Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers is $38,300, or $18.41 per hour. About 145,700 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $50,390 in Colorado to $27,850 in Louisiana.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 50 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado | $50,390 | $24.23 | 2,470 | 0.92 |
| 2 | Arizona | $48,550 | $23.34 | 620 | 0.20 |
| 3 | Kansas | $48,080 | $23.11 | 5,000 | 3.71 |
| 4 | Nebraska | $47,580 | $22.88 | 8,340 | 8.69 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $47,260 | $22.72 | — | — |
| 6 | North Dakota | $47,250 | $22.71 | 390 | 0.96 |
| 7 | Michigan | $44,430 | $21.36 | 920 | 0.22 |
| 8 | South Dakota | $44,290 | $21.29 | 2,080 | 4.86 |
| 9 | Utah | $44,150 | $21.23 | 1,080 | 0.67 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $43,400 | $20.87 | 3,790 | 1.37 |
| 11 | Wisconsin | $43,300 | $20.82 | 2,040 | 0.74 |
| 12 | Iowa | $43,190 | $20.76 | 3,970 | 2.72 |
| 13 | Washington | $43,010 | $20.68 | 3,630 | 1.09 |
| 14 | Indiana | $42,450 | $20.41 | 2,640 | 0.88 |
| 15 | Missouri | $41,890 | $20.14 | 2,880 | 1.05 |
| 16 | Illinois | $40,690 | $19.56 | 4,040 | 0.71 |
| 17 | Hawaii | $40,260 | $19.36 | 800 | 1.36 |
| 18 | Vermont | $40,110 | $19.29 | 40 | 0.13 |
| 19 | Georgia | $39,330 | $18.91 | 11,480 | 2.51 |
| 20 | Idaho | $39,200 | $18.84 | 280 | 0.34 |
| 21 | North Carolina | $39,170 | $18.83 | 9,750 | 2.11 |
| 22 | Maine | $39,170 | $18.83 | 660 | 1.10 |
| 23 | Kentucky | $39,150 | $18.82 | 1,450 | 0.78 |
| 24 | Arkansas | $37,980 | $18.26 | 9,030 | 7.39 |
| 25 | Nevada | $37,920 | $18.23 | 360 | 0.25 |
| 26 | Mississippi | $37,890 | $18.22 | 6,470 | 5.93 |
| 27 | Rhode Island | $37,740 | $18.15 | 320 | 0.68 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $37,590 | $18.07 | 2,970 | 0.97 |
| 29 | Montana | $37,440 | $18.00 | 60 | 0.13 |
| 30 | New York | $37,330 | $17.95 | 2,420 | 0.27 |
| 31 | Alaska | $37,180 | $17.88 | 970 | 3.17 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $37,040 | $17.81 | 70 | 0.28 |
| 33 | Ohio | $37,020 | $17.80 | 3,540 | 0.68 |
| 34 | West Virginia | $36,870 | $17.73 | 220 | 0.33 |
| 35 | Massachusetts | $36,570 | $17.58 | 2,350 | 0.69 |
| 36 | California | $36,570 | $17.58 | 9,270 | 0.54 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania | $36,480 | $17.54 | 1,600 | 0.28 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $36,300 | $17.45 | 1,530 | 0.96 |
| 39 | Virginia | $36,170 | $17.39 | 2,740 | 0.71 |
| 40 | Oregon | $36,060 | $17.34 | 910 | 0.49 |
| 41 | Texas | $35,890 | $17.25 | 8,590 | 0.65 |
| 42 | Delaware | $35,500 | $17.07 | 5,430 | 11.96 |
| 43 | New Jersey | $34,930 | $16.79 | — | — |
| 44 | South Carolina | $34,790 | $16.72 | 2,750 | 1.27 |
| 45 | Connecticut | $34,780 | $16.72 | — | — |
| 46 | Maryland | $32,950 | $15.84 | 680 | 0.26 |
| 47 | New Mexico | $31,240 | $15.02 | 240 | 0.30 |
| 48 | Florida | $31,160 | $14.98 | 2,310 | 0.25 |
| 49 | Alabama | $31,080 | $14.94 | 9,140 | 4.61 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $27,850 | $13.39 | 1,690 | 0.93 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers make?
The median annual wage for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers in the United States is $38,300, or $18.41 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $29,980, and the top 10% earn $48,150.
How many meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers are employed in the U.S.?
About 145,700 people work as meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers nationwide.
Which state pays meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers the most?
Colorado pays the most at a median of $50,390, followed by Arizona ($48,550) and Kansas ($48,080).
Which state pays meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers the least?
Louisiana has the lowest median at $27,850.
Where are meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Delaware at 11.96×.