Cutters and Trimmers, Hand Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for cutters and trimmers, hand in the U.S. is $38,020 ($18.28 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $38,020
- Mean annual wage
- $41,050
- Median hourly wage
- $18.28
- Employment
- 6,060
6,060 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $26,630 | $12.80 |
| 25th percentile | $34,050 | $16.37 |
| Median (50th) | $38,020 | $18.28 |
| 75th percentile | $47,850 | $23.01 |
| 90th percentile | $57,870 | $27.82 |
Highest-paying states for cutters and trimmers, hand
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | $48,830 | 60 |
| Vermont | $48,670 | — |
| Iowa | $48,580 | — |
| Rhode Island | $48,100 | 50 |
| North Carolina | $47,910 | 1,060 |
| Michigan | $46,830 | 50 |
| Minnesota | $46,570 | 40 |
| New York | $46,190 | 220 |
| Indiana | $41,740 | 360 |
| Missouri | $40,560 | 110 |
Lowest-paying states
- Tennessee: $27,030 median annual wage
- Texas: $29,130 median annual wage
- Arizona: $31,110 median annual wage
- Virginia: $32,470 median annual wage
- New Jersey: $34,600 median annual wage
About this occupation
Use hand tools or hand-held power tools to cut and trim a variety of manufactured items, such as carpet, fabric, stone, glass, or rubber.
Typical tasks
- Count or weigh and bundle items.
- Clean, treat, buff, or polish finished items, using grinders, brushes, chisels, and cleaning solutions and polishing materials.
- Position templates or measure materials to locate specified points of cuts or to obtain maximum yields, using rules, scales, or patterns.
- Mark identification numbers, trademarks, grades, marketing data, sizes, or model numbers on products.
- Unroll, lay out, attach, or mount materials or items on cutting tables or machines.
- Stack cut items and load them on racks or conveyors or onto trucks.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: No formal educational credential
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 24.9% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 47.3% |
| Some college, no degree | 17.7% |
| Associate's degree | 5.4% |
| Bachelor's degree | 3.9% |
| Master's degree | 0.8% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$44,650
- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$74,450
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$48,570
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$53,750
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$43,220
- Machinists$58,750
- Production Workers, All Other$40,110
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$45,850
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.