Butchers and Meat Cutters Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for butchers and meat cutters is $40,140, or $19.30 per hour. About 136,430 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $51,670 in Washington to $29,700 in Mississippi.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $51,670 | $24.84 | 2,660 | 0.85 |
| 2 | Alaska | $50,450 | $24.26 | 230 | 0.80 |
| 3 | Hawaii | $50,080 | $24.08 | 500 | 0.91 |
| 4 | Oregon | $49,360 | $23.73 | 1,540 | 0.89 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $48,760 | $23.44 | 150 | 0.25 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $48,430 | $23.29 | 1,480 | 0.46 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $47,740 | $22.95 | 530 | 0.88 |
| 8 | Colorado | $47,490 | $22.83 | 2,200 | 0.87 |
| 9 | New York | $47,080 | $22.63 | 4,540 | 0.53 |
| 10 | Delaware | $47,040 | $22.61 | 250 | 0.59 |
| 11 | Wisconsin | $45,980 | $22.11 | 3,510 | 1.36 |
| 12 | Arizona | $45,780 | $22.01 | 2,130 | 0.75 |
| 13 | Vermont | $45,580 | $21.92 | 370 | 1.38 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $45,210 | $21.73 | 260 | 0.58 |
| 15 | Wyoming | $44,820 | $21.55 | 210 | 0.87 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $44,570 | $21.43 | 1,210 | 0.82 |
| 17 | California | $44,290 | $21.29 | 18,700 | 1.17 |
| 18 | Maryland | $44,130 | $21.22 | 1,500 | 0.62 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $43,930 | $21.12 | 1,590 | 0.61 |
| 20 | Utah | $43,440 | $20.89 | 1,500 | 0.99 |
| 21 | Florida | $42,790 | $20.57 | 10,590 | 1.22 |
| 22 | Indiana | $42,440 | $20.40 | 1,850 | 0.66 |
| 23 | Montana | $41,600 | $20.00 | 740 | 1.65 |
| 24 | Nevada | $40,290 | $19.37 | 1,560 | 1.15 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $40,080 | $19.27 | 470 | 1.25 |
| 26 | Tennessee | $39,960 | $19.21 | 2,650 | 0.92 |
| 27 | South Carolina | $39,790 | $19.13 | 2,380 | 1.18 |
| 28 | Virginia | $39,770 | $19.12 | 2,630 | 0.73 |
| 29 | Michigan | $39,350 | $18.92 | 4,230 | 1.09 |
| 30 | Illinois | $39,240 | $18.86 | 7,710 | 1.44 |
| 31 | New Jersey | $38,540 | $18.53 | 4,610 | 1.23 |
| 32 | Georgia | $38,540 | $18.53 | 4,420 | 1.03 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $38,340 | $18.43 | 3,540 | 0.67 |
| 34 | Maine | $38,250 | $18.39 | 830 | 1.48 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $38,240 | $18.38 | 3,120 | 0.72 |
| 36 | Idaho | $38,030 | $18.28 | 1,480 | 1.97 |
| 37 | Missouri | $37,860 | $18.20 | 2,160 | 0.84 |
| 38 | Iowa | $37,750 | $18.15 | 4,480 | 3.27 |
| 39 | Ohio | $37,630 | $18.09 | 5,640 | 1.16 |
| 40 | Nebraska | $37,630 | $18.09 | 1,380 | 1.53 |
| 41 | Texas | $37,400 | $17.98 | 11,260 | 0.91 |
| 42 | Kansas | $37,320 | $17.94 | 1,200 | 0.95 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $37,310 | $17.94 | 520 | 1.30 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $36,790 | $17.69 | 2,240 | 1.32 |
| 45 | New Mexico | $36,640 | $17.62 | 810 | 1.05 |
| 46 | Alabama | $36,500 | $17.55 | 2,350 | 1.27 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $35,430 | $17.03 | 1,670 | 0.95 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $35,070 | $16.86 | 1,810 | 1.21 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $34,380 | $16.53 | 1,290 | 1.13 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $33,570 | $16.14 | 600 | 0.98 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $29,700 | $14.28 | 1,160 | 1.13 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do butchers and meat cutters make?
The median annual wage for butchers and meat cutters in the United States is $40,140, or $19.30 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $29,460, and the top 10% earn $58,110.
How many butchers and meat cutters are employed in the U.S.?
About 136,430 people work as butchers and meat cutters nationwide.
Which state pays butchers and meat cutters the most?
Washington pays the most at a median of $51,670, followed by Alaska ($50,450) and Hawaii ($50,080).
Which state pays butchers and meat cutters the least?
Mississippi has the lowest median at $29,700.
Where are butchers and meat cutters jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Iowa at 3.27×.