Cutters and Trimmers, Hand salary in the U.S.
Cutters and Trimmers, Hand in the U.S. earn a median of $38,020 a year ($18.28 an hour), based on BLS data for 6,060 workers.
Pay ranges from $26,630 for the lowest-paid 10% to $57,870 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $41,050, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for cutters and trimmers, hand in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $26,630 | $12.80 |
| 25th percentile | $34,050 | $16.37 |
| Median | $38,020 | $18.28 |
| 75th percentile | $47,850 | $23.01 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $57,870 | $27.82 |
| Average (mean) | $41,050 | $19.74 |
Half of cutters and trimmers, hand 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 | $3,168.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,584.17 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,462.31 |
| Weekly | $731.15 |
| Hourly | $18.28 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Cutters and Trimmers, Hand salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | $48,830 | 60 |
| Vermont | $48,670 | n/a |
| Iowa | $48,580 | n/a |
| Rhode Island | $48,100 | 50 |
| North Carolina | $47,910 | 1,060 |
| Michigan | $46,830 | 50 |
| Minnesota | $46,570 | 40 |
| New York | $46,190 | 220 |
| Indiana | $41,740 | 360 |
| Missouri | $40,560 | 110 |
| Massachusetts | $39,970 | 110 |
| South Carolina | $39,340 | 50 |
| Wisconsin | $39,010 | 60 |
| Kansas | $38,800 | 130 |
| California | $37,840 | 770 |
| Georgia | $37,480 | 290 |
| Mississippi | $37,280 | 90 |
| Connecticut | $35,970 | 50 |
| Washington | $35,960 | n/a |
| Pennsylvania | $35,560 | 140 |
| Illinois | $35,360 | 30 |
| Ohio | $35,360 | 120 |
| Alabama | $35,160 | n/a |
| Florida | $35,150 | 150 |
| Oklahoma | $34,910 | n/a |
| New Jersey | $34,600 | 380 |
| Virginia | $32,470 | 60 |
| Arizona | $31,110 | n/a |
| Texas | $29,130 | 740 |
| Tennessee | $27,030 | 230 |
Best-paying metro areas for cutters and trimmers, hand
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $49,200 | 590 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $45,520 | 50 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $45,250 | 40 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $44,140 | 70 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $42,580 | 40 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $41,890 | 110 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $41,740 | 70 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $40,970 | 130 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $39,300 | 100 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $39,160 | 440 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $38,420 | 40 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $38,010 | 60 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $37,500 | 530 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $37,020 | 200 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $36,840 | 380 |
Metro areas with the most cutters and trimmers, hand
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 590 | $49,200 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 530 | $37,500 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 440 | $39,160 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 380 | $36,840 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | 200 | $37,020 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 130 | $40,970 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 130 | $25,900 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 110 | $41,890 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 100 | $39,300 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 100 | $34,000 |
| Dalton, GA | 80 | $22,930 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | 70 | $41,740 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 70 | $44,140 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 60 | $38,010 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 50 | $35,140 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $48,570 | $23.35 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $43,220 | $20.78 |
| Production Workers, All Other | $40,110 | $19.29 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator | $50,690 | $24.37 |
| Helpers--Production Workers | $39,070 | $18.78 |
| Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $48,250 | $23.20 |
| Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders | $58,040 | $27.90 |
| Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $50,270 | $24.17 |
| Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $48,990 | $23.55 |
| Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $51,610 | $24.81 |
| Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $45,760 | $22.00 |
| Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $46,570 | $22.39 |
| Dental Laboratory Technician | $49,610 | $23.85 |
| Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic | $46,170 | $22.20 |
More: Production Occupations
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 51-9031. 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 cutters and trimmers, hand make in the U.S.?
The median salary for cutters and trimmers, hand in the U.S. is $38,020 a year, or $18.28 an hour. Pay ranges from $26,630 for the lowest-paid 10% to $57,870 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid cutters and trimmers, hand make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of cutters and trimmers, hand in the U.S. earn at least $57,870 a year. The top 25% earn $47,850 or more.
What is the starting pay for cutters and trimmers, hand in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $26,630 a year, and a quarter of cutters and trimmers, hand earn $34,050 or less.
How many cutters and trimmers, hand work in the U.S.?
About 6,060 cutters and trimmers, hand are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.