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Salary comparison

Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers vs. Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators: Who Earns More?

Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators out-earn Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers by $6K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers land at $38,300 and Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators at $44,650. The education gap is real: meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmer programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while miscellaneous assemblers and fabricator programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers is Colorado ($50,390); for Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators it's District of Columbia ($50,330).

Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators
Median salary
$38,300
$44,650
Hourly rate
$18.41/hr
$21.47/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$29,980
$33,280
Senior level (90th %)
$48,150
$64,880
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
145,700
1,405,030
Job growth (10-year)
5.5%
-0.1%
Category
Production & Manufacturing
Production & Manufacturing
Top-paying state
Colorado
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers median pay.

State
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators
Colorado
$50,390
$46,150
New Hampshire
$47,260
$46,940
North Dakota
$47,250
$47,250
Minnesota
$43,400
$46,920
Iowa
$43,190
$48,920
Washington
$43,010
$48,260
Missouri
$41,890
$46,480
Hawaii
$40,260
$49,630
Maine
$39,170
$45,970
Kentucky
$39,150
$47,950
Nevada
$37,920
$49,050
Alaska
$37,180
$49,390
California
$36,570
$47,720
Massachusetts
$36,570
$46,720
Oregon
$36,060
$46,910

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers or Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators?

Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators earn more nationally. The median is $38,300 for Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers versus $44,650 for Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators, a difference of $6K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers or Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators?

Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers has the better 10-year outlook at 5.5% projected growth, compared to -0.1% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers or Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators?

Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers get paid the most?

Colorado is the top-paying state for Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers at $50,390/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers vs. Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Colorado, Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers earn $50,390 vs. $46,150 for Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers salary breakdownView →Full Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators salary breakdownView →Best cities for Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators by take-home payExplore →How to become a meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmersGuide →How to become a miscellaneous assemblers and fabricatorsGuide →