Butchers and Meat Cutters Salary
In Arkansas, butchers and meat cutters earn $34,380 at the median, or about $16.53 an hour. The range runs from $25K at the entry level to $45K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.64), which stretches that salary to about $39,229 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,021/month, about 43.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Arkansas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $34K get you in Arkansas?
About butchers and meat cutters
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What this looks like in Arkansas
Pay for butchers and meat cutters in Arkansas runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $40K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,021/month, which is 43% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.64 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for butchers and meat cutterss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arkansas
Entry-level butchers and meat cutters (10th percentile) start around $25K. Mid-career wages sit at $34K. Top earners bring in $45K or more, a $20K spread from bottom to top.
Butchers and Meat Cutters salary by metro in Arkansas
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers | $37K | +9% | 260 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $35K | +3% | 260 |
| Hot Springs | $35K | +1% | 40 |
| Fort Smith | $34K | -0% | 100 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Arkansas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a butchers and meat cutter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arkansas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $34K, rent takes 43% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,021/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 Arkansas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new butchers and meat cutters typically earn — is $25K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,495/month. At HUD’s $1,021/month FMR, rent would take 68% 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 Arkansas?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $34K here vs. $40K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Arkansas compare to the national average for butchers and meat cutters?
Arkansas pays $34K median vs. the U.S. average of $40K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.64), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — below the national median.
How much do butchers and meat cutters make in Arkansas?
The median is $34,380 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $24,920, and experienced butchers and meat cutters can clear $45,100. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $34K enough to live in Arkansas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,374/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,021/month, which eats 43% 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 Arkansas?
Arkansas has a Regional Price Parity of 87.64 (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 $39,229 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.