Cost of Arborist in 2023 and Updated Pricing for All Services (Full List)

Arborist services are essential in maintaining tree health and the cost of arborist services has mostly been kept in line with affordability to ensure the ongoing inspection and removal of hazardous trees.

Local arborists provide a number of services, including tree trimming, crane assisted tree trimming, tree doctoring and more.

But, their pricing can vary, based on location and the service you need to have provided.

Knowing what to expect for the cost of arborist services can help ensure that you keep your trees healthy, without paying too much out of pocket.

What Does an Arborist Do?

An arborist is also known as a tree surgeon and is qualified in Arboriculture studies.¹⁷

Arborists are employed in urban areas where they perform tree inspections, prepare arborist reports, and trim or remove trees that have become a danger to their surroundings.

(Image: Paula Morin²⁸)

Arborist job is divided into three different skill sets:

• Groundsman or Climbing Arborist Assistant: This is the entry-level position in the arborist job sector.
• Climbing Arborists: These arborists are professionals with many years of experience, and they generally earn a higher-than-average salary.
• Owning and running a tree service: Arborists who choose to operate their own business have the most earning potential.¹

How Much Does An Arborist Consultation Cost? Cost of Arborist: Arborist Cost Per Hour

When an arborist consultation becomes necessary, the average cost of arborist services and inspections can range between $70 to $200 per hour, depending on how many trees need to be inspected and whether removals need to be done.

Depending on the state in which the arborist works, the average cost per hour can range between $100 to $300. In some cases, a flat fee applies. This would be mostly the case for a standard review at a residential property.²

How Much Do Arborists Charge Per Hour?

In 2023, the rate of a professional arborist ranges between $125 to $300 per hour.¹⁸

The fluctuation in rates depends on the following factors:

• Type of service: Removal typically costs more than trimming.
• Size of a tree: Large trees take longer to trim and remove.
• Tree species: Hardwood trees are more difficult to remove.
• Condition of the tree: Hazardous trees often require an extra inspection and unhealthy trees will likely require extra machinery and/or manpower for safe removal.
• Accessibility: The more difficult it is to reach the tree, the higher the cost of trimming or removal will be.
• Uneven terrain: Working on uneven slopes will cause the removal or trimming to be performed at a slower pace, hiking up the cost.
• Weather conditions: During the rainy season, the cost of arborist services will likely increase due to the danger of working in adverse weather conditions.³

Cost of Arborist Inspection

The comprehensive cost of arborist services, including inspection and trimming or removal, will cost between $375 – $1,500. The average cost is around $822.

To determine the cost of an arborist inspection, the following factors and the relevant costs associated with them must be considered:

The cost of the consultation report can be broken down as follows:

Arborist Day Rate

Many arborists do not charge per hour or per day and will instead provide a free quote telephonically or perform a free tree inspection, after which a quote will be provided.

How Much Do Arborists Make?

Arborists in the abovementioned states earn an average salary as indicated below. This table also ranks the state where arborists are most likely to find employment and earn a higher salary:

Best Tree Doctor Near Me

When studying the above table, it is clear that the best tree doctors, or arborists, will likely be found in these states. However, as mentioned above, qualified arborists work in every state in the US, and most will be found in the following highest-paid cities for arborists:

Certified Arborist Report

Depending on the state in which the arborist performs inspections to compile a report, the certified arborist report cost can range between $300 – $500 (taking into consideration the number of trees).²⁰

Cost of Arborist

The cost of a tree report compiled by an arborist is usually calculated as follows:

• $70 – $150 for a maximum of five trees
• $20 – $50 per additional tree
• $35 – $50 for the extra service of submitting the tree report to the local tree council.

Free Arborist Consultation

The cost of arborist services as laid out above encompasses the general average cost of the arborist practice.

Arborist services, as a rule, are not free of charge. However, requesting a quote can lead to a free arborist consultation as the consultation will most likely result in a job.

When the request for a quote comes in the form of a tree inspection only (no trimming or removal}, it will be a paid inspection which can range between $150 for a single tree to $500 for a comprehensive arborist report.⁶

(Image: savedthroughfaith7²⁹)

A tree consultation by an arborist usually includes the following aspects:²¹

• Inspection of diseased trees
• Application of cure for the diseased trees
• Recommendation on which trees would thrive in the inspected environment
• Worth of the trees
• Assessing the risk of damage to residential properties, adjacent properties, or public spaces by low-hanging branches or weak trees.
• Assessing the risk of damage to water pipes and structural foundations by invasive tree roots.
• Recommendation on the proper care of trees

Free Tree Inspection

Because a simple inspection does not necessarily lead to the removal or pruning of trees, an inspection alone will be charged by an arborist.

However, if there is reason to believe that the tree(s) in question will need extensive trimming or removal, a free tree inspection may be performed, after which the trimming or removal services will be at cost.

Arborist Cost To Trim Trees

Arborists charge different prices for different services, including tree trimming, tree removal, and inspection as well as consultations and reports. The below table highlights the average costs as well as the minimum and maximum costs of the different services provided by an arborist.

How Much Does It Cost To Trim a Large Tree?

In 2023, the cost of trimming a large tree can cost anywhere between $500 and $1,200 per tree. A large tree is defined as being 50ft or taller. Excessively tall trees will cost an average maximum of $2,000 to trim.

Many trees grow to an extreme height and width. Oak trees can grow very high and will cost more to trim especially when the tree is mature and has hard and wide branches.

The cost range of trimming an oak tree is $950 to $1,700.

Pine trees are another species that grow very tall, and cost more to trim. This is especially true when the pine tree is in a difficult-to-reach location.

Norfolk/White pine tree trimming costs range between $500 to $850.

Radiate pine trees grow larger and thicker branches, and their trimming costs are higher, ranging between $750 and $1,500 per tree.⁸

In general, tree trimming costs vary between $250 and $2,000 because of the variety of factors that come into play.

The following table indicates the cost of trimming per the height of the tree:

Cost of Arborist

The cost of arborist services encompasses all the various factors that influence the cost range, whether trimming or removing trees.

Cost of Tree Trimming Explained

As the above table indicates, the cost of tree trimming centers around the height of the tree. However, other factors also play a role in establishing the overall costs of trimming services:

• Small trees (15 – 20ft)

Small trees usually require up to 20% of trimming and will cost slightly more than the $525 maximum if they grow near power lines.

• Medium trees (20 – 30ft)

Medium trees that require more than 20% foliage removed, will likely also cost more to trim than the average higher price of $720.

• Large trees (30 – 50ft)

Large trees that only require a few branches to be removed, will remain within the average cost of tree trimming for trees between 30 – 50ft. However, if a complete tree reduction is required, the cost will exceed the maximum average of $1,200.

• Extra-large trees (50 – 100ft)

Extra-large tree trimming starts at an average cost of $740 and generally tops out at $2,000. However, if crown thinning is required, the cost will skyrocket. Crown thinning is usually done as a last resort when a canopy lift will not suffice.⁹

Tree Trimming Cost Per Hour

Tree trimming service companies do not usually charge by the hour, but instead, work out the cost per project. In these cases, often you can achieve free tree removal in exchange for wood.

The cost of arborist services and the cost of the actual trimming services are usually charged separately – for instance, the report stemming from the initial inspection and the trimming will have separate costs.

What Is a Reasonable Price for Tree Trimming?

If there is only one healthy tree to be trimmed, and it’s not located in a hazardous area and doesn’t pose any danger to structures or pipes, it is safe to assume that the most reasonable price for trimming would be around the national average cost in the US, which was $475 in 2022.²²

(Image: nightowl³⁰)

Once the location, accessibility, number of trees, tree health, and the existence of pests come into play, the costs will fluctuate toward the higher end of the scale which is around $1,260.¹⁰

Tree Trimming Cost Calculator

The best and most accurate way to determine the expected cost of tree trimming, before consulting with an expert on the cost of arborist services, is to make use of a tree trimming cost calculator, particularly, a crane assisted tree removal cost calculator.

Most tree trimming companies include a free-to-use tree trimming cost calculator on their website. These types of calculators take into consideration the time of year, the hazards or obstacles that may exist in the location of the tree(s), the location of the tree(s) itself, the number of branches, and the type of trim required.

Estimated calculated costs using a tree trimming cost calculator can be laid out as follows:

Cost of Tree Trimming by Tree Species

The cost of tree trimming includes calculating how much it will cost to trim different tree species.

Cost of Arborist

The following table indicates the average cost range of trimming different species of trees:

Arborist Cost To Remove Tree

The calculated cost of arborist services should include the arborist cost to remove trees.²³ The average cost of arborist services ranges between $70 to $200 per hour, while most arborists will quote per project.

For tree removal, the costs can range anywhere between $200 and $5,000.

For small trees, the average cost ranges around $425, while extra-large trees will cost around $7,900 to remove.

The following table indicates the average removal costs according to tree size:

Cost of Tree Removal: Per Foot

Trees Classified According to Size

The following popular tree species fall into different categories when it comes to size and height.

Small Trees:

• Crepe Myrtle
• Franklin Tree
• Magnolia
• Japanese Maple

Medium Trees:

• Cypress
• Liquidamber
• American Holly
• Date Palm

Large Trees:

• Radiata Pine
• Oak Tree
• Cottonwood
• American Elm

Extra-large Trees:

• Giant Sequoia
• Spruce
• Noble Fir Tree
• White Pine

Average Cost of Tree Removal: By Species

Related Reading: Cottonwood Tree Leaf: How to Spot a Cottonwood (All 4 Types) & Eat Them

Tree Removal Cost According to Difficulty

Cheap Tree Removal Near Me

When considering making use of tree removal services or calling in the help of an arborist,²⁴ there are many options available that would make the process of comparing costs easier. You can also use a tree removal cost calculator to estimate the amount you’ll spend.

It is advised to obtain a minimum of three quotes from different companies to compare costs. For example, you may get 3 different quotes when asking how much to cut down a 50 pine tree?

When local tree services are employed, the costs will automatically be lower, because of reduced travel. To find local tree services, the best options are a local newspaper search or an internet search.

The following must be considered when contacting tree removal companies, after extensive online research:

• The desired experience in the tree removal business should be in excess of 3 years.
• Reviews, both good and bad, should be considered before contact is made with the company.
• Proof of credentials must be readily available.¹³

Free Tree Removal for Seniors

If you’re looking for free tree removal for seniors, there are some options. In the case of seniors (especially low-income senior households) that require tree removal, there is a good chance that the removal will be done free of charge.²⁵

The city or town in which the senior resides might offer a grant for tree removal, or the local municipality might just remove the tree, especially if it poses a hazard to city buildings and water pipe systems.

(Image: Delaware.gov³¹)

In other instances, home insurance (where applicable) may be instrumental in paying for the removal of trees.¹³

Tree Removal Service

It is essential to make use of a reputable tree removal service to cut down and remove trees and stumps.

Tree service companies provide a range of services other than removal, including pruning, planting, assessing tree health, and clearing land.¹⁵

Tree Removal Cost Calculator

For all tree removal costs, it is advised to make use of a tree removal cost calculator. Tree removal cost calculators consider the size of the tree, the number of trees, and the location from where the trees need to be removed.

Also, find out who is responsible for fallen tree removal.

The following factors are combined to calculate the best-estimated cost for tree removal:

• Tree size and volume
• Number of trees
• Location
• Accessibility
• Hazards and obstacles

Example of Stump Removal Cost Calculation:

Measuring the diameter of the stump and multiplying it by $12 will calculate the estimated cost of removal:

• Stump of 14” – 14”x $12 = $168

Example of Palm Tree Removal Cost Calculation:

Measuring the length of the trunk of a palm tree in feet and multiplying it by $15 will calculate the estimated cost of removal:

• Length of 25’ – 25’ x $15 = $375 ¹⁶

Whether trimming or removal of trees is required, it is always best to consult with a professional arborist.²⁶ Arborists are instrumental to the health and longevity of trees and other plants, and they can supply a long-term plan for caring for sensitive trees.

The cost of arborist services is worth every penny when considering these benefits.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Cost of Arborist