Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers salary in Merced, CA
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers in the Merced, CA metro area earn a median of $35,070 a year ($16.86 an hour), based on BLS data for 370 workers.
Pay ranges from $34,630 for the lowest-paid 10% to $43,290 for the top 10%. That is 8% lower than the national median of $38,300. Pay here is 4% lower than the California statewide median of $36,570. There are 4.7 meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 5.0× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $36,820, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers in Merced, CA
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $34,630 | $16.65 |
| 25th percentile | $35,070 | $16.86 |
| Median | $35,070 | $16.86 |
| 75th percentile | $35,560 | $17.09 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $43,290 | $20.81 |
| Average (mean) | $36,820 | $17.70 |
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 | $2,922.50 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,461.25 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,348.85 |
| Weekly | $674.42 |
| Hourly | $16.86 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $35,070 salary, see how much house you can afford in California at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $42,750 | 260 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $39,930 | 610 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $38,750 | 140 |
| Vallejo, CA | $38,660 | 50 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $38,170 | 50 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $38,020 | 400 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $37,950 | 50 |
| Salinas, CA | $37,630 | 50 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $37,550 | 40 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $37,260 | 350 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $36,540 | 4,340 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $36,290 | 120 |
| Modesto, CA | $36,270 | 370 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $36,080 | 900 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $36,030 | 160 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $34,980 | 80 |
Highest-paying states for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Colorado | $50,390 |
| Arizona | $48,550 |
| Kansas | $48,080 |
| Nebraska | $47,580 |
| New Hampshire | $47,260 |
| North Dakota | $47,250 |
| Michigan | $44,430 |
| South Dakota | $44,290 |
| Utah | $44,150 |
| Minnesota | $43,400 |
See Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers pay in every state or the California statewide figures.
Related jobs in Merced, CA
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Butchers and Meat Cutters | $39,130 | $18.81 |
| 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 51-3022. 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 Merced, CA?
The median salary for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers in the Merced, CA metro area is $35,070 a year, or $16.86 an hour. Pay ranges from $34,630 for the lowest-paid 10% to $43,290 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers make in Merced, CA?
The top 10% of meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers in the Merced, CA metro area earn at least $43,290 a year. The top 25% earn $35,560 or more.
What is the starting pay for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers in Merced, CA?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $34,630 a year, and a quarter of meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers earn $35,070 or less.
How many meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers work in Merced, CA?
About 370 meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers are employed in the Merced, CA metro area, not counting the self-employed.