Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmerss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $39,280 ≈ $19/hr
National median salary $38,300
Total employment 145,700 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +5.5%
Faster than average
Annual openings 18,400 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 146,800 → 154,900 (+8,100)
Typical entry education No formal educational credential
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Colorado$51,350
- Nebraska$48,810
- Kansas$46,990
- Arizona$46,360
- New Hampshire$44,970
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Louisiana$29,410
- Alabama$31,840
- New Mexico$34,050
- Florida$34,740
- Virginia$35,460
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado | $51,350 | $50,390 | $25 | +30.7% | 2,470 |
| 2 | Nebraska | $48,810 | $47,580 | $23 | +24.3% | 8,340 |
| 3 | Kansas | $46,990 | $48,080 | $23 | +19.6% | 5,000 |
| 4 | Arizona | $46,360 | $48,550 | $22 | +18% | 620 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $44,970 | $47,260 | $22 | +14.5% | — |
| 6 | South Dakota | $44,140 | $44,290 | $21 | +12.4% | 2,080 |
| 7 | Washington | $43,410 | $43,010 | $21 | +10.5% | 3,630 |
| 8 | Utah | $43,370 | $44,150 | $21 | +10.4% | 1,080 |
| 9 | Vermont | $43,240 | $40,110 | $21 | +10.1% | 40 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $43,090 | $47,250 | $21 | +9.7% | 390 |
| 11 | Michigan | $42,610 | $44,430 | $20 | +8.5% | 920 |
| 12 | Maine | $42,600 | $39,170 | $20 | +8.5% | 660 |
| 13 | Iowa | $42,560 | $43,190 | $20 | +8.4% | 3,970 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $41,980 | $43,400 | $20 | +6.9% | 3,790 |
| 15 | Hawaii | $41,920 | $40,260 | $20 | +6.7% | 800 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $41,870 | $43,300 | $20 | +6.6% | 2,040 |
| 17 | Indiana | $41,530 | $42,450 | $20 | +5.7% | 2,640 |
| 18 | Illinois | $41,440 | $40,690 | $20 | +5.5% | 4,040 |
| 19 | Missouri | $41,410 | $41,890 | $20 | +5.4% | 2,880 |
| 20 | Nevada | $40,810 | $37,920 | $20 | +3.9% | 360 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $40,480 | $36,870 | $19 | +3.1% | 220 |
| 22 | New York | $40,450 | $37,330 | $19 | +3% | 2,420 |
| 23 | Kentucky | $40,110 | $39,150 | $19 | +2.1% | 1,450 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $39,610 | $37,740 | $19 | +0.8% | 320 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | $39,380 | $36,300 | $19 | +0.3% | 1,530 |
| 26 | California | $38,930 | $36,570 | $19 | -0.9% | 9,270 |
| 27 | Idaho | $38,780 | $39,200 | $19 | -1.3% | 280 |
| 28 | Georgia | $38,670 | $39,330 | $19 | -1.6% | 11,480 |
| 29 | Montana | $38,660 | $37,440 | $19 | -1.6% | 60 |
| 30 | Massachusetts | $38,570 | $36,570 | $19 | -1.8% | 2,350 |
| 31 | Ohio | $38,390 | $37,020 | $18 | -2.3% | 3,540 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $38,360 | $37,980 | $18 | -2.3% | 9,030 |
| 33 | Alaska | $38,020 | $37,180 | $18 | -3.2% | 970 |
| 34 | Oregon | $37,810 | $36,060 | $18 | -3.7% | 910 |
| 35 | New Jersey | $37,760 | $34,930 | $18 | -3.9% | — |
| 36 | Wyoming | $37,670 | $37,040 | $18 | -4.1% | 70 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $37,630 | $39,170 | $18 | -4.2% | 9,750 |
| 38 | Connecticut | $37,180 | $34,780 | $18 | -5.3% | — |
| 39 | Pennsylvania | $37,020 | $36,480 | $18 | -5.8% | 1,600 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $36,670 | $37,590 | $18 | -6.6% | 2,970 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $36,390 | $37,890 | $18 | -7.4% | 6,470 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $35,780 | $34,790 | $17 | -8.9% | 2,750 |
| 43 | Maryland | $35,770 | $32,950 | $17 | -8.9% | 680 |
| 44 | Delaware | $35,740 | $35,500 | $17 | -9% | 5,430 |
| 45 | Texas | $35,540 | $35,890 | $17 | -9.5% | 8,590 |
| 46 | Virginia | $35,460 | $36,170 | $17 | -9.7% | 2,740 |
| 47 | Florida | $34,740 | $31,160 | $17 | -11.6% | 2,310 |
| 48 | New Mexico | $34,050 | $31,240 | $16 | -13.3% | 240 |
| 49 | Alabama | $31,840 | $31,080 | $15 | -18.9% | 9,140 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $29,410 | $27,850 | $14 | -25.1% | 1,690 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 201 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Topeka, KS | $52,050 | $49,920 | 120 |
| 2 | Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $50,600 | $48,350 | 1,570 |
| 3 | Sheboygan, WI | $50,410 | $49,340 | 70 |
| 4 | Omaha, NE-IA | $49,810 | $48,210 | 1,920 |
| 5 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $48,890 | $42,350 | 90 |
| 6 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $48,880 | $47,820 | 230 |
| 7 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $48,550 | $47,410 | 550 |
| 8 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $48,080 | $47,240 | 4,550 |
| 9 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $47,580 | $46,590 | 1,700 |
| 10 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $47,110 | $46,110 | 1,960 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmerss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Animal Food Manufacturing | $45,690 | $42,990 | 70 |
| 2 | Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $39,520 | $41,200 | 6,330 |
| 3 | Sector 42 - Wholesale Trade | $39,520 | $41,210 | 6,350 |
| 4 | Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) | $39,520 | $41,200 | 6,330 |
| 5 | Animal Slaughtering and Processing | $39,240 | $40,130 | 105,200 |
| 6 | Food Manufacturing | $39,170 | $39,840 | 113,620 |
| 7 | Sectors 31, 32, and 33 - Manufacturing | $39,170 | $39,850 | 113,700 |
| 8 | Sectors 48 and 49 - Transportation and Warehousing | $38,920 | $39,420 | 80 |
| 9 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $38,300 | $39,280 | 145,700 |
| 10 | Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $38,300 | $39,280 | 145,700 |
| 11 | Food Services and Drinking Places | $38,020 | $38,730 | — |
| 12 | Restaurants and Other Eating Places | $38,020 | $39,050 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers make in the U.S.?
The median meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers salary in the United States is $38,300 per year (mean $39,280), and about 80% earn between $29,980 and $48,150.
How much do meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers make per hour?
Roughly $19 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $39,280 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers the most?
Colorado has the highest average pay for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers at $51,350 per year (median $50,390).
What is the job outlook for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers?
Employment is projected to change +5.5% from 2024 to 2034 (Faster than average), with about 18,400 openings per year.