trimmers and pruners earn more in Des Moines than elsewhere?

The average here is 20% less than the U.S. average for this job ($55,970).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 37-3013; area Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA (19780). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 10.0%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.12, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.