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.
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.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 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 period | Amount |
|---|---|
| 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.
Buying a home? On a $40,140 salary, see how much house you can afford at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Butchers and Meat Cutters salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $51,670 | 2,660 |
| Alaska | $50,450 | 230 |
| Hawaii | $50,080 | 500 |
| Oregon | $49,360 | 1,540 |
| District of Columbia | $48,760 | 150 |
| Massachusetts | $48,430 | 1,480 |
| New Hampshire | $47,740 | 530 |
| Colorado | $47,490 | 2,200 |
| New York | $47,080 | 4,540 |
| Delaware | $47,040 | 250 |
| Wisconsin | $45,980 | 3,510 |
| Arizona | $45,780 | 2,130 |
| Vermont | $45,580 | 370 |
| Rhode Island | $45,210 | 260 |
| Wyoming | $44,820 | 210 |
| Connecticut | $44,570 | 1,210 |
| California | $44,290 | 18,700 |
| Maryland | $44,130 | 1,500 |
| Minnesota | $43,930 | 1,590 |
| Utah | $43,440 | 1,500 |
| Florida | $42,790 | 10,590 |
| Indiana | $42,440 | 1,850 |
| Montana | $41,600 | 740 |
| Nevada | $40,290 | 1,560 |
| North Dakota | $40,080 | 470 |
| Tennessee | $39,960 | 2,650 |
| South Carolina | $39,790 | 2,380 |
| Virginia | $39,770 | 2,630 |
| Michigan | $39,350 | 4,230 |
| Illinois | $39,240 | 7,710 |
| Georgia | $38,540 | 4,420 |
| New Jersey | $38,540 | 4,610 |
| Pennsylvania | $38,340 | 3,540 |
| Maine | $38,250 | 830 |
| North Carolina | $38,240 | 3,120 |
| Idaho | $38,030 | 1,480 |
| Missouri | $37,860 | 2,160 |
| Iowa | $37,750 | 4,480 |
| Nebraska | $37,630 | 1,380 |
| Ohio | $37,630 | 5,640 |
| Texas | $37,400 | 11,260 |
| Kansas | $37,320 | 1,200 |
| South Dakota | $37,310 | 520 |
| Louisiana | $36,790 | 2,240 |
| New Mexico | $36,640 | 810 |
| Alabama | $36,500 | 2,350 |
| Kentucky | $35,430 | 1,670 |
| Oklahoma | $35,070 | 1,810 |
| Arkansas | $34,380 | 1,290 |
| West Virginia | $33,570 | 600 |
| Mississippi | $29,700 | 1,160 |
| Virgin Islands | $29,120 | 100 |
| Guam | $29,110 | 40 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,780 | 2,180 |
Best-paying metro areas for butchers and meat cutters
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $60,600 | 1,300 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $57,930 | 100 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | $57,920 | 30 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $54,980 | 70 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $53,550 | 40 |
| Anchorage, AK | $52,130 | 110 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $51,980 | 840 |
| El Centro, CA | $51,960 | 70 |
| Bend, OR | $51,690 | 90 |
| Bellingham, WA | $50,970 | 90 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $50,720 | 60 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $50,290 | 50 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $49,860 | 330 |
| Grants Pass, OR | $49,800 | 40 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $49,790 | 110 |
Metro areas with the most butchers and meat cutters
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 6,510 | $42,400 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 6,220 | $42,470 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 5,910 | $40,410 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 3,420 | $39,140 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 3,090 | $38,040 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 2,720 | $46,490 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 2,700 | $38,120 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 2,570 | $38,910 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1,980 | $40,810 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 1,720 | $44,870 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 1,610 | $44,160 |
| Cleveland, OH | 1,550 | $37,630 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 1,540 | $39,590 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | 1,440 | $22,810 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 1,410 | $46,040 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 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.