Butchers and Meat Cutters Salary
In Ames, IA, butchers and meat cutters earn $36,110 at the median, or about $17.36 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $43K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.83), which stretches that salary to about $40,651 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,153/month, about 46.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $36K get you in Ames?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Ames’s Regional Price Parity (88.83). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About butchers and meat cutters
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What this looks like in Ames
Butchers and meat cutters pay in Ames tracks closely to the national median, $36K locally vs. $40K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,153/month, which is 47% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.83 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for butchers and meat cutters in metros near Ames, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $37K | $40K |
| Sioux City | $43K | $49K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $37K | $41K |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $37K | $43K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Ames, IA
Entry-level butchers and meat cutters (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $43K or more, a $12K spread from bottom to top.
Butchers and Meat Cutters pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Butchers and Meat Cutters salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $52K | +29% | 2,660 |
| Alaska | $50K | +26% | 230 |
| Hawaii | $50K | +25% | 500 |
| Oregon | $49K | +23% | 1,540 |
| District of Columbia | $49K | +21% | 150 |
| Massachusetts | $48K | +21% | 1,480 |
| New Hampshire | $48K | +19% | 530 |
| Colorado | $47K | +18% | 2,200 |
| New York | $47K | +17% | 4,540 |
| Delaware | $47K | +17% | 250 |
| Wisconsin | $46K | +15% | 3,510 |
| Arizona | $46K | +14% | 2,130 |
| Vermont | $46K | +14% | 370 |
| Rhode Island | $45K | +13% | 260 |
| Wyoming | $45K | +12% | 210 |
| Connecticut | $45K | +11% | 1,210 |
| California | $44K | +10% | 18,700 |
| Maryland | $44K | +10% | 1,500 |
| Minnesota | $44K | +9% | 1,590 |
| Utah | $43K | +8% | 1,500 |
| Florida | $43K | +7% | 10,590 |
| Indiana | $42K | +6% | 1,850 |
| Montana | $42K | +4% | 740 |
| Nevada | $40K | +0% | 1,560 |
| North Dakota | $40K | -0% | 470 |
| Tennessee | $40K | -0% | 2,650 |
| South Carolina | $40K | -1% | 2,380 |
| Virginia | $40K | -1% | 2,630 |
| Michigan | $39K | -2% | 4,230 |
| Illinois | $39K | -2% | 7,710 |
| Georgia | $39K | -4% | 4,420 |
| New Jersey | $39K | -4% | 4,610 |
| Pennsylvania | $38K | -4% | 3,540 |
| Maine | $38K | -5% | 830 |
| North Carolina | $38K | -5% | 3,120 |
| Idaho | $38K | -5% | 1,480 |
| Missouri | $38K | -6% | 2,160 |
| Iowa | $38K | -6% | 4,480 |
| Nebraska | $38K | -6% | 1,380 |
| Ohio | $38K | -6% | 5,640 |
| Texas | $37K | -7% | 11,260 |
| Kansas | $37K | -7% | 1,200 |
| South Dakota | $37K | -7% | 520 |
| Louisiana | $37K | -8% | 2,240 |
| New Mexico | $37K | -9% | 810 |
| Alabama | $37K | -9% | 2,350 |
| Kentucky | $35K | -12% | 1,670 |
| Oklahoma | $35K | -13% | 1,810 |
| Arkansas | $34K | -14% | 1,290 |
| West Virginia | $34K | -16% | 600 |
| Mississippi | $30K | -26% | 1,160 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
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Frequently asked questions
Can a butchers and meat cutter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ames?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $36K, rent takes 47% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,153/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for butchers and meat cutters in Ames?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new butchers and meat cutters typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,865/month. At HUD’s $1,153/month FMR, rent would take 62% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is butchers and meat cutter a high-paying job in Ames?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $36K locally vs. $40K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Ames compare to the national average for butchers and meat cutters?
Ames pays $36K median vs. the U.S. average of $40K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.83), the purchasing-power equivalent is $41K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do butchers and meat cutters make in Ames, IA?
The median is $36,110 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,080, and experienced butchers and meat cutters can clear $42,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in Ames?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,452/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,153/month, which eats 47% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a butchers and meat cutters salary go in Ames?
Ames has a Regional Price Parity of 88.83 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median butchers and meat cutters salary is worth about $40,651 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do butchers and meat cutters get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.