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Butchers and Meat Cutters Salary
Butchers and Meat Cutters earn a median $40,140 a year in the U.S., with 136,430 jobs (May 2025).
- Median wage
- $40,140 a year
- Employment
- 136,430
- Excludes self-employed
- Projected growth
- +2.4%
- 2025 to 2035
- Openings per year
- 15,100
- Average, including replacements
Pay range nationally
The middle half of workers earn between the 25th and 75th percentile (shaded)
- Median (50%)
- $40,140 · $19.30 an hour
- Mean (average)
- $42,380 · $20.37 an hour (estimate error ±0.4%)
- 10th percentile
- $29,460 · $14.17 an hour
- 25th percentile
- $35,510 · $17.07 an hour
- 75th percentile
- $48,050 · $23.10 an hour
- 90th percentile
- $58,110 · $27.94 an hour
- Employment
- 136,430 (estimate error ±1.4%)
What they do
Standard Occupational Classification definition
Cut, trim, or prepare consumer-sized portions of meat for use or sale in retail establishments.
Job outlook
BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035
- Jobs in 2025
- 138,400
- Projected for 2035
- 141,700
- Change
- +3,300 (+2.4%)
- Openings each year
- 15,100
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Self-employed
- 1.2%
Occupational Outlook Handbook (duties, how to become one, work environment)
Highest paying states
Median wage for this occupation
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | State | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $51,670 | 2,660 |
| 2 | Alaska | $50,450 | 230 |
| 3 | Hawaii | $50,080 | 500 |
| 4 | Oregon | $49,360 | 1,540 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $48,760 | 150 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $48,430 | 1,480 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $47,740 | 530 |
| 8 | Colorado | $47,490 | 2,200 |
| 9 | New York | $47,080 | 4,540 |
| 10 | Delaware | $47,040 | 250 |
States with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| State | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| California | 18,700 | $44,290 |
| Texas | 11,260 | $37,400 |
| Florida | 10,590 | $42,790 |
| Illinois | 7,710 | $39,240 |
| Ohio | 5,640 | $37,630 |
| New Jersey | 4,610 | $38,540 |
| New York | 4,540 | $47,080 |
| Iowa | 4,480 | $37,750 |
| Georgia | 4,420 | $38,540 |
| Michigan | 4,230 | $39,350 |
Highest paying metro areas
Metro areas with at least 100 jobs in this occupation
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | Metro area | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $60,600 | 1,300 |
| 2 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $57,930 | 100 |
| 3 | Anchorage, AK | $52,130 | 110 |
| 4 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $51,980 | 840 |
| 5 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $49,860 | 330 |
| 6 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $49,790 | 110 |
| 7 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $49,610 | 790 |
| 8 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $49,320 | 220 |
| 9 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $49,070 | 300 |
| 10 | Salem, OR | $49,070 | 140 |
| 11 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $49,060 | 160 |
| 12 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $49,050 | 1,110 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| Metro area | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Visa filings for this occupation
Wages employers offered on Department of Labor filings
- PERM green card (FY 2026 through Q3)46 certified filingsMedian offered wage $45,000
Butchers and Meat Cutters pay by state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Guam
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Related occupations
Frequently asked questions
- How much do butchers and meat cutters make?
- The median wage for butchers and meat cutters in the U.S. is $40,140 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $35,510 and $48,050.
- Which state pays butchers and meat cutters the most?
- Washington has the highest median wage for this occupation at $51,670 a year.
- What is the job outlook for butchers and meat cutters?
- BLS projects employment to grow 2.4% from 2025 to 2035, with about 15,100 openings each year on average.
- What education do butchers and meat cutters need?
- The typical entry-level education is: no formal educational credential.