Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers salary in Salinas, CA
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers in the Salinas, CA metro area earn a median of $37,630 a year ($18.09 an hour), based on BLS data for 50 workers.
Pay ranges from $35,450 for the lowest-paid 10% to $44,070 for the top 10%. That is 2% lower than the national median of $38,300. Pay here is 3% higher than the California statewide median of $36,570. There are 0.25 meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.27). The average (mean) salary is $38,560, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers in Salinas, CA
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,450 | $17.05 |
| 25th percentile | $36,950 | $17.77 |
| Median | $37,630 | $18.09 |
| 75th percentile | $38,150 | $18.34 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $44,070 | $21.19 |
| Average (mean) | $38,560 | $18.54 |
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 | $3,135.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,567.92 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,447.31 |
| Weekly | $723.65 |
| Hourly | $18.09 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $37,630 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 |
| 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 |
| Merced, CA | $35,070 | 370 |
| 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 Salinas, CA
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Baker | $41,310 | $19.86 |
| Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders | $46,650 | $22.43 |
| Food Processing Workers, All Other | $37,250 | $17.91 |
| Food Batchmaker | $36,790 | $17.69 |
| Butchers and Meat Cutters | $42,380 | $20.38 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $44,660 | $21.47 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $69,920 | $33.62 |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $44,500 | $21.40 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $44,000 | $21.15 |
| Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | $38,230 | $18.38 |
| Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $38,140 | $18.34 |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $58,240 | $28.00 |
| Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators | $77,920 | $37.46 |
| Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $52,320 | $25.16 |
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 Salinas, CA?
The median salary for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers in the Salinas, CA metro area is $37,630 a year, or $18.09 an hour. Pay ranges from $35,450 for the lowest-paid 10% to $44,070 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers make in Salinas, CA?
The top 10% of meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers in the Salinas, CA metro area earn at least $44,070 a year. The top 25% earn $38,150 or more.
What is the starting pay for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers in Salinas, CA?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $35,450 a year, and a quarter of meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers earn $36,950 or less.
How many meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers work in Salinas, CA?
About 50 meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers are employed in the Salinas, CA metro area, not counting the self-employed.