Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers Salary in South Carolina: $37,000 Average

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Data current as of August 2026 · sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET

Average base salary, South Carolina

$37,000 / year

≈ $3,100 per month · $17.79 per hour

LocationOr metro areaOr industry (Grahall)Or city (Grahall)

BLS May 2025 state data for South Carolina · median $36,000

25th percentile
$36,000Average
$37,00075th percentile
$37,000

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.

Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers salary by state

Alabama$33,000

Alaska$39,500

Arizona$48,000

Arkansas$39,500

California$40,500

Colorado$53,000

Connecticut$38,500

Delaware$37,000

Florida$36,000

Georgia$40,000

Hawaii$43,500

Idaho$40,000

Illinois$43,000

Indiana$43,000

Iowa$44,000

Kansas$48,500

Kentucky$41,500

Louisiana$30,500

Maine$44,000

Maryland$37,000

Massachusetts$40,000

Michigan$44,000

Minnesota$43,500

Mississippi$37,500

Missouri$43,000

Montana$40,000

Nebraska$50,500

Nevada$42,000

New Hampshire$46,500

New Jersey$39,000

New Mexico$35,000

New York$42,000

North Carolina$39,000

North Dakota$44,500

Ohio$39,500

Oklahoma$41,000

Oregon$39,000

Pennsylvania$38,500

Rhode Island$41,000

South Carolina$37,000

South Dakota$45,500

Tennessee$38,000

Texas$37,000

Utah$45,000

Vermont$45,000

Virginia$36,500

Washington$45,000

West Virginia$42,000

Wisconsin$43,500

Wyoming$39,000

About this role

Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers is a professional role within the function in the Production job family.

Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.

What Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmerss do

Typical education: Less than a High School Diploma

Use knives, cleavers, meat saws, bandsaws, or other equipment to perform meat cutting and trimming.
Weigh meats and tag containers for weight and contents.
Inspect meat products for defects, bruises or blemishes and remove them along with any excess fat.
Cut and trim meat to prepare for packing.
Separate meats and byproducts into specified containers and seal containers.

Top skills: Active Listening Speaking Monitoring Judgment and Decision Making Critical Thinking Time Management

Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).

Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers pay by experience level

Entry level$31,000

Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)

Early career$36,500

A few years in (about the 25th percentile)

Experienced$39,500

Mid-career median pay

Senior$45,500

Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)

Top earners$50,000

Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)

Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.

Job outlook

+5.5%

projected change in jobs, 2024–2034

18,400

projected openings per year

Growing about as fast as average

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.

Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers salary by industry

Food Manufacturing

113,620 workers

$41,000

Animal Slaughtering and Processing

105,200 workers

$41,500

Food and Beverage Retailers

20,130 workers

$37,500

Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only)

20,130 workers

$37,500

Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging

8,050 workers

$37,500

Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods

6,330 workers

$42,500

Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only)

6,330 workers

$42,500

Administrative and Support Services

5,050 workers

$37,000

Employment Services

5,050 workers

$37,000

Other Food Manufacturing

290 workers

$38,500

National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.

How this role compares

Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers pays 28% below the average across 112 roles in the Production job family (family average $56,000).

Similar-paying roles in Production

Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers$40,500

Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$41,000

Baker$40,000

Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$41,500

Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders$42,000

Sewing Machine Operator$39,000

Cutters and Trimmers, Hand$42,500

Sewers, Hand$38,500

Slaughterers and Meat Packers$43,500

Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders$37,500

Careers related to Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers

Slaughterers and Meat Packers$43,500

Butchers and Meat Cutters$44,000

Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products$37,500

Packers and Packagers, Hand$39,000

Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals$40,500

Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders$47,500

Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers make?

The average base salary for a Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers in the United States is $40,500 per year, or about $19.47 per hour.

What is the typical salary range?

Pay typically falls between $36,500 and $45,500 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

How does this compare with other Production roles?

The Production job family averages $56,000 across 112 roles tracked by WePayFairly.

Need a defensible market price for this role?
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