Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$29,460
- 25th Percentile — Junior$35,510
- 50th Percentile — Median$40,140
- 75th Percentile — Senior$48,050
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$58,110
The top 10% of Butchers and Meat Cutters earn $58,110 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $29,460, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $52,570 | +24.0% |
| Alaska | $51,900 | +22.5% |
| Hawaii | $50,960 | +20.2% |
| Oregon | $49,610 | +17.1% |
| District of Columbia | $49,360 | +16.5% |
| Massachusetts | $49,210 | +16.1% |
| New York | $49,210 | +16.1% |
| New Hampshire | $48,100 | +13.5% |
| Delaware | $47,830 | +12.9% |
| Colorado | $47,050 | +11.0% |
| California | $46,820 | +10.5% |
| Rhode Island | $46,380 | +9.4% |
| Connecticut | $45,920 | +8.4% |
| New Jersey | $45,610 | +7.6% |
| Arizona | $45,420 | +7.2% |
| Wyoming | $45,150 | +6.5% |
| Vermont | $45,140 | +6.5% |
| Minnesota | $44,890 | +5.9% |
| Wisconsin | $44,210 | +4.3% |
| Maryland | $44,150 | +4.2% |
| Indiana | $43,050 | +1.6% |
| Montana | $42,690 | +0.7% |
| Nevada | $42,670 | +0.7% |
| Utah | $42,480 | +0.2% |
| Maine | $42,380 | +0.0% |
| Illinois | $41,980 | -0.9% |
| Pennsylvania | $41,780 | -1.4% |
| Florida | $41,720 | -1.6% |
| Virginia | $41,650 | -1.7% |
| South Dakota | $41,060 | -3.1% |
| Michigan | $41,010 | -3.2% |
| North Dakota | $40,850 | -3.6% |
| Missouri | $40,810 | -3.7% |
| South Carolina | $40,620 | -4.2% |
| Idaho | $40,610 | -4.2% |
| New Mexico | $40,260 | -5.0% |
| Nebraska | $39,880 | -5.9% |
| North Carolina | $39,570 | -6.6% |
| Tennessee | $39,550 | -6.7% |
| Georgia | $39,320 | -7.2% |
| Kansas | $39,320 | -7.2% |
| Ohio | $38,880 | -8.3% |
| Iowa | $38,450 | -9.3% |
| Texas | $38,360 | -9.5% |
| Alabama | $37,130 | -12.4% |
| Louisiana | $36,940 | -12.8% |
| Kentucky | $35,390 | -16.5% |
| Oklahoma | $35,070 | -17.2% |
| Arkansas | $34,860 | -17.7% |
| West Virginia | $33,250 | -21.5% |
| Mississippi | $32,860 | -22.5% |
What Factors Affect Butchers and Meat Cutters Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Butchers and Meat Cutters is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Washington pays an average of $52,570, while Mississippi pays $32,860 — a gap of $19,710 per year.
The middle half of Butchers and Meat Cutters earn between $35,510 and $48,050 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $29,460, while the top 10% earn more than $58,110.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
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- Electrical and Electronic Equipment Assemblers $47,660/yr United States +12.5% vs this role
- Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters $54,030/yr United States +27.5% vs this role
- Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators $46,660/yr United States +10.1% vs this role
- Bakers $38,480/yr United States 9.2% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +139.3% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +224.0% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Butchers and Meat Cutters?
The average salary for Butchers and Meat Cutters in the United States is $42,380 per year, with a median of $40,140.
What is the starting salary for Butchers and Meat Cutters?
Entry-level Butchers and Meat Cutters typically earn between $29,460 and $35,510 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Butchers and Meat Cutters the most?
Washington pays Butchers and Meat Cutters the most at $52,570 per year on average, followed by Alaska ($51,900) and Hawaii ($50,960).
How much do Butchers and Meat Cutters make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $42,380, Butchers and Meat Cutters earn approximately $20.38 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Butchers and Meat Cutters a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 136,430 Butchers and Meat Cutters jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $42,380 and a median of $40,140 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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