Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers salary in the U.S.
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers in the U.S. earn a median of $38,300 a year ($18.41 an hour), based on BLS data for 145,700 workers.
Pay ranges from $29,980 for the lowest-paid 10% to $48,150 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $39,280, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $29,980 | $14.42 |
| 25th percentile | $35,350 | $17.00 |
| Median | $38,300 | $18.41 |
| 75th percentile | $44,170 | $21.24 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $48,150 | $23.15 |
| Average (mean) | $39,280 | $18.89 |
Half of meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers 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 | $3,191.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,595.83 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,473.08 |
| Weekly | $736.54 |
| Hourly | $18.41 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $50,390 | 2,470 |
| Arizona | $48,550 | 620 |
| Kansas | $48,080 | 5,000 |
| Nebraska | $47,580 | 8,340 |
| New Hampshire | $47,260 | n/a |
| North Dakota | $47,250 | 390 |
| Michigan | $44,430 | 920 |
| South Dakota | $44,290 | 2,080 |
| Utah | $44,150 | 1,080 |
| Minnesota | $43,400 | 3,790 |
| Wisconsin | $43,300 | 2,040 |
| Iowa | $43,190 | 3,970 |
| Washington | $43,010 | 3,630 |
| Indiana | $42,450 | 2,640 |
| Missouri | $41,890 | 2,880 |
| Illinois | $40,690 | 4,040 |
| Hawaii | $40,260 | 800 |
| Vermont | $40,110 | 40 |
| Georgia | $39,330 | 11,480 |
| Idaho | $39,200 | 280 |
| Maine | $39,170 | 660 |
| North Carolina | $39,170 | 9,750 |
| Kentucky | $39,150 | 1,450 |
| Arkansas | $37,980 | 9,030 |
| Nevada | $37,920 | 360 |
| Mississippi | $37,890 | 6,470 |
| Rhode Island | $37,740 | 320 |
| Tennessee | $37,590 | 2,970 |
| Montana | $37,440 | 60 |
| New York | $37,330 | 2,420 |
| Alaska | $37,180 | 970 |
| Wyoming | $37,040 | 70 |
| Ohio | $37,020 | 3,540 |
| West Virginia | $36,870 | 220 |
| California | $36,570 | 9,270 |
| Massachusetts | $36,570 | 2,350 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,480 | 1,600 |
| Oklahoma | $36,300 | 1,530 |
| Virginia | $36,170 | 2,740 |
| Oregon | $36,060 | 910 |
| Texas | $35,890 | 8,590 |
| Delaware | $35,500 | 5,430 |
| New Jersey | $34,930 | n/a |
| South Carolina | $34,790 | 2,750 |
| Connecticut | $34,780 | n/a |
| Maryland | $32,950 | 680 |
| New Mexico | $31,240 | 240 |
| Florida | $31,160 | 2,310 |
| Alabama | $31,080 | 9,140 |
| Louisiana | $27,850 | 1,690 |
| Guam | $27,660 | n/a |
| Puerto Rico | $24,550 | 80 |
Best-paying metro areas for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Topeka, KS | $52,050 | 120 |
| Sheboygan, WI | $50,410 | 70 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $49,810 | 1,920 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $48,890 | 90 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $48,880 | 230 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $48,550 | 550 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $47,580 | 1,700 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $45,820 | 470 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $45,800 | 310 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $45,750 | 180 |
| Akron, OH | $45,170 | 60 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $44,280 | 310 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $44,220 | 430 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $44,020 | 110 |
| Boise City, ID | $43,480 | 40 |
Metro areas with the most meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 4,340 | $36,540 |
| Gainesville, GA | 3,210 | $39,420 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 2,770 | $40,690 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 2,560 | $39,300 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | 2,500 | $37,980 |
| Jackson, MS | 2,230 | $37,500 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 2,170 | $35,520 |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | 2,080 | $37,460 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | 1,920 | $49,810 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 1,700 | $47,580 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 1,370 | $43,190 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,250 | $38,830 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 1,070 | $28,840 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 920 | $38,150 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 900 | $36,080 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Baker | $37,160 | $17.86 |
| Food Batchmaker | $42,290 | $20.33 |
| Butchers and Meat Cutters | $40,140 | $19.30 |
| 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 51-3022. 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 meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers make in the U.S.?
The median salary for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers in the U.S. is $38,300 a year, or $18.41 an hour. Pay ranges from $29,980 for the lowest-paid 10% to $48,150 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers in the U.S. earn at least $48,150 a year. The top 25% earn $44,170 or more.
What is the starting pay for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $29,980 a year, and a quarter of meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers earn $35,350 or less.
How many meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers work in the U.S.?
About 145,700 meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.