Butchers and Meat Cutters salary in Merced, CA
Butchers and Meat Cutters in the Merced, CA metro area earn a median of $39,130 a year ($18.81 an hour), based on BLS data for 170 workers.
Pay ranges from $34,420 for the lowest-paid 10% to $63,030 for the top 10%. That is 3% lower than the national median of $40,140. Pay here is 12% lower than the California statewide median of $44,290. There are 2.1 butchers and meat cutters per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 2.4× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $44,980, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for butchers and meat cutters in Merced, CA
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $34,420 | $16.55 |
| 25th percentile | $35,640 | $17.14 |
| Median | $39,130 | $18.81 |
| 75th percentile | $54,660 | $26.28 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $63,030 | $30.30 |
| Average (mean) | $44,980 | $21.63 |
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 period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $3,260.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,630.42 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,505 |
| Weekly | $752.50 |
| Hourly | $18.81 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Butchers and Meat Cutters salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| El Centro, CA | $51,960 | 70 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $49,610 | 790 |
| Napa, CA | $48,030 | 100 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $47,820 | 940 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $47,600 | 390 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $46,790 | 1,390 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $46,490 | 2,720 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $46,000 | 360 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $45,890 | 310 |
| Vallejo, CA | $45,620 | 190 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $44,870 | 1,720 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $44,780 | 130 |
| Redding, CA | $44,540 | 80 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $44,360 | 220 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $44,260 | 130 |
| Chico, CA | $44,110 | 80 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $43,980 | 130 |
| Yuba City, CA | $43,380 | 60 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $42,400 | 320 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $42,400 | 6,510 |
| Salinas, CA | $42,380 | 210 |
| Modesto, CA | $41,720 | 300 |
| Fresno, CA | $37,500 | 660 |
| Visalia, CA | $37,280 | 200 |
Highest-paying states for butchers and meat cutters
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $51,670 |
| Alaska | $50,450 |
| Hawaii | $50,080 |
| Oregon | $49,360 |
| District of Columbia | $48,760 |
| Massachusetts | $48,430 |
| New Hampshire | $47,740 |
| Colorado | $47,490 |
| New York | $47,080 |
| Delaware | $47,040 |
See Butchers and Meat Cutters pay in every state or the California statewide figures.
Related jobs in Merced, CA
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | $35,070 | $16.86 |
| Food Batchmaker | $45,760 | $22.00 |
| Baker | $42,900 | $20.63 |
| Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders | $42,130 | $20.26 |
| Food Processing Workers, All Other | $42,430 | $20.40 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $45,280 | $21.77 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $78,490 | $37.74 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $47,640 | $22.90 |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $50,340 | $24.20 |
| Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $61,920 | $29.77 |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $49,940 | $24.01 |
| Production Workers, All Other | $63,550 | $30.56 |
| Helpers--Production Workers | $38,880 | $18.69 |
| Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators | $76,790 | $36.92 |
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 Merced, CA?
The median salary for butchers and meat cutters in the Merced, CA metro area is $39,130 a year, or $18.81 an hour. Pay ranges from $34,420 for the lowest-paid 10% to $63,030 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid butchers and meat cutters make in Merced, CA?
The top 10% of butchers and meat cutters in the Merced, CA metro area earn at least $63,030 a year. The top 25% earn $54,660 or more.
What is the starting pay for butchers and meat cutters in Merced, CA?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $34,420 a year, and a quarter of butchers and meat cutters earn $35,640 or less.
How many butchers and meat cutters work in Merced, CA?
About 170 butchers and meat cutters are employed in the Merced, CA metro area, not counting the self-employed.