Average Salary for Butchers and Meat Cutters
SOC 51-3021 · Production Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Butchers and Meat Cutters in the United States is $38,960 ($18.73/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $28,850 at the 10th percentile to $57,130 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 140,040 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 35.9% since 2014.
Median Annual
$38,960
Mean Annual
$41,300
10th Pct
$28,850
75th Pct
$47,200
Employment
140,040
Salary Distribution
$29k
10th
$34k
25th
$39k
Median
$47k
75th
$57k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $57,870 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $55,180 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $55,170 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | $53,480 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $50,220 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | $49,520 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $49,420 |
| Anchorage, AK | $49,170 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $49,100 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $48,890 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | $48,560 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $48,430 |
| Springfield, MA | $48,430 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $48,400 |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | $48,320 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $50,220 |
| Massachusetts | $48,280 |
| Alaska | $48,240 |
| Washington | $48,120 |
| District of Columbia | $47,880 |
| Oregon | $47,290 |
| Delaware | $47,170 |
| New Hampshire | $46,940 |
| New York | $46,490 |
| Colorado | $45,760 |
| Maine | $45,460 |
| Minnesota | $44,410 |
| California | $44,310 |
| Rhode Island | $43,800 |
| Wyoming | $43,540 |
| Utah | $41,680 |
| Wisconsin | $41,140 |
| Maryland | $41,040 |
| Vermont | $40,970 |
| Montana | $40,770 |
| Connecticut | $39,650 |
| South Carolina | $39,580 |
| Florida | $39,350 |
| North Dakota | $39,260 |
| Virginia | $39,170 |
| Arizona | $39,160 |
| New Jersey | $38,870 |
| Illinois | $38,530 |
| Idaho | $38,480 |
| Michigan | $38,140 |
| Tennessee | $37,630 |
| Nevada | $37,530 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,490 |
| Indiana | $37,420 |
| Texas | $37,070 |
| Georgia | $37,040 |
| North Carolina | $37,020 |
| Ohio | $36,950 |
| Nebraska | $36,680 |
| Iowa | $36,600 |
| Missouri | $36,490 |
| New Mexico | $36,410 |
| South Dakota | $35,880 |
| Kansas | $35,800 |
| Arkansas | $35,650 |
| Alabama | $34,870 |
| Oklahoma | $33,930 |
| Louisiana | $32,950 |
| Kentucky | $31,360 |
| Virgin Islands | $29,830 |
| West Virginia | $28,930 |
| Mississippi | $28,590 |
| Guam | $27,790 |
| Puerto Rico | $21,750 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Butchers and Meat Cutters broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $57,390 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $57,390 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $57,200 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $57,200 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $55,880 |
| Traveler Accommodation | $53,320 |
| Accommodation | $53,320 |
| Special Food Services | $49,980 |
| Casino Hotels | $49,660 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $47,460 |
| Educational Services | $47,380 |
| Educational Services | $47,180 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $47,180 |
| Clothing, Clothing Accessories, Shoe, and Jewelry Retailers | $45,690 |
| Jewelry, Luggage, and Leather Goods Retailers | $45,690 |
| General Merchandise Retailers | $45,160 |
| Warehousing and Storage | $44,570 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | $44,570 |
| Warehousing and Storage | $44,570 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $43,960 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $43,960 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $43,960 |
| Full-Service Restaurants | $42,440 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) | $41,640 |
| Wholesale Trade | $41,630 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $41,630 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | $40,570 |
| Food Services and Drinking Places | $40,440 |
| Restaurants and Other Eating Places | $40,040 |
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing | $39,940 |
| Manufacturing | $39,580 |
| Food Manufacturing | $39,580 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $38,860 |
| Health and Personal Care Retailers | $38,710 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Retailers | $38,710 |
| Health and Personal Care Retailers | $38,710 |
| Retail Trade | $38,600 |
| Animal Food Manufacturing | $38,440 |
| Food and Beverage Retailers | $37,930 |
| Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only) | $37,920 |
| Gasoline Stations | $33,880 |
| Gasoline Stations and Fuel Dealers | $33,880 |
| Other Food Manufacturing | $33,370 |
| Temporary Help Services | $33,340 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $32,790 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $32,790 |
| Employment Services | $32,790 |
| Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | $28,310 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $38,960 |
| 2023 | $37,650 |
| 2022 | $36,930 |
| 2021 | $36,050 |
| 2020 | $32,900 |
| 2019 | $32,500 |
| 2018 | $31,580 |
| 2017 | $30,890 |
| 2016 | $29,870 |
| 2015 | $29,130 |
| 2014 | $28,660 |