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Butchers and Meat Cutters salary in the U.S.

Butchers and Meat Cutters in the U.S. earn a median of $40,140 a year ($19.30 an hour), based on BLS data for 136,430 workers.

Median salary
$40,140
Hourly
$19.30
Average
$42,380
Top 10% earn
$58,110
Workers
136,430

Pay ranges from $29,460 for the lowest-paid 10% to $58,110 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $42,380, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.

Pay range for butchers and meat cutters in the U.S.

$0$70,000
Pay levelYearlyHourly
10th percentile (entry level)$29,460$14.17
25th percentile$35,510$17.07
Median$40,140$19.30
75th percentile$48,050$23.10
90th percentile (top earners)$58,110$27.94
Average (mean)$42,380$20.37

Half of butchers and meat cutters earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.

Median paycheck, before taxes

Pay periodAmount
Monthly$3,345
Semi-monthly (24 a year)$1,672.50
Biweekly (26 a year)$1,543.85
Weekly$771.92
Hourly$19.30

Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.

Butchers and Meat Cutters salary by state

StateMedian salaryWorkers
Washington$51,6702,660
Alaska$50,450230
Hawaii$50,080500
Oregon$49,3601,540
District of Columbia$48,760150
Massachusetts$48,4301,480
New Hampshire$47,740530
Colorado$47,4902,200
New York$47,0804,540
Delaware$47,040250
Wisconsin$45,9803,510
Arizona$45,7802,130
Vermont$45,580370
Rhode Island$45,210260
Wyoming$44,820210
Connecticut$44,5701,210
California$44,29018,700
Maryland$44,1301,500
Minnesota$43,9301,590
Utah$43,4401,500
Florida$42,79010,590
Indiana$42,4401,850
Montana$41,600740
Nevada$40,2901,560
North Dakota$40,080470
Tennessee$39,9602,650
South Carolina$39,7902,380
Virginia$39,7702,630
Michigan$39,3504,230
Illinois$39,2407,710
Georgia$38,5404,420
New Jersey$38,5404,610
Pennsylvania$38,3403,540
Maine$38,250830
North Carolina$38,2403,120
Idaho$38,0301,480
Missouri$37,8602,160
Iowa$37,7504,480
Nebraska$37,6301,380
Ohio$37,6305,640
Texas$37,40011,260
Kansas$37,3201,200
South Dakota$37,310520
Louisiana$36,7902,240
New Mexico$36,640810
Alabama$36,5002,350
Kentucky$35,4301,670
Oklahoma$35,0701,810
Arkansas$34,3801,290
West Virginia$33,570600
Mississippi$29,7001,160
Virgin Islands$29,120100
Guam$29,11040
Puerto Rico$22,7802,180

Best-paying metro areas for butchers and meat cutters

Metro areaMedian salaryWorkers
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$60,6001,300
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$57,930100
Fairbanks-College, AK$57,92030
Kahului-Wailuku, HI$54,98070
Longview-Kelso, WA$53,55040
Anchorage, AK$52,130110
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$51,980840
El Centro, CA$51,96070
Bend, OR$51,69090
Bellingham, WA$50,97090
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$50,72060
Barnstable Town, MA$50,29050
Urban Honolulu, HI$49,860330
Grants Pass, OR$49,80040
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA$49,790110

Metro areas with the most butchers and meat cutters

Metro areaWorkersMedian salary
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA6,510$42,400
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ6,220$42,470
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN5,910$40,410
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL3,420$39,140
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX3,090$38,040
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA2,720$46,490
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX2,700$38,120
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA2,570$38,910
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD1,980$40,810
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA1,720$44,870
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV1,610$44,160
Cleveland, OH1,550$37,630
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI1,540$39,590
San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR1,440$22,810
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ1,410$46,040

Related jobs in the U.S.

JobMedian salaryHourly
Baker$37,160$17.86
Food Batchmaker$42,290$20.33
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$38,300$18.41
Slaughterers and Meat Packers$40,130$19.29
Food Processing Workers, All Other$39,680$19.08
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders$41,590$20.00
Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders$44,810$21.54
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$44,650$21.47
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$74,450$35.79
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$48,570$23.35
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$53,750$25.84
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$43,220$20.78
Machinist$58,750$28.24
Production Workers, All Other$40,110$19.29

More: Production Occupations

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 51-3021. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a butchers and meat cutters make in the U.S.?

The median salary for butchers and meat cutters in the U.S. is $40,140 a year, or $19.30 an hour. Pay ranges from $29,460 for the lowest-paid 10% to $58,110 for the top 10%.

How much do the highest-paid butchers and meat cutters make in the U.S.?

The top 10% of butchers and meat cutters in the U.S. earn at least $58,110 a year. The top 25% earn $48,050 or more.

What is the starting pay for butchers and meat cutters in the U.S.?

Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $29,460 a year, and a quarter of butchers and meat cutters earn $35,510 or less.

How many butchers and meat cutters work in the U.S.?

About 136,430 butchers and meat cutters are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.