Cutters and Trimmers, Hand
Cutters and Trimmers, Hand (SOC 51-9031) earn a median $38,020 a year ($18.28 an hour) in the United States, with 6,060 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Nebraska.
What cutters and trimmers, hand do
Hand cutters and trimmers use knives, scissors, shears, and hand-held power tools to cut and trim manufactured items such as carpet, fabric, stone, glass, rubber, and plastic. The tasks include finishing steps: trimming excess material or loose threads from a finished product, such as stray plastic on a toy, or cutting pieces to size from stock. To cut accurately, they read the work order for dimensions, locations, and quantities, mark cutting lines with chalk, pencils, or scribes around a pattern or template, and place templates so material is used with the least waste. While working, they look over the items and mark or set aside those with spots, stains, snags, chips, scratches, or unacceptable shapes. Materials may be unrolled, laid out, or mounted on cutting tables or machines, and identification numbers, grades, sizes, or model numbers are marked on products.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, less than a high school diploma is the most common level of education reported by workers in this occupation.
Also called: Aluminum Sheet Cutter, Basting Puller, Belt Splicer, Bright Cutter, Bucker.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $12.80 | $16.37 | $18.28 | $23.01 | $27.82 | $19.74 | 6,060 |
| Annual | $26,630 | $34,050 | $38,020 | $47,850 | $57,870 | $41,050 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where cutters and trimmers, hand earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Nebraska | Hourly | $16.36 | $19.97 | $23.48 | $25.41 | $27.91 | $22.57 | 60 | 0.06 | 1.61 |
| Annual | $34,040 | $41,530 | $48,830 | $52,840 | $58,060 | $46,950 | ||||
| Vermont | Hourly | $18.06 | $18.58 | $23.40 | $31.70 | $31.70 | $25.50 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $37,560 | $38,650 | $48,670 | $65,930 | $65,930 | $53,050 | ||||
| Iowa | Hourly | $22.13 | $23.35 | $23.35 | $23.36 | $24.21 | $23.35 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $46,030 | $48,580 | $48,580 | $48,600 | $50,370 | $48,570 | ||||
| Rhode Island | Hourly | $15.00 | $20.37 | $23.13 | $23.13 | $23.13 | $21.51 | 50 | 0.09 | 2.39 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $42,370 | $48,100 | $48,100 | $48,100 | $44,740 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $16.03 | $18.81 | $23.04 | $27.89 | $28.88 | $23.17 | 1,060 | 0.22 | 5.51 |
| Annual | $33,330 | $39,120 | $47,910 | $58,010 | $60,070 | $48,180 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $16.03 | $18.81 | $23.04 | $27.89 | $28.88 | $23.17 | 1,060 | 0.22 | 5.51 |
| Annual | $33,330 | $39,120 | $47,910 | $58,010 | $60,070 | $48,180 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $16.69 | $17.14 | $18.19 | $20.54 | $29.42 | $20.48 | 770 | 0.04 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $34,710 | $35,640 | $37,840 | $42,720 | $61,190 | $42,590 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $11.74 | $12.80 | $14.00 | $17.91 | $18.17 | $15.66 | 740 | 0.05 | 1.35 |
| Annual | $24,410 | $26,620 | $29,130 | $37,240 | $37,790 | $32,580 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $15.49 | $15.49 | $16.64 | $20.49 | $24.77 | $18.78 | 380 | 0.09 | 2.26 |
| Annual | $32,220 | $32,220 | $34,600 | $42,620 | $51,520 | $39,060 | ||||
| Indiana | Hourly | $10.70 | $17.25 | $20.07 | $23.75 | $28.09 | $20.25 | 360 | 0.11 | 2.91 |
| Annual | $22,260 | $35,880 | $41,740 | $49,390 | $58,430 | $42,110 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | Hourly | $18.77 | $22.30 | $23.66 | $28.54 | $29.83 | $24.93 | 590 | 3.80 | 97.45 |
| Annual | $39,030 | $46,380 | $49,200 | $59,360 | $62,040 | $51,860 | ||||
| Winston-Salem, NC | Hourly | $17.04 | $18.68 | $21.89 | $24.98 | $28.52 | $21.96 | 50 | 0.18 | 4.51 |
| Annual | $35,450 | $38,850 | $45,520 | $51,960 | $59,320 | $45,680 | ||||
| St. Louis, MO-IL | Hourly | $17.17 | $18.03 | $21.76 | $24.28 | $24.29 | $20.94 | 40 | 0.03 | 0.78 |
| Annual | $35,710 | $37,500 | $45,250 | $50,510 | $50,530 | $43,560 | ||||
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | Hourly | $15.41 | $18.99 | $21.22 | $23.13 | $23.13 | $20.96 | 70 | 0.11 | 2.69 |
| Annual | $32,050 | $39,490 | $44,140 | $48,100 | $48,100 | $43,590 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $19.21 | $19.49 | $20.47 | $23.36 | $31.97 | $23.42 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.45 |
| Annual | $39,960 | $40,540 | $42,580 | $48,580 | $66,500 | $48,710 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | Hourly | $18.77 | $22.30 | $23.66 | $28.54 | $29.83 | $24.93 | 590 | 3.80 | 97.45 |
| Annual | $39,030 | $46,380 | $49,200 | $59,360 | $62,040 | $51,860 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $16.69 | $17.14 | $18.03 | $20.54 | $28.35 | $20.45 | 530 | 0.08 | 2.16 |
| Annual | $34,710 | $35,640 | $37,500 | $42,720 | $58,960 | $42,540 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $15.49 | $15.55 | $18.83 | $23.60 | $26.71 | $20.24 | 440 | 0.05 | 1.20 |
| Annual | $32,220 | $32,350 | $39,160 | $49,080 | $55,560 | $42,100 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $12.80 | $12.80 | $17.71 | $17.91 | $18.15 | $16.31 | 380 | 0.10 | 2.44 |
| Annual | $26,630 | $26,630 | $36,840 | $37,250 | $37,750 | $33,920 | ||||
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | Hourly | $15.61 | $15.61 | $17.80 | $23.26 | $27.95 | $19.73 | 200 | 0.55 | 14.02 |
| Annual | $32,470 | $32,470 | $37,020 | $48,370 | $58,140 | $41,030 | ||||
Top industries employing cutters and trimmers, hand
Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) employ 17.7% of cutters and trimmers, hand nationally (1,070 jobs) at a median $47,640 a year ($22.90 an hour), followed by Employment Services (12.9%) and Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing (8.7%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) NAICS 3370A1 | 1,070 | 17.7% | $47,640 | $22.90 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 780 | 12.9% | $34,640 | $16.65 |
| Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing NAICS 315200 | 530 | 8.7% | $36,300 | $17.45 |
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing NAICS 311600 | 220 | 3.6% | $48,580 | $23.35 |
| Other Textile Product Mills NAICS 314900 | 220 | 3.6% | $36,130 | $17.37 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (6,060). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $30,230 for cutters and trimmers, hand in May 2021 and $38,020 in May 2025, with employment of 7,920 and 6,060.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $30,230 | $14.54 | 7,920 |
| May 2022 | $36,130 | $17.37 | 8,250 |
| May 2023 | $37,040 | $17.81 | 7,220 |
| May 2024 | $38,800 | $18.65 | 7,070 |
| May 2025 | $38,020 | $18.28 | 6,060 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
30 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nebraska profile | $23.48 | $48,830 | $34,040 | $58,060 | 60 | 0.06 | 1.61 |
| 2 | Vermont profile | $23.40 | $48,670 | $37,560 | $65,930 | ** | ** | ** |
| 3 | Iowa profile | $23.35 | $48,580 | $46,030 | $50,370 | ** | ** | ** |
| 4 | Rhode Island profile | $23.13 | $48,100 | $31,200 | $48,100 | 50 | 0.09 | 2.39 |
| 5 | North Carolina profile | $23.04 | $47,910 | $33,330 | $60,070 | 1,060 | 0.22 | 5.51 |
| 6 | Michigan profile | $22.51 | $46,830 | $34,470 | $49,280 | 50 | 0.01 | 0.30 |
| 7 | Minnesota profile | $22.39 | $46,570 | $37,330 | $51,100 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.33 |
| 8 | New York profile | $22.21 | $46,190 | $33,790 | $63,650 | 220 | 0.02 | 0.57 |
| 9 | Indiana profile | $20.07 | $41,740 | $22,260 | $58,430 | 360 | 0.11 | 2.91 |
| 10 | Missouri profile | $19.50 | $40,560 | $35,230 | $50,510 | 110 | 0.04 | 0.96 |
| 11 | Massachusetts profile | $19.22 | $39,970 | $32,210 | $58,400 | 110 | 0.03 | 0.80 |
| 12 | South Carolina profile | $18.91 | $39,340 | $28,990 | $61,570 | 50 | 0.02 | 0.58 |
| 13 | Wisconsin profile | $18.75 | $39,010 | $31,280 | $44,700 | 60 | 0.02 | 0.48 |
| 14 | Kansas profile | $18.65 | $38,800 | $34,360 | $45,670 | 130 | 0.09 | 2.39 |
| 15 | California profile | $18.19 | $37,840 | $34,710 | $61,190 | 770 | 0.04 | 1.09 |
| 16 | Georgia profile | $18.02 | $37,480 | $22,920 | $87,150 | 290 | 0.06 | 1.53 |
| 17 | Mississippi profile | $17.92 | $37,280 | $30,670 | $45,130 | 90 | 0.08 | 2.09 |
| 18 | Connecticut profile | $17.30 | $35,970 | $35,970 | $49,260 | 50 | 0.03 | 0.74 |
| 19 | Washington profile | $17.29 | $35,960 | $34,650 | $47,310 | ** | ** | ** |
| 20 | Pennsylvania profile | $17.09 | $35,560 | $26,280 | $44,160 | 140 | 0.02 | 0.59 |
| 21 | Illinois profile | $17.00 | $35,360 | $33,830 | $51,680 | 30 | 0.01 | 0.14 |
| 22 | Ohio profile | $17.00 | $35,360 | $23,190 | $48,250 | 120 | 0.02 | 0.56 |
| 23 | Alabama profile | $16.90 | $35,160 | $23,620 | $45,430 | ** | ** | ** |
| 24 | Florida profile | $16.90 | $35,150 | $27,040 | $78,920 | 150 | 0.02 | 0.38 |
| 25 | Oklahoma profile | $16.78 | $34,910 | $30,890 | $38,650 | ** | ** | ** |
| 26 | New Jersey profile | $16.64 | $34,600 | $32,220 | $51,520 | 380 | 0.09 | 2.26 |
| 27 | Virginia profile | $15.61 | $32,470 | $29,430 | $42,830 | 60 | 0.01 | 0.36 |
| 28 | Arizona profile | $14.96 | $31,110 | $30,580 | $43,720 | ** | ** | ** |
| 29 | Texas profile | $14.00 | $29,130 | $24,410 | $37,790 | 740 | 0.05 | 1.35 |
| 30 | Tennessee profile | $13.00 | $27,030 | $19,120 | $45,560 | 230 | 0.07 | 1.81 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (51-9030), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Production Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 51-9031 Cutters and Trimmers, Hand.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 51-9031, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-9031.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.