Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers in the U.S. is $38,300 ($18.41 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $38,300
- Mean annual wage
- $39,280
- Median hourly wage
- $18.41
- Employment
- 145,700
145,700 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $29,980 | $14.42 |
| 25th percentile | $35,350 | $17.00 |
| Median (50th) | $38,300 | $18.41 |
| 75th percentile | $44,170 | $21.24 |
| 90th percentile | $48,150 | $23.15 |
Highest-paying states for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $50,390 | 2,470 |
| Arizona | $48,550 | 620 |
| Kansas | $48,080 | 5,000 |
| Nebraska | $47,580 | 8,340 |
| New Hampshire | $47,260 | — |
| North Dakota | $47,250 | 390 |
| Michigan | $44,430 | 920 |
| South Dakota | $44,290 | 2,080 |
| Utah | $44,150 | 1,080 |
| Minnesota | $43,400 | 3,790 |
Lowest-paying states
- Louisiana: $27,850 median annual wage
- Alabama: $31,080 median annual wage
- Florida: $31,160 median annual wage
- New Mexico: $31,240 median annual wage
- Maryland: $32,950 median annual wage
About this occupation
Use hands or hand tools to perform routine cutting and trimming of meat, poultry, and seafood.
Typical tasks
- Inspect meat products for defects, bruises or blemishes and remove them along with any excess fat.
- Cut and trim meat to prepare for packing.
- Process primal parts into cuts that are ready for retail use.
- Clean and salt hides.
- Obtain and distribute specified meat or carcass.
- Weigh meats and tag containers for weight and contents.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: No formal educational credential
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 29.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 44.1% |
| Some college, no degree | 16.3% |
| Associate's degree | 5.5% |
| Bachelor's degree | 4.2% |
| Master's degree | 0.5% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.3% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
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- 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.