Butcher and Meat Cutter salary
Updated Updated for 2026 tax law
A butcher and meat cutter earns a median of $40,140 a year ($19.30 an hour) in the US, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The average is $42,380. About 136,430 people work in this job.
Take-home pay on $40,140
- Gross pay
- $1,543.85
- Federal income tax
- −$101.42
- Social Security (6.2%)
- −$95.72
- Medicare (1.45%)
- −$22.39
- Texas income tax
- $0.00No state income tax on wages
- Take-home pay
- $1,324.33
Annual breakdown
- Gross
- $40,140
- Federal
- $2,637
- FICA
- $3,071
- State + local
- $0
- Net
- $34,432
- Marginal federal rate
- 12.0%
- Marginal state rate
- 0.0%
2026 federal brackets (Rev. Proc. 2025-32) and 2026 state rules. Estimates assume wages are your only income and use annual liability, so your actual withholding can differ slightly.
Butcher and Meat Cutter salary by state
| State | Median salary | Average | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $51,670 | $52,570 | 2,660 |
| Alaska | $50,450 | $51,900 | 230 |
| Hawaii | $50,080 | $50,960 | 500 |
| Oregon | $49,360 | $49,610 | 1,540 |
| District of Columbia | $48,760 | $49,360 | 150 |
| Massachusetts | $48,430 | $49,210 | 1,480 |
| New Hampshire | $47,740 | $48,100 | 530 |
| Colorado | $47,490 | $47,050 | 2,200 |
| New York | $47,080 | $49,210 | 4,540 |
| Delaware | $47,040 | $47,830 | 250 |
| Wisconsin | $45,980 | $44,210 | 3,510 |
| Arizona | $45,780 | $45,420 | 2,130 |
| Vermont | $45,580 | $45,140 | 370 |
| Rhode Island | $45,210 | $46,380 | 260 |
| Wyoming | $44,820 | $45,150 | 210 |
| Connecticut | $44,570 | $45,920 | 1,210 |
| California | $44,290 | $46,820 | 18,700 |
| Maryland | $44,130 | $44,150 | 1,500 |
| Minnesota | $43,930 | $44,890 | 1,590 |
| Utah | $43,440 | $42,480 | 1,500 |
| Florida | $42,790 | $41,720 | 10,590 |
| Indiana | $42,440 | $43,050 | 1,850 |
| Montana | $41,600 | $42,690 | 740 |
| Nevada | $40,290 | $42,670 | 1,560 |
| North Dakota | $40,080 | $40,850 | 470 |
| Tennessee | $39,960 | $39,550 | 2,650 |
| South Carolina | $39,790 | $40,620 | 2,380 |
| Virginia | $39,770 | $41,650 | 2,630 |
| Michigan | $39,350 | $41,010 | 4,230 |
| Illinois | $39,240 | $41,980 | 7,710 |
| Georgia | $38,540 | $39,320 | 4,420 |
| New Jersey | $38,540 | $45,610 | 4,610 |
| Pennsylvania | $38,340 | $41,780 | 3,540 |
| Maine | $38,250 | $42,380 | 830 |
| North Carolina | $38,240 | $39,570 | 3,120 |
| Idaho | $38,030 | $40,610 | 1,480 |
| Missouri | $37,860 | $40,810 | 2,160 |
| Iowa | $37,750 | $38,450 | 4,480 |
| Nebraska | $37,630 | $39,880 | 1,380 |
| Ohio | $37,630 | $38,880 | 5,640 |
| Texas | $37,400 | $38,360 | 11,260 |
| Kansas | $37,320 | $39,320 | 1,200 |
| South Dakota | $37,310 | $41,060 | 520 |
| Louisiana | $36,790 | $36,940 | 2,240 |
| New Mexico | $36,640 | $40,260 | 810 |
| Alabama | $36,500 | $37,130 | 2,350 |
| Kentucky | $35,430 | $35,390 | 1,670 |
| Oklahoma | $35,070 | $35,070 | 1,810 |
| Arkansas | $34,380 | $34,860 | 1,290 |
| West Virginia | $33,570 | $33,250 | 600 |
| Mississippi | $29,700 | $32,860 | 1,160 |
Similar jobs
- Slaughterer and Meat Packer: $40,130
- Production Worker: $40,110
- Food Processing Worker: $39,680
- Photographic Process Worker and Processing Machine Operator: $40,610
- Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setter: $39,530
- Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician: $39,460
- Helpers--Production Worker: $39,070
- Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operator and Tender: $41,330
BLS occupation: Butchers and Meat Cutters. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (SOC 51-3021). Excludes the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a butcher and meat cutter make an hour?
The median hourly wage is $19.30; the average is $20.37.
Which state pays butchers and meat cutters the most?
Washington ($51,670 median), followed by Alaska and Hawaii.
What is the salary range for a butcher and meat cutter?
The bottom 10% earn under $29,460 and the top 10% earn over $58,110 a year.
How much is $40,140 after taxes?
About $34,432 a year in Texas (no state income tax) or $33,322 in California for a single filer in 2026.
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Estimates for information only — not tax, legal or financial advice.