Butchers and meat cutters
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Butchers and meat cutters in the United States earn a median salary of $40,140 per year — about $19 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 143K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +1%.
AI & Automation Risk
The core of this occupation involves manual dexterity, physical strength, and real-time interaction with physical products in a cold, unpredictable environment. While AI can assist with peripheral tasks like inventory tracking and sales forecasting, the primary duties of cutting, deboning, and handling meat are resistant to digital automation and require specialized robotics rather than AI software.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks-College, AKBEST VALUE | $57,920 | Above avg (103.2) | $56,120 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $53,550 | Average (97.5) | $54,898 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $57,930 | Above avg (105.6) | $54,854 |
| El Centro, CA | $51,960 | Below avg (95.2) | $54,595 |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | $47,850 | Below avg (87.7) | $54,567 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $60,600 | Above avg (111.1) | $54,529 |
| Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | $46,050 | Below avg (89.2) | $51,601 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $49,070 | Below avg (95.8) | $51,198 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $50,290 | Average (98.4) | $51,133 |
| Fond du Lac, WI | $46,730 | Below avg (91.6) | $50,991 |
| Grants Pass, OR | $49,800 | Average (97.8) | $50,941 |
| Appleton, WI | $47,040 | Below avg (92.4) | $50,899 |
| Sheboygan, WI | $47,450 | Below avg (94.0) | $50,471 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $44,720 | Below avg (88.8) | $50,379 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $54,980 | Above avg (109.4) | $50,259 |