UK Arborist Salary Report 2024: Trends into 2025

• 31/07/2025
• Training and Education, General Interest , Site Statistics and Tutorials , Recruitment Guide

Did you know arborist salaries in London now average £35,730, up 12% since 2018?

The arborist industry in the UK has seen notable growth and evolution over the past few years. Building on the salary trends reported by Arbjobs' 2018–2023 Salary Report, this 2025 update dives into the current data to explore how pay, roles, and regional variations have shifted since our last report, and what this means for professionals in the industry today.

The data that we use is directly from you, the Arbjobs user. We have taken every job added to our database between January and December 2024, and created this in-depth report to show how the arboricultural jobs market has changed over this period. 

Generally, our data shows: 

• Tree workers with specialist training have experienced higher-than-average pay increases. For example, the average salary for Arborist Climbers has increased by 6.9% from 2023 to 2025. This is 1.3% above the national average pay increase of 5.6%.
• The average job posting on Arbjobs is £34,520 in 2024. This is 11.03% higher than like-for-like offerings on Indeed (which were £31,934, or an absolute difference of £3,430, on average). [Link]
• All arborist, management and groundworker roles saw a pay increase of just 4.96% throughout 2024. This is 0.64% less than the national average pay increase over the same period. 
• Greater London had the highest pay increase for arboricultural workers, with 5.0%. The South West saw an increase of 4.9%, whilst the Northern Counties only saw a modest 2.4% increase in wages. About Our Tree Surgeon Salary Data

Like our previous salary report, we have pulled our data from the published salaries for verified tree surgeon and arborist jobs advertised on the Arbjobs.com job board.

Key Takeaways

1. Wage Increases Persist: Salaries grew modestly but potentially failed to offset inflation, straining retention.
2. Climbers in Demand: Utility and urban arborist roles drove above-average pay increases.
3. Regional Disparities Widened: London/South East pulled further ahead, while the Midlands stagnated.
4. Ground Staff Struggled: Lowest-paid roles saw minimal growth despite labour shortages.

Recommendations for Employers

To attract talent in a competitive market:

1. Boost Non-Financial Perks:
• Offer training budgets (e.g., funded CS38/39 certifications).
• Provide fuel/travel allowances for regional roles.
2. Address Regional Gaps:
• Adjust salaries in low-growth areas (e.g., Midlands) to match local living costs.
3. Highlight Career Progression:
• Emphasise pathways from ground staff to climber or management roles.

Our Data Source

Verified job postings on ARBJobs.com (January 1st to December 31st, 2024 dataset).

Every job advertisement requires the employer to include a salary range for their offer. The salary levels used in this report are calculated as the average of the minimum and maximum limits of that range.

Our Scope

Focuses on UK roles only (non-UK entries excluded for regional consistency).

This data set contains a total of 898 salaries across a variety of job titles. Whilst not all jobs are the same, we have put these job roles into categories. These categories are: 

• Management/Leadership (Team Leaders, Arboriculture Managers, Tree Officers, Consultants)
• Arborist Climber Roles
• Inspectors & Surveyors Roles
• Tree Surgeons Roles
• Ground Staff Roles

Unless otherwise specified, this data omits apprentice salaries to prevent discrepancies, as annual apprenticeship salaries are typically lower than those in comparable roles. 

Our Methodology

Much like previous years, the data that we have used to create this report is direct from the arboricultural field. Businesses post real jobs on Arbjobs every day, and we have used this data to build this report. 

Salaries averaged from "Salary From" and "Salary To" ranges.

• Excludes apprenticeships, self-employed roles, and incomplete entries.
• Roles categorised into 5 key groups:
• Management/Leadership (Team Leaders, Arboriculture Managers, Tree Officers, Consultants)
• Arborist Climbers
• Inspectors & Surveyors
• Tree Surgeons
• Ground Staff

To help categorise regions, we split the nation into 6 regions. We then mapped each hiring firm and allocated them to their respective regions. These include: 

• London/Greater London
• South East
• Midlands
• Scotland
• South West
• Northern Counties

So with our benchmarks set, let's get into our report. 

What Arborist Roles Paid the Best in 2024?

When comparing roles across the industry, Arborist Climbers once again rank among the highest earners, with average salaries nationally of £34,850. Management and Leadership roles also continue to offer competitive pay packages, particularly within local government and large organisations.

Top 5 Highest Paying Roles in 2024:

Using the data on our website, we can see that workers in the arboricultural field have gained a 4.96% increase in pay from hiring employers in the preceding 12 months (January to December 2024).

When comparing roles across the industry, our analysis shows clear differences in earning potential. Although Management and Leadership positions continue to command the highest pay, field‐based roles such as Arborist Climbers remain among the top tiers. 

Job Roles: Specialisation is Paying Off

Specialised roles like Tree Officers, Inspectors and Surveyors or experienced Climbing Arborists, are attracting higher salaries in 2025 than in past years. The emphasis on environmental responsibility, planning regulations, and tree preservation orders has increased the value of knowledge-heavy positions.

As seen in earlier reports, ground crews remain essential, but those who invest in additional training or certifications continue to be rewarded. The role of the "multi-skilled arborist" is now not just encouraged but often expected in higher-paying listings.

Learn how to get a higher arborist certification in the UK with our article How to Become a Certified Arborist in the UK.

Regional Breakdown: Where You Work in The Arb Sector Still Matters

Our analysis shows that salary levels vary significantly across the UK due to differing local economic conditions and demand for arboricultural skills. Based on the verified job postings from Arbjobs.com, here are the regional averages:

What This Data Means

• London/Greater London: With an average salary of £35,730, this region tops the list by a clear margin. The higher pay reflects both the higher cost of living and a competitive market where employers are keen to attract top arboricultural talent.
• South East: Running a close second, the South East offers an average salary of £34,131, or about 3.1% above the national average. This area benefits from a strong economy with high demand for specialist skills in both urban centres and surrounding areas.
• Midlands: The Midlands stands near the national average at £32,872. This balance suggests steady demand without the premium levels seen in London or the South East.
• Scotland, South West, and Northern Counties: Regions such as Scotland (£31,858), South West (£31,600), and especially the Northern Counties (£31,047) register below the national average. While these figures still reflect competitive compensation, local economic factors and lower costs of living play a role in keeping salaries at a relatively modest level.

2024/2025 continues the trend observed in previous years, location significantly affects earning potential:

• South East and South West England remain strong regions, with many listings topping £30,000.
• Northern regions, such as Manchester and the North West, offer solid opportunities, but average slightly lower than their southern counterparts.
• Rural vs Urban: Urban areas continue to offer premium wages due to demand, but rural opportunities now show greater parity, likely due to increased investment in green infrastructure.

This largely mirrors the regional dynamics from 2018–2023, but the gap has narrowed slightly, suggesting a more balanced national market in 2024.

Have Arborist Salaries Kept Up with Inflation?

The Office for National Statistics claims that the CPIH Annual Rate 00 (or ‘the price of living’, generally) increased by another 3.4% in 2024. This means that tree workers are likely staying above the pay/cost of living trend across our 2024 dataset. 

Other data suggests that the real figure for inflation for 2024 was regularly between 2 and 4%, and averaged out at 2.41% for the financial year. 

Our data suggests that roles within the arborist field are staying above inflation in 2024. 

As a consequence, the real (inflation-adjusted) purchasing power of arborists has been squeezed during these peak inflationary periods.

For further context, recent forecasts indicate that:

• The annual inflation rate in 2024 was 2.5%, suggesting a return toward more typical pricing conditions.
• In 2025, inflation is predicted to rise modestly to an average of 3.2%, a significant easing compared to the highs of 2022 and 2023.

Despite the recent acceleration in salary growth within the arboriculture industry, these figures confirm that salary increases have not completely kept pace with the dramatic price increases experienced over the last couple of years. Employers need to consider additional incentives and benefits, along with base pay, in order to maintain the real standard of living for their employees.

These incentives might include: 

• Additional PTO,
• Increased work-from-home days (where applicable),
• Increased benefits,
• Increased training opportunities.

How Does 2024 Compare to 2018–2023 for Tree Surgeon Salaries?

Let’s take a look at how salaries have shifted since 2018, when we first began publishing our arborist/tree surgeon salary reports.

The data tells a clear story: salaries have increased steadily year-on-year, with 2024 showing a particularly strong performance in skilled and leadership roles.

Roles such as Arborist Climber and Management/Leadership Positions have not only maintained their value but continued to grow, with many positions now offering £35,000 to £40,000 or more.

Insights for Job Seekers and Employers

For employers, it’s clear that competitive salaries are essential in attracting and retaining skilled staff. The most successful listings on ARBJobs in 2024 were those offering not only solid pay but clear career development opportunities and flexibility.

We also found that the best-performing job posts were those that took the time to show the candidates what was unique about the business and what benefits the hiring firm offered to its employees. 

For job seekers, the good news is that the market remains hot. With experience and the right certifications, professionals in arboriculture are well-positioned to earn higher-than-average salaries, especially in areas with high demand or specialist requirements.

Yearly Salary Averages for Arborists

Using our previous report, we have appended the current data figures, and the outlook looks promising for us in the arb industry. 

Conclusion: A Positive Outlook for Arborists

Since the last Arbjobs report in 2023, the arboriculture sector has seen significant growth: salaries have risen, job roles have diversified, and regional disparities are narrowing. 

Arbjobs advertised an average salary of £34,520 in 2024, an 11.03% (£3,430) premium over Indeed's £31,090 average for similar arboricultural roles. 

Our job postings offer prospective employees not just new opportunities, but the possibility to move their careers upwards and onwards into their respective fields. 

Arbjobs also offers hiring firms the opportunity to attract candidates of a higher skill level than with other job posting boards. 

In short, you are in demand.

For professionals at every level, from newcomers to seasoned experts, the career path in 2025 and beyond offers stronger pay, broader opportunities, and greater recognition of arborists’ vital work. 

While challenges persist, the industry is clearly adapting and investing in its workforce. As demand continues to surge, we’ll explore emerging trends in consultancy, surveying, and contracting in future updates.

To move forward in the arborist jobs market, remember to sign up to Arbjobs today. You can view, apply and respond to jobs directly through our jobs board.