Butchers and Meat Cutters Salary
In Anchorage, AK, butchers and meat cutters earn $52,130 at the median, or about $25.06 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.42), so that salary is closer to $49,450 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,376/month, about 38% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $52K get you in Anchorage?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Anchorage’s Regional Price Parity (105.42). 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 Anchorage
Anchorage sits well above the national pay line for butchers and meat cutters, local pay runs about 30% higher than the U.S. median of $40K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,376/month, which is 37.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.42), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for butchers and meat cutters in metros near Anchorage, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks-College | $58K | $56K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Anchorage, AK
Entry-level butchers and meat cutters (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $74K or more, a $38K 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)
Track butchers and meat cutters salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a butchers and meat cutter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Anchorage?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 37.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,376/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Anchorage?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new butchers and meat cutters typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,154/month. At HUD’s $1,376/month FMR, rent would take 64% 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 Anchorage?
Local pay is 30% above the national median — $52K here vs. $40K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 5% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Anchorage compare to the national average for butchers and meat cutters?
Anchorage pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $40K — that’s +30%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do butchers and meat cutters make in Anchorage, AK?
The median is $52,130 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,900, and experienced butchers and meat cutters can clear $73,630. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Anchorage?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,660/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,376/month, which eats 37.6% 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 Anchorage?
Anchorage has a Regional Price Parity of 105.42 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median butchers and meat cutters salary is worth about $49,450 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.