Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers (SOC 51-3022) earn a median $38,300 a year ($18.41 an hour) in the United States, with 145,700 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Colorado.
What meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers do
Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers do routine cutting and trimming by hand, preparing product for packing. Each worker makes cuts with knives, cleavers, meat saws, or bandsaws, such as removing excess fat or a blemished area. They check the pieces for bruises and defects and take them out, sort cuts and byproducts into labeled containers, weigh them, and seal and tag containers with weight and contents. Poultry and seafood are included along with meat, and the work is described as routine, which keeps it apart from the nonroutine functions of slaughterers. This job is distinct from the butcher, who prepares varied cuts for retail customers, and from the slaughterer, who performs nonroutine or precision work on large portions of meat.
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: Abalone Processor, Animal Eviscerator, Animal Skinner, Animal Sticker, Bacon Derinder.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $14.42 | $17.00 | $18.41 | $21.24 | $23.15 | $18.89 | 145,700 |
| Annual | $29,980 | $35,350 | $38,300 | $44,170 | $48,150 | $39,280 | ||
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 meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers 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 | ||||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $22.85 | $23.71 | $24.23 | $27.54 | $27.54 | $24.69 | 2,470 | 0.86 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $47,520 | $49,320 | $50,390 | $57,280 | $57,280 | $51,350 | ||||
| Arizona | Hourly | $17.55 | $19.05 | $23.34 | $23.34 | $23.34 | $22.29 | 620 | 0.19 | 0.20 |
| Annual | $36,510 | $39,620 | $48,550 | $48,550 | $48,550 | $46,360 | ||||
| Kansas | Hourly | $19.07 | $21.00 | $23.11 | $23.61 | $28.49 | $22.59 | 5,000 | 3.48 | 3.71 |
| Annual | $39,660 | $43,680 | $48,080 | $49,110 | $59,250 | $46,990 | ||||
| Nebraska | Hourly | $19.64 | $22.65 | $22.88 | $25.32 | $26.55 | $23.47 | 8,340 | 8.14 | 8.69 |
| Annual | $40,850 | $47,110 | $47,580 | $52,670 | $55,230 | $48,810 | ||||
| New Hampshire | Hourly | $17.95 | $17.95 | $22.72 | $23.83 | $26.47 | $21.62 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $37,330 | $37,330 | $47,260 | $49,560 | $55,060 | $44,970 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $14.49 | $16.03 | $18.91 | $20.50 | $22.02 | $18.59 | 11,480 | 2.35 | 2.51 |
| Annual | $30,150 | $33,330 | $39,330 | $42,640 | $45,800 | $38,670 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $14.28 | $17.00 | $18.83 | $19.41 | $20.02 | $18.09 | 9,750 | 1.97 | 2.11 |
| Annual | $29,710 | $35,360 | $39,170 | $40,360 | $41,640 | $37,630 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $16.81 | $17.17 | $17.58 | $19.33 | $22.13 | $18.71 | 9,270 | 0.51 | 0.54 |
| Annual | $34,950 | $35,710 | $36,570 | $40,210 | $46,040 | $38,930 | ||||
| Alabama | Hourly | $10.64 | $13.22 | $14.94 | $17.84 | $18.91 | $15.31 | 9,140 | 4.32 | 4.61 |
| Annual | $22,130 | $27,510 | $31,080 | $37,110 | $39,330 | $31,840 | ||||
| Arkansas | Hourly | $16.09 | $17.74 | $18.26 | $18.76 | $21.41 | $18.44 | 9,030 | 6.93 | 7.39 |
| Annual | $33,470 | $36,890 | $37,980 | $39,030 | $44,540 | $38,360 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Topeka, KS | Hourly | $17.14 | $24.01 | $25.03 | $25.03 | $28.49 | $24.00 | 120 | 1.07 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $35,650 | $49,940 | $52,050 | $52,050 | $59,250 | $49,920 | ||||
| Sheboygan, WI | Hourly | $23.57 | $23.57 | $24.24 | $24.24 | $24.96 | $23.72 | 70 | 1.09 | 1.16 |
| Annual | $49,030 | $49,030 | $50,410 | $50,410 | $51,910 | $49,340 | ||||
| Omaha, NE-IA | Hourly | $19.55 | $20.98 | $23.95 | $24.60 | $29.83 | $23.18 | 1,920 | 3.86 | 4.12 |
| Annual | $40,660 | $43,640 | $49,810 | $51,180 | $62,050 | $48,210 | ||||
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | Hourly | $13.83 | $15.22 | $23.50 | $24.25 | $24.57 | $20.36 | 90 | 0.11 | 0.12 |
| Annual | $28,760 | $31,670 | $48,890 | $50,450 | $51,110 | $42,350 | ||||
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | Hourly | $16.56 | $19.69 | $23.50 | $27.18 | $28.03 | $22.99 | 230 | 0.15 | 0.16 |
| Annual | $34,440 | $40,950 | $48,880 | $56,540 | $58,310 | $47,820 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $16.88 | $17.43 | $17.57 | $18.33 | $22.10 | $18.52 | 4,340 | 0.69 | 0.74 |
| Annual | $35,120 | $36,250 | $36,540 | $38,120 | $45,960 | $38,530 | ||||
| Gainesville, GA | Hourly | $18.46 | $18.91 | $18.95 | $20.66 | $22.02 | $19.70 | 3,210 | 30.88 | 32.96 |
| Annual | $38,400 | $39,330 | $39,420 | $42,980 | $45,800 | $40,970 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $17.19 | $18.44 | $19.56 | $20.30 | $22.00 | $19.55 | 2,770 | 0.62 | 0.66 |
| Annual | $35,750 | $38,360 | $40,690 | $42,220 | $45,750 | $40,660 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $14.29 | $16.87 | $18.90 | $22.03 | $24.88 | $19.23 | 2,560 | 0.89 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $29,710 | $35,090 | $39,300 | $45,810 | $51,760 | $40,010 | ||||
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | Hourly | $17.96 | $18.08 | $18.26 | $18.59 | $18.66 | $18.31 | 2,500 | 9.09 | 9.70 |
| Annual | $37,360 | $37,600 | $37,980 | $38,660 | $38,820 | $38,090 | ||||
Top industries employing meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
Animal Slaughtering and Processing employ 72.2% of meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers nationally (105,200 jobs) at a median $39,240 a year ($18.86 an hour), followed by Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only) (13.8%) and Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (5.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing NAICS 311600 | 105,200 | 72.2% | $39,240 | $18.86 |
| Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only) NAICS 4450A1 | 20,130 | 13.8% | $35,900 | $17.26 |
| Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging NAICS 311700 | 8,050 | 5.5% | $36,840 | $17.71 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) NAICS 4240A1 | 6,330 | 4.3% | $39,520 | $19.00 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 5,050 | 3.5% | $35,390 | $17.01 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (145,700). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $29,730 for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers in May 2021 and $38,300 in May 2025, with employment of 132,100 and 145,700.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $29,730 | $14.29 | 132,100 |
| May 2022 | $35,070 | $16.86 | 133,460 |
| May 2023 | $36,300 | $17.45 | 138,300 |
| May 2024 | $37,700 | $18.13 | 141,090 |
| May 2025 | $38,300 | $18.41 | 145,700 |
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
50 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 | Colorado profile | $24.23 | $50,390 | $47,520 | $57,280 | 2,470 | 0.86 | 0.92 |
| 2 | Arizona profile | $23.34 | $48,550 | $36,510 | $48,550 | 620 | 0.19 | 0.20 |
| 3 | Kansas profile | $23.11 | $48,080 | $39,660 | $59,250 | 5,000 | 3.48 | 3.71 |
| 4 | Nebraska profile | $22.88 | $47,580 | $40,850 | $55,230 | 8,340 | 8.14 | 8.69 |
| 5 | New Hampshire profile | $22.72 | $47,260 | $37,330 | $55,060 | ** | ** | ** |
| 6 | North Dakota profile | $22.71 | $47,250 | $31,250 | $47,250 | 390 | 0.90 | 0.96 |
| 7 | Michigan profile | $21.36 | $44,430 | $37,940 | $46,630 | 920 | 0.21 | 0.22 |
| 8 | South Dakota profile | $21.29 | $44,290 | $35,730 | $48,150 | 2,080 | 4.56 | 4.86 |
| 9 | Utah profile | $21.23 | $44,150 | $37,320 | $46,020 | 1,080 | 0.62 | 0.67 |
| 10 | Minnesota profile | $20.87 | $43,400 | $36,080 | $46,770 | 3,790 | 1.28 | 1.37 |
| 11 | Wisconsin profile | $20.82 | $43,300 | $35,890 | $48,490 | 2,040 | 0.70 | 0.74 |
| 12 | Iowa profile | $20.76 | $43,190 | $39,170 | $46,220 | 3,970 | 2.54 | 2.72 |
| 13 | Washington profile | $20.68 | $43,010 | $36,600 | $52,470 | 3,630 | 1.02 | 1.09 |
| 14 | Indiana profile | $20.41 | $42,450 | $36,680 | $45,000 | 2,640 | 0.83 | 0.88 |
| 15 | Missouri profile | $20.14 | $41,890 | $34,930 | $47,850 | 2,880 | 0.98 | 1.05 |
| 16 | Illinois profile | $19.56 | $40,690 | $35,750 | $47,390 | 4,040 | 0.66 | 0.71 |
| 17 | Hawaii profile | $19.36 | $40,260 | $35,660 | $49,380 | 800 | 1.28 | 1.36 |
| 18 | Vermont profile | $19.29 | $40,110 | $29,140 | $55,580 | 40 | 0.12 | 0.13 |
| 19 | Georgia profile | $18.91 | $39,330 | $30,150 | $45,800 | 11,480 | 2.35 | 2.51 |
| 20 | Idaho profile | $18.84 | $39,200 | $31,200 | $44,530 | 280 | 0.32 | 0.34 |
| 21 | Maine profile | $18.83 | $39,170 | $32,590 | $58,930 | 660 | 1.03 | 1.10 |
| 22 | North Carolina profile | $18.83 | $39,170 | $29,710 | $41,640 | 9,750 | 1.97 | 2.11 |
| 23 | Kentucky profile | $18.82 | $39,150 | $36,860 | $45,590 | 1,450 | 0.73 | 0.78 |
| 24 | Arkansas profile | $18.26 | $37,980 | $33,470 | $44,540 | 9,030 | 6.93 | 7.39 |
| 25 | Nevada profile | $18.23 | $37,920 | $31,440 | $56,940 | 360 | 0.23 | 0.25 |
| 26 | Mississippi profile | $18.22 | $37,890 | $28,870 | $41,170 | 6,470 | 5.56 | 5.93 |
| 27 | Rhode Island profile | $18.15 | $37,740 | $33,280 | $50,300 | 320 | 0.64 | 0.68 |
| 28 | Tennessee profile | $18.07 | $37,590 | $28,090 | $44,220 | 2,970 | 0.91 | 0.97 |
| 29 | Montana profile | $18.00 | $37,440 | $34,950 | $47,580 | 60 | 0.12 | 0.13 |
| 30 | New York profile | $17.95 | $37,330 | $32,740 | $52,040 | 2,420 | 0.25 | 0.27 |
| 31 | Alaska profile | $17.88 | $37,180 | $35,640 | $38,840 | 970 | 2.97 | 3.17 |
| 32 | Wyoming profile | $17.81 | $37,040 | $30,030 | $45,790 | 70 | 0.26 | 0.28 |
| 33 | Ohio profile | $17.80 | $37,020 | $35,350 | $45,410 | 3,540 | 0.64 | 0.68 |
| 34 | West Virginia profile | $17.73 | $36,870 | $22,550 | $46,840 | 220 | 0.31 | 0.33 |
| 35 | California profile | $17.58 | $36,570 | $34,950 | $46,040 | 9,270 | 0.51 | 0.54 |
| 36 | Massachusetts profile | $17.58 | $36,570 | $33,330 | $46,400 | 2,350 | 0.65 | 0.69 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania profile | $17.54 | $36,480 | $31,800 | $43,550 | 1,600 | 0.26 | 0.28 |
| 38 | Oklahoma profile | $17.45 | $36,300 | $34,960 | $46,180 | 1,530 | 0.90 | 0.96 |
| 39 | Virginia profile | $17.39 | $36,170 | $29,470 | $43,240 | 2,740 | 0.67 | 0.71 |
| 40 | Oregon profile | $17.34 | $36,060 | $35,640 | $45,360 | 910 | 0.46 | 0.49 |
| 41 | Texas profile | $17.25 | $35,890 | $23,230 | $45,230 | 8,590 | 0.61 | 0.65 |
| 42 | Delaware profile | $17.07 | $35,500 | $34,320 | $38,070 | 5,430 | 11.20 | 11.96 |
| 43 | New Jersey profile | $16.79 | $34,930 | $32,220 | $51,110 | ** | ** | ** |
| 44 | South Carolina profile | $16.72 | $34,790 | $34,090 | $39,390 | 2,750 | 1.19 | 1.27 |
| 45 | Connecticut profile | $16.72 | $34,780 | $34,010 | $44,530 | ** | ** | ** |
| 46 | Maryland profile | $15.84 | $32,950 | $31,200 | $45,870 | 680 | 0.25 | 0.26 |
| 47 | New Mexico profile | $15.02 | $31,240 | $29,330 | $44,490 | 240 | 0.28 | 0.30 |
| 48 | Florida profile | $14.98 | $31,160 | $27,240 | $46,170 | 2,310 | 0.23 | 0.25 |
| 49 | Alabama profile | $14.94 | $31,080 | $22,130 | $39,330 | 9,140 | 4.32 | 4.61 |
| 50 | Louisiana profile | $13.39 | $27,850 | $21,570 | $38,120 | 1,690 | 0.87 | 0.93 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (51-3020), 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 51-3022 Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers.
**- 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 51-3022, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-3022.00, 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.