Butchers and Meat Cutters Salary
In Appleton, WI, butchers and meat cutters earn $47,040 at the median, or about $22.62 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $57K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.42), which stretches that salary to about $50,898 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,236/month, about 38.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $47K get you in Appleton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Appleton’s Regional Price Parity (92.42). 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 Appleton
Appleton sits well above the national pay line for butchers and meat cutters, local pay runs about 17% 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 $1,236/month, which is 38.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.42 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for butchers and meat cutters in metros near Appleton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $48K | $49K |
| Green Bay | $37K | $40K |
| Madison | $48K | $49K |
| Sheboygan | $47K | $50K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Appleton, WI
Entry-level butchers and meat cutters (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $57K or more, a $24K 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 Appleton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 38.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,236/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Appleton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new butchers and meat cutters typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,015/month. At HUD’s $1,236/month FMR, rent would take 61% 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 Appleton?
Local pay is 17% above the national median — $47K here vs. $40K nationally.
How does Appleton compare to the national average for butchers and meat cutters?
Appleton pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $40K — that’s +17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do butchers and meat cutters make in Appleton, WI?
The median is $47,040 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,580, and experienced butchers and meat cutters can clear $57,320. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Appleton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,199/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,236/month, which eats 38.6% 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 Appleton?
Appleton has a Regional Price Parity of 92.42 (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 $50,898 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.