Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers Salary
Production Occupations · 146K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$38,300
Median hourly
$18
Average annual
$39,280
Typical range
$29,980–$48,150
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers is $38,300 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $18 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Use hands or hand tools to perform routine cutting and trimming of meat, poultry, and seafood..
Most earn between $29,980 and $48,150 a year. There are roughly 146K people employed as meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers.
- Hourly
- $18.41
- Daily
- $147
- Weekly
- $737
- Bi-weekly
- $1,473
- Monthly
- $3,192
- Annual
- $38,300
$38,300 a year is around the 50th percentile for Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmerss. The median is $38,300.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Colorado$50,390
- 2Arizona$48,550
- 3Kansas$48,080
- 4Nebraska$47,580
- 5New Hampshire$47,260
- 6North Dakota$47,250
- 7Michigan$44,430
- 8South Dakota$44,290
- 9Utah$44,150
- 10Minnesota$43,400
- 11Wisconsin$43,300
- 12Iowa$43,190
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Topeka, KS$52,050
- 2Sheboygan, WI$50,410
- 3Omaha, NE-IA$49,810
- 4Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI$48,890
- 5Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$48,880
- 6Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ$48,550
- 7Sioux City, IA-NE-SD$47,580
- 8Kansas City, MO-KS$45,820
- 9Portland-South Portland, ME$45,800
- 10Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$45,750
- 11Akron, OH$45,170
- 12Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN$44,280
Related job titles
Employers advertise Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers roles under these titles.
Related occupations
- Slaughterers and Meat Packers$40,130
- Butchers and Meat Cutters$40,140
- Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products$35,730
- Packers and Packagers, Hand$36,280
- Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals$36,670
- Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders$44,810
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$43,220
- Food Batchmakers$42,290
What a Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers does
- Use knives, cleavers, meat saws, bandsaws, or other equipment to perform meat cutting and trimming.
- Inspect meat products for defects, bruises or blemishes and remove them along with any excess fat.
- Weigh meats and tag containers for weight and contents.
- Cut and trim meat to prepare for packing.
- Separate meats and byproducts into specified containers and seal containers.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers make?
- The median annual wage for Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers is $38,300 ($18 per hour). Pay ranges from about $29,980 at the 10th percentile to $48,150 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $39,280, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmerss the most?
- Colorado has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $50,390.
- Is Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 146K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers do?
- Use knives, cleavers, meat saws, bandsaws, or other equipment to perform meat cutting and trimming.; Inspect meat products for defects, bruises or blemishes and remove them along with any excess fat.; Weigh meats and tag containers for weight and contents..