51 Series · SOC 51-3021
Butchers and Meat Cutters Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $40,140
- Median / year
- +3%
- 2024→2025
- $58,110
- Top 10% earn
- +1%
- Growth '24–'34
- 136,430
- Estimated US jobs
Butchers and Meat Cutters earn a median of $40,140 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $40,140, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $29,460 (10th percentile) to $58,110 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 136,430 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Washington ($51,670).
The pay verdict
Butchers and Meat Cutters earn a median of $40,140, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 12% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #86 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 1% by 2034.
- $40,140
- Median annual wage
- Top 88%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #86 of 105
- in Production
- 2.0×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Washington at $51,670. Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Butchers and Meat Cutters moved from $32,500 in May 2019 to $40,140 in May 2025 (+23.5%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Butchers and Meat Cutters sits -0.9 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Butchers and Meat Cutters (SOC 51-3021) has a national median of $40,140 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $29,460 to $58,110, and the published mean is $42,380. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 136,430 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 54 state or territory areas and 494 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $38,960 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $40,140 in May 2025, a rise of $1,180 (+3%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +1% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as slower than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 16,900 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns No formal educational credential as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as long-term on-the-job training. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Production Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Washington pays the highest state median at $51,670, which is +29% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA at $60,600. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
Median Salary
$40,140
per year
Median Hourly
$19.30/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$42,380
average
Employment
136,430
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Butchers and Meat Cutters pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$40,140 Bottom 12% higher than 12% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 (this entry) | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$40,140 · 12th percentile of 825 US occupations
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 51-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Butchers and Meat Cutters; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Read the chart as text
- Miscellaneous Assemb…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.1%, Median annual wage $44650
- First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.2%, Median annual wage $74450
- Welders, Cutters, So…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.2%, Median annual wage $53750
- Packaging and Fillin…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $43220
- Production Workers, …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.5%, Median annual wage $40110
- Electrical, Electron…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $45850
- Bakers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.6%, Median annual wage $37160
- Laundry and Dry-Clea…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.4%, Median annual wage $34890
- Food Batchmakers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.9%, Median annual wage $42290
- Cutting, Punching, a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -12.1%, Median annual wage $46330
- Computer Numerically…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -10.7%, Median annual wage $50690
- Helpers--Production …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -8.9%, Median annual wage $39070
- Coating, Painting, a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.7%, Median annual wage $48250
- Molding, Coremaking,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.8%, Median annual wage $44350
- Meat, Poultry, and F…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.5%, Median annual wage $38300
- Printing Press Opera…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -8.1%, Median annual wage $45780
- Chemical Equipment O…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.3%, Median annual wage $58040
- Butchers and Meat Cu…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1%, Median annual wage $40140
- Water and Wastewater…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6.5%, Median annual wage $60020
- Multiple Machine Too…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.5%, Median annual wage $47180
- Sewing Machine Opera…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -10.8%, Median annual wage $36670
- Paper Goods Machine …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6.3%, Median annual wage $50270
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+1%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
16,900
per year (projected)
Employment Change
+1,400
143,100 (2024) → 144,500 (2034)
Typical Education
No formal educational credential
On-the-Job Training
Long-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Production Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
Fatality Rate
3.5/100K
Injury Rate
3.2/100
Danger Index
14.6/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Butchers and Meat Cutters roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Prepare and place meat cuts and products in display counter to appear attractive and catch the shopper's eye.
- ▸ Wrap, weigh, label, and price cuts of meat.
- ▸ Cut, trim, bone, tie, and grind meats, such as beef, pork, poultry, and fish, to prepare in cooking form.
- ▸ Prepare special cuts of meat ordered by customers.
- ▸ Receive, inspect, and store meat upon delivery to ensure meat quality.
- ▸ Estimate requirements and order or requisition meat supplies to maintain inventories.
- ▸ Record quantity of meat received and issued to cooks or keep records of meat sales.
- ▸ Supervise other butchers or meat cutters.
- ▸ Cure, smoke, tenderize, and preserve meat.
- ▸ Negotiate with representatives from supply companies to determine order details.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
Butchers and Meat Cutters pay history, 2015–2025
Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $29,130 |
| 2016 | $29,870 |
| 2017 | $30,890 |
| 2018 | $31,580 |
| 2019 | $32,500 |
| 2020 | $32,900 |
| 2021 | $36,050 |
| 2022 | $36,930 |
| 2023 | $37,650 |
| 2024 | $38,960 |
| 2025 | $40,140 |
2015 median
$29,130
2025 median
$40,140
2019–2025 change (same SOC)
+$7,640 (+23.5%)
Avg/year (same SOC)
+3.6%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2015 | $29,130 | First banked release | 137,350 |
| May 2016 | $29,870 | +2.5% | 133,880 |
| May 2017 | $30,890 | +3.4% | 131,530 |
| May 2018 | $31,580 | +2.2% | 133,670 |
| May 2019 | $32,500 | Classification break | 136,770 |
| May 2020 | $32,900 | +1.2% | 142,220 |
| May 2021 | $36,050 | +9.6% | 145,930 |
| May 2022 | $36,930 | +2.4% | 129,400 |
| May 2023 | $37,650 | +1.9% | 136,330 |
| May 2024 | $38,960 | +3.5% | 140,040 |
| May 2025 | $40,140 | +3.0% | 136,430 |
Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $29,130 in May 2015 to $40,140 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +3.6% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 136,770 in May 2019 to 136,430 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 54 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $51,670 | +29% above national |
| 2 | Alaska | $50,450 | +26% above national |
| 3 | Hawaii | $50,080 | +25% above national |
| 4 | Oregon | $49,360 | +23% above national |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $48,760 | +21% above national |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $48,430 | +21% above national |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $47,740 | +19% above national |
| 8 | Colorado | $47,490 | +18% above national |
| 9 | New York | $47,080 | +17% above national |
| 10 | Delaware | $47,040 | +17% above national |
| 11 | Wisconsin | $45,980 | +15% above national |
| 12 | Arizona | $45,780 | +14% above national |
| 13 | Vermont | $45,580 | +14% above national |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $45,210 | +13% above national |
| 15 | Wyoming | $44,820 | +12% above national |
| 16 | Connecticut | $44,570 | +11% above national |
| 17 | California | $44,290 | +10% above national |
| 18 | Maryland | $44,130 | +10% above national |
| 19 | Minnesota | $43,930 | +9% above national |
| 20 | Utah | $43,440 | +8% above national |
| 21 | Florida | $42,790 | +7% above national |
| 22 | Indiana | $42,440 | +6% above national |
| 23 | Montana | $41,600 | +4% above national |
| 24 | Nevada | $40,290 | same as national |
| 25 | North Dakota | $40,080 | same as national |
| 26 | Tennessee | $39,960 | same as national |
| 27 | South Carolina | $39,790 | 1% below national |
| 28 | Virginia | $39,770 | 1% below national |
| 29 | Michigan | $39,350 | 2% below national |
| 30 | Illinois | $39,240 | 2% below national |
| 31 | Georgia | $38,540 | 4% below national |
| 32 | New Jersey | $38,540 | 4% below national |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $38,340 | 4% below national |
| 34 | Maine | $38,250 | 5% below national |
| 35 | North Carolina | $38,240 | 5% below national |
| 36 | Idaho | $38,030 | 5% below national |
| 37 | Missouri | $37,860 | 6% below national |
| 38 | Iowa | $37,750 | 6% below national |
| 39 | Nebraska | $37,630 | 6% below national |
| 40 | Ohio | $37,630 | 6% below national |
| 41 | Texas | $37,400 | 7% below national |
| 42 | Kansas | $37,320 | 7% below national |
| 43 | South Dakota | $37,310 | 7% below national |
| 44 | Louisiana | $36,790 | 8% below national |
| 45 | New Mexico | $36,640 | 9% below national |
| 46 | Alabama | $36,500 | 9% below national |
| 47 | Kentucky | $35,430 | 12% below national |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $35,070 | 13% below national |
| 49 | Arkansas | $34,380 | 14% below national |
| 50 | West Virginia | $33,570 | 16% below national |
| 51 | Mississippi | $29,700 | 26% below national |
| 52 | Virgin Islands | $29,120 | 27% below national |
| 53 | Guam | $29,110 | 27% below national |
| 54 | Puerto Rico | $22,780 | 43% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 363 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $60,600 | +51% above national |
| 2 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $57,930 | +44% above national |
| 3 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $57,920 | +44% above national |
| 4 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $54,980 | +37% above national |
| 5 | Longview-Kelso, WA | $53,550 | +33% above national |
| 6 | Anchorage, AK | $52,130 | +30% above national |
| 7 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $51,980 | +29% above national |
| 8 | El Centro, CA | $51,960 | +29% above national |
| 9 | Bend, OR | $51,690 | +29% above national |
| 10 | Bellingham, WA | $50,970 | +27% above national |
| 11 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $50,720 | +26% above national |
| 12 | Barnstable Town, MA | $50,290 | +25% above national |
| 13 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $49,860 | +24% above national |
| 14 | Grants Pass, OR | $49,800 | +24% above national |
| 15 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $49,790 | +24% above national |
| 16 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $49,610 | +24% above national |
| 17 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $49,320 | +23% above national |
| 18 | Medford, OR | $49,210 | +23% above national |
| 19 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $49,070 | +22% above national |
| 20 | Salem, OR | $49,070 | +22% above national |
| 21 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $49,060 | +22% above national |
| 22 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $49,050 | +22% above national |
| 23 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $48,910 | +22% above national |
| 24 | Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $48,700 | +21% above national |
| 25 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $48,560 | +21% above national |
| 26 | Kingston, NY | $48,370 | +21% above national |
| 27 | Colorado Springs, CO | $48,320 | +20% above national |
| 28 | Napa, CA | $48,030 | +20% above national |
| 29 | Madison, WI | $47,980 | +20% above national |
| 30 | Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | $47,850 | +19% above national |
| 31 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $47,820 | +19% above national |
| 32 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $47,780 | +19% above national |
| 33 | Bozeman, MT | $47,700 | +19% above national |
| 34 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $47,600 | +19% above national |
| 35 | Glens Falls, NY | $47,540 | +18% above national |
| 36 | Yakima, WA | $47,540 | +18% above national |
| 37 | Sheboygan, WI | $47,450 | +18% above national |
| 38 | Albany, OR | $47,430 | +18% above national |
| 39 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $47,360 | +18% above national |
| 40 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $47,340 | +18% above national |
| 41 | Kenosha, WI | $47,290 | +18% above national |
| 42 | Syracuse, NY | $47,170 | +18% above national |
| 43 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $47,080 | +17% above national |
| 44 | Appleton, WI | $47,040 | +17% above national |
| 45 | Santa Fe, NM | $46,880 | +17% above national |
| 46 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $46,790 | +17% above national |
| 47 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $46,740 | +16% above national |
| 48 | Fond du Lac, WI | $46,730 | +16% above national |
| 49 | Worcester, MA | $46,720 | +16% above national |
| 50 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $46,670 | +16% above national |
| 51 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $46,670 | +16% above national |
| 52 | Boulder, CO | $46,630 | +16% above national |
| 53 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $46,580 | +16% above national |
| 54 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $46,490 | +16% above national |
| 55 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $46,480 | +16% above national |
| 56 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $46,350 | +15% above national |
| 57 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $46,210 | +15% above national |
| 58 | Lexington Park, MD | $46,180 | +15% above national |
| 59 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $46,110 | +15% above national |
| 60 | Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | $46,050 | +15% above national |
| 61 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $46,040 | +15% above national |
| 62 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $46,010 | +15% above national |
| 63 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $46,000 | +15% above national |
| 64 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $45,930 | +14% above national |
| 65 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $45,890 | +14% above national |
| 66 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $45,830 | +14% above national |
| 67 | Springfield, MA | $45,800 | +14% above national |
| 68 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $45,660 | +14% above national |
| 69 | Fargo, ND-MN | $45,640 | +14% above national |
| 70 | Vallejo, CA | $45,620 | +14% above national |
| 71 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $45,580 | +14% above national |
| 72 | Wausau, WI | $45,530 | +13% above national |
| 73 | Utica-Rome, NY | $45,520 | +13% above national |
| 74 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $45,470 | +13% above national |
| 75 | Rochester, NY | $45,450 | +13% above national |
| 76 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $45,420 | +13% above national |
| 77 | Fort Wayne, IN | $45,240 | +13% above national |
| 78 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $45,220 | +13% above national |
| 79 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $45,210 | +13% above national |
| 80 | New Haven, CT | $45,120 | +12% above national |
| 81 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $45,060 | +12% above national |
| 82 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $44,980 | +12% above national |
| 83 | Tucson, AZ | $44,970 | +12% above national |
| 84 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $44,870 | +12% above national |
| 85 | Homosassa Springs, FL | $44,860 | +12% above national |
| 86 | Greeley, CO | $44,850 | +12% above national |
| 87 | Eau Claire, WI | $44,820 | +12% above national |
| 88 | Billings, MT | $44,790 | +12% above national |
| 89 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $44,780 | +12% above national |
| 90 | Duluth, MN-WI | $44,720 | +11% above national |
| 91 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $44,670 | +11% above national |
| 92 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $44,660 | +11% above national |
| 93 | Flagstaff, AZ | $44,630 | +11% above national |
| 94 | Redding, CA | $44,540 | +11% above national |
| 95 | Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | $44,470 | +11% above national |
| 96 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $44,450 | +11% above national |
| 97 | Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $44,390 | +11% above national |
| 98 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $44,360 | +11% above national |
| 99 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $44,360 | +11% above national |
| 100 | Boise City, ID | $44,350 | +10% above national |
| 101 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $44,260 | +10% above national |
| 102 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $44,160 | +10% above national |
| 103 | Grand Junction, CO | $44,140 | +10% above national |
| 104 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $44,130 | +10% above national |
| 105 | Chico, CA | $44,110 | +10% above national |
| 106 | Punta Gorda, FL | $44,060 | +10% above national |
| 107 | Pueblo, CO | $44,020 | +10% above national |
| 108 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $44,010 | +10% above national |
| 109 | Corpus Christi, TX | $44,000 | +10% above national |
| 110 | Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $43,980 | +10% above national |
| 111 | Jacksonville, NC | $43,710 | +9% above national |
| 112 | Midland, TX | $43,710 | +9% above national |
| 113 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $43,520 | +8% above national |
| 114 | Dover, DE | $43,470 | +8% above national |
| 115 | Gainesville, FL | $43,460 | +8% above national |
| 116 | Missoula, MT | $43,460 | +8% above national |
| 117 | Logan, UT-ID | $43,440 | +8% above national |
| 118 | Yuba City, CA | $43,380 | +8% above national |
| 119 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $43,100 | +7% above national |
| 120 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $42,960 | +7% above national |
| 121 | Binghamton, NY | $42,950 | +7% above national |
| 122 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $42,950 | +7% above national |
| 123 | St. Cloud, MN | $42,850 | +7% above national |
| 124 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $42,740 | +6% above national |
| 125 | Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $42,720 | +6% above national |
| 126 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $42,660 | +6% above national |
| 127 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $42,470 | +6% above national |
| 128 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $42,400 | +6% above national |
| 129 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $42,400 | +6% above national |
| 130 | Salinas, CA | $42,380 | +6% above national |
| 131 | Jacksonville, FL | $42,100 | +5% above national |
| 132 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $42,030 | +5% above national |
| 133 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $41,950 | +5% above national |
| 134 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $41,740 | +4% above national |
| 135 | Modesto, CA | $41,720 | +4% above national |
| 136 | Pittsburgh, PA | $41,720 | +4% above national |
| 137 | Omaha, NE-IA | $41,700 | +4% above national |
| 138 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $41,270 | +3% above national |
| 139 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $41,220 | +3% above national |
| 140 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $41,160 | +3% above national |
| 141 | Wildwood-The Villages, FL | $41,130 | +2% above national |
| 142 | St. George, UT | $40,980 | +2% above national |
| 143 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $40,970 | +2% above national |
| 144 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $40,970 | +2% above national |
| 145 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $40,810 | +2% above national |
| 146 | Huntsville, AL | $40,690 | +1% above national |
| 147 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $40,580 | +1% above national |
| 148 | Asheville, NC | $40,500 | +1% above national |
| 149 | Kankakee, IL | $40,480 | +1% above national |
| 150 | Joplin, MO-KS | $40,470 | +1% above national |
| 151 | Lewiston, ID-WA | $40,440 | +1% above national |
| 152 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $40,410 | +1% above national |
| 153 | Reno, NV | $40,290 | same as national |
| 154 | Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | $40,200 | same as national |
| 155 | Richmond, VA | $40,120 | same as national |
| 156 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $40,030 | same as national |
| 157 | Morristown, TN | $39,960 | same as national |
| 158 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $39,940 | same as national |
| 159 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $39,910 | 1% below national |
| 160 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $39,810 | 1% below national |
| 161 | Sebring, FL | $39,810 | 1% below national |
| 162 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $39,780 | 1% below national |
| 163 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $39,770 | 1% below national |
| 164 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $39,750 | 1% below national |
| 165 | Ocala, FL | $39,740 | 1% below national |
| 166 | Toledo, OH | $39,740 | 1% below national |
| 167 | Mansfield, OH | $39,730 | 1% below national |
| 168 | Erie, PA | $39,710 | 1% below national |
| 169 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $39,680 | 1% below national |
| 170 | Ann Arbor, MI | $39,630 | 1% below national |
| 171 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $39,590 | 1% below national |
| 172 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $39,520 | 2% below national |
| 173 | Great Falls, MT | $39,510 | 2% below national |
| 174 | Savannah, GA | $39,420 | 2% below national |
| 175 | St. Joseph, MO-KS | $39,400 | 2% below national |
| 176 | Manhattan, KS | $39,290 | 2% below national |
| 177 | Lawrence, KS | $39,260 | 2% below national |
| 178 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $39,140 | 2% below national |
| 179 | Merced, CA | $39,130 | 3% below national |
| 180 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $39,120 | 3% below national |
| 181 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $39,110 | 3% below national |
| 182 | State College, PA | $39,030 | 3% below national |
| 183 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $39,020 | 3% below national |
| 184 | Tallahassee, FL | $39,000 | 3% below national |
| 185 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $38,990 | 3% below national |
| 186 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $38,990 | 3% below national |
| 187 | Helena, MT | $38,940 | 3% below national |
| 188 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $38,910 | 3% below national |
| 189 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $38,850 | 3% below national |
| 190 | Jackson, TN | $38,840 | 3% below national |
| 191 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $38,820 | 3% below national |
| 192 | Springfield, MO | $38,800 | 3% below national |
| 193 | Columbus, OH | $38,790 | 3% below national |
| 194 | Wilmington, NC | $38,790 | 3% below national |
| 195 | Ogden, UT | $38,670 | 4% below national |
| 196 | Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $38,640 | 4% below national |
| 197 | Yuma, AZ | $38,620 | 4% below national |
| 198 | Pocatello, ID | $38,490 | 4% below national |
| 199 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $38,490 | 4% below national |
| 200 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $38,450 | 4% below national |
| 201 | Valdosta, GA | $38,440 | 4% below national |
| 202 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $38,420 | 4% below national |
| 203 | Warner Robins, GA | $38,410 | 4% below national |
| 204 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $38,370 | 4% below national |
| 205 | York-Hanover, PA | $38,340 | 4% below national |
| 206 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $38,330 | 5% below national |
| 207 | Baton Rouge, LA | $38,260 | 5% below national |
| 208 | Elizabethtown, KY | $38,180 | 5% below national |
| 209 | Bismarck, ND | $38,150 | 5% below national |
| 210 | Spartanburg, SC | $38,140 | 5% below national |
| 211 | Traverse City, MI | $38,130 | 5% below national |
| 212 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $38,120 | 5% below national |
| 213 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $38,120 | 5% below national |
| 214 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $38,110 | 5% below national |
| 215 | Roanoke, VA | $38,100 | 5% below national |
| 216 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $38,040 | 5% below national |
| 217 | Idaho Falls, ID | $38,030 | 5% below national |
| 218 | Gainesville, GA | $38,020 | 5% below national |
| 219 | Rochester, MN | $38,020 | 5% below national |
| 220 | Wichita, KS | $38,020 | 5% below national |
| 221 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | $37,970 | 5% below national |
| 222 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $37,960 | 5% below national |
| 223 | Jefferson City, MO | $37,920 | 6% below national |
| 224 | Fayetteville, NC | $37,830 | 6% below national |
| 225 | Bloomington, IN | $37,780 | 6% below national |
| 226 | Vineland, NJ | $37,780 | 6% below national |
| 227 | Albany, GA | $37,700 | 6% below national |
| 228 | Cleveland, OH | $37,630 | 6% below national |
| 229 | Evansville, IN | $37,590 | 6% below national |
| 230 | Lake Charles, LA | $37,590 | 6% below national |
| 231 | Knoxville, TN | $37,580 | 6% below national |
| 232 | Twin Falls, ID | $37,530 | 7% below national |
| 233 | Fresno, CA | $37,500 | 7% below national |
| 234 | Battle Creek, MI | $37,490 | 7% below national |
| 235 | Grand Island, NE | $37,490 | 7% below national |
| 236 | Burlington, NC | $37,480 | 7% below national |
| 237 | Harrisonburg, VA | $37,470 | 7% below national |
| 238 | Sandusky, OH | $37,460 | 7% below national |
| 239 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $37,440 | 7% below national |
| 240 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $37,360 | 7% below national |
| 241 | Columbia, SC | $37,350 | 7% below national |
| 242 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $37,330 | 7% below national |
| 243 | Green Bay, WI | $37,300 | 7% below national |
| 244 | Visalia, CA | $37,280 | 7% below national |
| 245 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $37,260 | 7% below national |
| 246 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $37,260 | 7% below national |
| 247 | Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $37,240 | 7% below national |
| 248 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $37,200 | 7% below national |
| 249 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $37,200 | 7% below national |
| 250 | Lincoln, NE | $37,180 | 7% below national |
| 251 | Bangor, ME | $37,160 | 7% below national |
| 252 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $37,130 | 7% below national |
| 253 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $37,130 | 7% below national |
| 254 | Mankato, MN | $37,110 | 8% below national |
| 255 | Rapid City, SD | $37,060 | 8% below national |
| 256 | Springfield, OH | $37,050 | 8% below national |
| 257 | Amarillo, TX | $37,040 | 8% below national |
| 258 | Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $37,040 | 8% below national |
| 259 | Auburn-Opelika, AL | $36,940 | 8% below national |
| 260 | Lynchburg, VA | $36,930 | 8% below national |
| 261 | Birmingham, AL | $36,920 | 8% below national |
| 262 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $36,920 | 8% below national |
| 263 | Reading, PA | $36,920 | 8% below national |
| 264 | Jackson, MI | $36,910 | 8% below national |
| 265 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $36,900 | 8% below national |
| 266 | Mobile, AL | $36,870 | 8% below national |
| 267 | Montgomery, AL | $36,850 | 8% below national |
| 268 | Columbus, GA-AL | $36,810 | 8% below national |
| 269 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $36,790 | 8% below national |
| 270 | Decatur, AL | $36,780 | 8% below national |
| 271 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $36,780 | 8% below national |
| 272 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $36,770 | 8% below national |
| 273 | Goldsboro, NC | $36,750 | 8% below national |
| 274 | Winston-Salem, NC | $36,730 | 8% below national |
| 275 | Akron, OH | $36,720 | 9% below national |
| 276 | Topeka, KS | $36,700 | 9% below national |
| 277 | Dothan, AL | $36,690 | 9% below national |
| 278 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $36,680 | 9% below national |
| 279 | Lancaster, PA | $36,660 | 9% below national |
| 280 | Columbus, IN | $36,650 | 9% below national |
| 281 | Waco, TX | $36,630 | 9% below national |
| 282 | Altoona, PA | $36,610 | 9% below national |
| 283 | Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $36,610 | 9% below national |
| 284 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $36,580 | 9% below national |
| 285 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $36,520 | 9% below national |
| 286 | Dubuque, IA | $36,520 | 9% below national |
| 287 | Albuquerque, NM | $36,510 | 9% below national |
| 288 | Farmington, NM | $36,510 | 9% below national |
| 289 | Lebanon, PA | $36,490 | 9% below national |
| 290 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $36,410 | 9% below national |
| 291 | Bloomington, IL | $36,400 | 9% below national |
| 292 | Greenville, NC | $36,390 | 9% below national |
| 293 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $36,370 | 9% below national |
| 294 | Odessa, TX | $36,370 | 9% below national |
| 295 | Lafayette, LA | $36,360 | 9% below national |
| 296 | Flint, MI | $36,190 | 10% below national |
| 297 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $36,190 | 10% below national |
| 298 | Macon-Bibb County, GA | $36,180 | 10% below national |
| 299 | Ames, IA | $36,110 | 10% below national |
| 300 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $36,110 | 10% below national |
| 301 | Hammond, LA | $36,110 | 10% below national |
| 302 | Enid, OK | $36,100 | 10% below national |
| 303 | Oklahoma City, OK | $36,050 | 10% below national |
| 304 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $35,980 | 10% below national |
| 305 | Beckley, WV | $35,960 | 10% below national |
| 306 | Springfield, IL | $35,860 | 11% below national |
| 307 | Tulsa, OK | $35,830 | 11% below national |
| 308 | Iowa City, IA | $35,810 | 11% below national |
| 309 | Terre Haute, IN | $35,780 | 11% below national |
| 310 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $35,770 | 11% below national |
| 311 | Rocky Mount, NC | $35,720 | 11% below national |
| 312 | Florence, SC | $35,710 | 11% below national |
| 313 | Alexandria, LA | $35,630 | 11% below national |
| 314 | Johnson City, TN | $35,570 | 11% below national |
| 315 | San Angelo, TX | $35,570 | 11% below national |
| 316 | Johnstown, PA | $35,560 | 11% below national |
| 317 | Peoria, IL | $35,490 | 12% below national |
| 318 | Saginaw, MI | $35,450 | 12% below national |
| 319 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $35,430 | 12% below national |
| 320 | Lubbock, TX | $35,410 | 12% below national |
| 321 | Owensboro, KY | $35,370 | 12% below national |
| 322 | Rockford, IL | $35,360 | 12% below national |
| 323 | Niles, MI | $35,350 | 12% below national |
| 324 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $35,340 | 12% below national |
| 325 | Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | $35,300 | 12% below national |
| 326 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $35,220 | 12% below national |
| 327 | Monroe, LA | $35,160 | 12% below national |
| 328 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $35,150 | 12% below national |
| 329 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $35,140 | 12% below national |
| 330 | Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $35,110 | 13% below national |
| 331 | Charleston, WV | $35,110 | 13% below national |
| 332 | Laredo, TX | $35,090 | 13% below national |
| 333 | Wichita Falls, TX | $35,090 | 13% below national |
| 334 | Gadsden, AL | $35,040 | 13% below national |
| 335 | Anniston-Oxford, AL | $34,900 | 13% below national |
| 336 | Morgantown, WV | $34,860 | 13% below national |
| 337 | Abilene, TX | $34,680 | 14% below national |
| 338 | Hot Springs, AR | $34,600 | 14% below national |
| 339 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $34,340 | 14% below national |
| 340 | Columbia, MO | $34,170 | 15% below national |
| 341 | Longview, TX | $33,780 | 16% below national |
| 342 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $33,370 | 17% below national |
| 343 | Bowling Green, KY | $33,340 | 17% below national |
| 344 | Las Cruces, NM | $33,070 | 18% below national |
| 345 | Monroe, MI | $31,780 | 21% below national |
| 346 | Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $31,600 | 21% below national |
| 347 | Texarkana, TX-AR | $31,420 | 22% below national |
| 348 | El Paso, TX | $31,230 | 22% below national |
| 349 | Midland, MI | $31,200 | 22% below national |
| 350 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $30,700 | 24% below national |
| 351 | Lawton, OK | $30,380 | 24% below national |
| 352 | Dalton, GA | $30,140 | 25% below national |
| 353 | Jackson, MS | $29,730 | 26% below national |
| 354 | Bay City, MI | $29,660 | 26% below national |
| 355 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $29,610 | 26% below national |
| 356 | Hattiesburg, MS | $29,580 | 26% below national |
| 357 | Tyler, TX | $27,770 | 31% below national |
| 358 | Aguadilla, PR | $23,230 | 42% below national |
| 359 | Arecibo, PR | $23,230 | 42% below national |
| 360 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $22,810 | 43% below national |
| 361 | Mayaguez, PR | $22,780 | 43% below national |
| 362 | Ponce, PR | $22,490 | 44% below national |
| 363 | Guayama, PR | $22,290 | 44% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 51 (Production Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders
SOC 51-9191
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers
SOC 51-2011
Bakers
SOC 51-3011
Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters
SOC 51-7011
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
SOC 51-9011
Showing 5 of 104 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Production Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($40,140 here) and reported employment (136,430 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with this data
How to use Butchers and Meat Cutters pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $48,050/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Washington leads at $51,670/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.