Slaughterers and Meat Packers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for slaughterers and meat packers is $40,130, or $19.29 per hour. About 69,950 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $50,480 in Colorado to $30,430 in Nevada.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 47 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado | $50,480 | $24.27 | 1,590 | 1.23 |
| 2 | Arizona | $49,020 | $23.57 | 440 | 0.30 |
| 3 | Nebraska | $48,910 | $23.52 | 5,480 | 11.89 |
| 4 | Kansas | $48,240 | $23.19 | 2,170 | 3.36 |
| 5 | Montana | $46,700 | $22.45 | 80 | 0.33 |
| 6 | South Carolina | $46,000 | $22.12 | 250 | 0.24 |
| 7 | Oregon | $45,980 | $22.11 | 360 | 0.41 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $45,970 | $22.10 | 1,560 | 2.03 |
| 9 | Michigan | $45,850 | $22.04 | 2,920 | 1.47 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $45,230 | $21.75 | 1,050 | 0.54 |
| 11 | Washington | $45,100 | $21.68 | 840 | 0.53 |
| 12 | Illinois | $44,950 | $21.61 | 3,360 | 1.23 |
| 13 | Missouri | $44,490 | $21.39 | 1,280 | 0.97 |
| 14 | South Dakota | $44,410 | $21.35 | 740 | 3.60 |
| 15 | Utah | $44,040 | $21.17 | 560 | 0.72 |
| 16 | Iowa | $43,820 | $21.07 | 4,220 | 6.02 |
| 17 | Indiana | $43,770 | $21.05 | 1,210 | 0.84 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $43,360 | $20.85 | 2,820 | 2.12 |
| 19 | Texas | $43,160 | $20.75 | 2,950 | 0.47 |
| 20 | Vermont | $42,220 | $20.30 | 50 | 0.37 |
| 21 | Idaho | $40,370 | $19.41 | 450 | 1.18 |
| 22 | Louisiana | $40,120 | $19.29 | 650 | 0.75 |
| 23 | North Carolina | $39,930 | $19.20 | 6,120 | 2.75 |
| 24 | North Dakota | $39,730 | $19.10 | 160 | 0.84 |
| 25 | California | $39,420 | $18.95 | 6,170 | 0.75 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $39,270 | $18.88 | 40 | 0.14 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $38,890 | $18.70 | 120 | 0.42 |
| 28 | Maine | $38,740 | $18.63 | 50 | 0.18 |
| 29 | Kentucky | $38,330 | $18.43 | 320 | 0.36 |
| 30 | Arkansas | $37,800 | $18.17 | 2,140 | 3.64 |
| 31 | Massachusetts | $37,780 | $18.16 | 170 | 0.11 |
| 32 | Maryland | $37,650 | $18.10 | 130 | 0.11 |
| 33 | Rhode Island | $37,570 | $18.06 | 280 | 1.24 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $37,510 | $18.03 | 2,620 | 1.98 |
| 35 | Virginia | $37,430 | $18.00 | 1,480 | 0.80 |
| 36 | Pennsylvania | $37,330 | $17.95 | 4,410 | 1.62 |
| 37 | Ohio | $36,800 | $17.69 | 2,440 | 0.98 |
| 38 | Georgia | $36,770 | $17.68 | 3,660 | 1.66 |
| 39 | Alabama | $36,360 | $17.48 | 240 | 0.26 |
| 40 | Connecticut | $36,290 | $17.45 | 70 | 0.10 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $35,790 | $17.21 | 650 | 0.44 |
| 42 | Florida | $34,430 | $16.56 | 400 | 0.09 |
| 43 | New York | $33,880 | $16.29 | 1,750 | 0.40 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $33,650 | $16.18 | 1,100 | 2.09 |
| 45 | Delaware | $31,200 | $15.00 | 50 | 0.25 |
| 46 | New Mexico | $30,560 | $14.69 | — | — |
| 47 | Nevada | $30,430 | $14.63 | 140 | 0.21 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do slaughterers and meat packers make?
The median annual wage for slaughterers and meat packers in the United States is $40,130, or $19.29 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $33,340, and the top 10% earn $51,090.
How many slaughterers and meat packers are employed in the U.S.?
About 69,950 people work as slaughterers and meat packers nationwide.
Which state pays slaughterers and meat packers the most?
Colorado pays the most at a median of $50,480, followed by Arizona ($49,020) and Nebraska ($48,910).
Which state pays slaughterers and meat packers the least?
Nevada has the lowest median at $30,430.
Where are slaughterers and meat packers jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Nebraska at 11.89×.