Butchers and meat cutters salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $29,460 | $14.17 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $40,140 | $19.30 |
| Mean (average) | $42,380 | $20.37 |
| 90th percentile | $58,110 | $27.94 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Butchers and meat cutters pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $36,500 | $26,430 | $47,960 | 2,350 | 1.27 |
| Alaska | $50,450 | $35,810 | $71,460 | 230 | 0.8 |
| Arizona | $45,780 | $35,010 | $54,990 | 2,130 | 0.75 |
| Arkansas | $34,380 | $24,920 | $45,100 | 1,290 | 1.13 |
| California | $44,290 | $35,470 | $61,010 | 18,700 | 1.17 |
| Colorado | $47,490 | $33,970 | $59,210 | 2,200 | 0.87 |
| Connecticut | $44,570 | $36,090 | $60,830 | 1,210 | 0.82 |
| Delaware | $47,040 | $35,870 | $58,290 | 250 | 0.59 |
| District of Columbia | $48,760 | $38,140 | $63,360 | 150 | 0.25 |
| Florida | $42,790 | $29,640 | $49,160 | 10,590 | 1.22 |
| Georgia | $38,540 | $28,790 | $48,190 | 4,420 | 1.03 |
| Guam | $29,110 | $28,190 | $59,430 | 40 | 0.75 |
| Hawaii | $50,080 | $35,020 | $69,530 | 500 | 0.91 |
| Idaho | $38,030 | $29,570 | $50,370 | 1,480 | 1.97 |
| Illinois | $39,240 | $33,630 | $52,220 | 7,710 | 1.44 |
| Indiana | $42,440 | $31,510 | $56,770 | 1,850 | 0.66 |
| Iowa | $37,750 | $30,200 | $46,510 | 4,480 | 3.27 |
| Kansas | $37,320 | $28,330 | $52,800 | 1,200 | 0.95 |
| Kentucky | $35,430 | $22,890 | $47,690 | 1,670 | 0.95 |
| Louisiana | $36,790 | $25,120 | $48,240 | 2,240 | 1.32 |
| Maine | $38,250 | $34,780 | $57,670 | 830 | 1.48 |
| Maryland | $44,130 | $31,200 | $59,030 | 1,500 | 0.62 |
| Massachusetts | $48,430 | $38,370 | $62,120 | 1,480 | 0.46 |
| Michigan | $39,350 | $29,900 | $50,740 | 4,230 | 1.09 |
| Minnesota | $43,930 | $34,790 | $59,540 | 1,590 | 0.61 |
| Mississippi | $29,700 | $22,060 | $46,340 | 1,160 | 1.13 |
| Missouri | $37,860 | $29,280 | $55,320 | 2,160 | 0.84 |
| Montana | $41,600 | $29,760 | $56,720 | 740 | 1.65 |
| Nebraska | $37,630 | $28,600 | $49,840 | 1,380 | 1.53 |
| Nevada | $40,290 | $29,070 | $54,190 | 1,560 | 1.15 |
| New Hampshire | $47,740 | $38,690 | $57,510 | 530 | 0.88 |
| New Jersey | $38,540 | $32,220 | $65,940 | 4,610 | 1.23 |
| New Mexico | $36,640 | $29,170 | $49,930 | 810 | 1.05 |
| New York | $47,080 | $35,980 | $66,580 | 4,540 | 0.53 |
| North Carolina | $38,240 | $28,510 | $50,080 | 3,120 | 0.72 |
| North Dakota | $40,080 | $22,390 | $57,160 | 470 | 1.25 |
| Ohio | $37,630 | $26,940 | $50,090 | 5,640 | 1.16 |
| Oklahoma | $35,070 | $26,180 | $46,340 | 1,810 | 1.21 |
| Oregon | $49,360 | $37,220 | $60,150 | 1,540 | 0.89 |
| Pennsylvania | $38,340 | $29,000 | $58,130 | 3,540 | 0.67 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,780 | $21,840 | $29,350 | 2,180 | 2.65 |
| Rhode Island | $45,210 | $34,690 | $59,900 | 260 | 0.58 |
| South Carolina | $39,790 | $31,150 | $47,980 | 2,380 | 1.18 |
| South Dakota | $37,310 | $33,830 | $56,060 | 520 | 1.3 |
| Tennessee | $39,960 | $26,520 | $47,710 | 2,650 | 0.92 |
| Texas | $37,400 | $23,760 | $55,160 | 11,260 | 0.91 |
| Utah | $43,440 | $32,060 | $53,470 | 1,500 | 0.99 |
| Vermont | $45,580 | $35,160 | $59,070 | 370 | 1.38 |
| Virgin Islands | $29,120 | $24,420 | $45,500 | 100 | 3.44 |
| Virginia | $39,770 | $31,290 | $55,810 | 2,630 | 0.73 |
| Washington | $51,670 | $37,560 | $63,440 | 2,660 | 0.85 |
| West Virginia | $33,570 | $23,240 | $44,550 | 600 | 0.98 |
| Wisconsin | $45,980 | $33,170 | $56,210 | 3,510 | 1.36 |
| Wyoming | $44,820 | $36,630 | $59,450 | 210 | 0.87 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for butchers and meat cutters
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 15,100. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 1.2%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for butchers and meat cutters
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Meat Cutting/Meat Cutter CIP 12.0506
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Prepare and place meat cuts and products in display counter to appear attractive and catch the shopper's eye.
- Wrap, weigh, label, and price cuts of meat.
- Cut, trim, bone, tie, and grind meats, such as beef, pork, poultry, and fish, to prepare in cooking form.
- Prepare special cuts of meat ordered by customers.
- Receive, inspect, and store meat upon delivery to ensure meat quality.
- Estimate requirements and order or requisition meat supplies to maintain inventories.
- Shape, lace, and tie roasts, using boning knife, skewer, and twine.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Financial accounting software
- Web browser software
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation, Time Management, Coordination, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making.
Common job titles: Butcher, Meat Clerk, Meat Cutter, Meat Specialist, Meat Wrapper.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do butchers and meat cutters make?
The national median annual wage for butchers and meat cutters was $40,140 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $29,460 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $58,110. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do butchers and meat cutters need?
BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is butchers and meat cutters a growing career?
BLS projects employment of butchers and meat cutters to change +2.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 15,100 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay butchers and meat cutters the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Washington ($51,670), Alaska ($50,450), Hawaii ($50,080). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.