Fallers Career, Salary and Skills
Fallers have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $52,100 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 3,130. Wage data is published for 20 locations.
Occupation description
Use axes or chainsaws to fell trees using knowledge of tree characteristics and cutting techniques to control direction of fall and minimize tree damage.
O*NET code
45-4021.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
Not recorded
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$52,100
Hourly median
$25.05
Employment
3,130
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 3.12 | 2.88 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.12 | 2.75 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Monitoring | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Time Management | 2.88 | 2.25 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 2.75 | 2.62 |
| Repairing | 2.75 | 2.25 |
| Troubleshooting | 2.75 | 2.62 |
Typical tasks
- Control the direction of a tree's fall by scoring cutting lines with axes, sawing undercuts along scored lines with chainsaws, knocking slabs from cuts with single-bit axes, and driving wedges.
- Stop saw engines, pull cutting bars from cuts, and run to safety as tree falls.
- Select trees to be cut down, assessing factors such as site, terrain, and weather conditions before beginning work.
- Measure felled trees and cut them into specified log lengths, using chain saws and axes.
- Insert jacks or drive wedges behind saws to prevent binding of saws and to start trees falling.
- Assess logs after cutting to ensure that the quality and length are correct.
- Appraise trees for certain characteristics, such as twist, rot, and heavy limb growth, and gauge amount and direction of lean, to determine how to control the direction of a tree's fall with the least damage.
- Saw back-cuts, leaving sufficient sound wood to control direction of fall.
Technology
- Assisi Compiler
- Assisi Software Assisi Inventory
- Assisi Software Assisi Manager
- Assisi Software Assisi Resource
- BCS Woodlands Software The Logger Tracker
- BCS Woodlands Software Woodlands Tracker
- ESRI ArcView
- Geographic information system GIS systems
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Fallers salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Fallers Salary in MIMedian $51,700 · Employment 410
- Fallers Salary in VAMedian $48,340 · Employment 330
- Fallers Salary in CAMedian $59,590 · Employment 260
- Fallers Salary in LAMedian $62,040 · Employment 200
- Fallers Salary in NCMedian $46,080 · Employment 200
- Fallers Salary in IDMedian $78,330 · Employment 190
- Fallers Salary in ORMedian $84,490 · Employment 180
- Fallers Salary in GAMedian $39,380 · Employment 170
- Fallers Salary in MSMedian $54,110 · Employment 140
- Fallers Salary in SCMedian $76,350 · Employment 130
- Fallers Salary in NYMedian $36,190 · Employment 120
- Fallers Salary in TNMedian $47,560 · Employment 80
Related careers
- Earth Drillers, Except Oil and GasNational median $60,190
- Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment OperatorsNational median $70,070
- RiggersNational median $62,640
- Hoist and Winch OperatorsNational median $56,450
- Helpers--Extraction WorkersNational median $47,730
- CarpentersNational median $60,580
- First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry WorkersNational median $59,320
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsNational median $59,850
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.