Butchers and Meat Cutters Salary
In Iowa, butchers and meat cutters earn $37,750 at the median, or about $18.15 an hour. The range runs from $30K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $42,483 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 41.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Iowa. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $38K get you in Iowa?
About butchers and meat cutters
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What this looks like in Iowa
Butchers and meat cutters pay in Iowa tracks closely to the national median, $38K locally vs. $40K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,064/month, which is 41.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.86 (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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level butchers and meat cutters (10th percentile) start around $30K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $16K spread from bottom to top.
Butchers and Meat Cutters salary by metro in Iowa
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux City | $43K | +13% | 270 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $37K | -2% | 210 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $37K | -3% | 770 |
| Dubuque | $37K | -3% | 110 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $37K | -3% | 230 |
| Ames | $36K | -4% | 160 |
| Iowa City | $36K | -5% | 170 |
| Cedar Rapids | $35K | -7% | 200 |
Compare to other states
Track butchers and meat cutters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a butchers and meat cutter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 41.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,064/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new butchers and meat cutters typically earn — is $30K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,812/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 59% 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 Iowa?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $38K locally vs. $40K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for butchers and meat cutters?
Iowa pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $40K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $42K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do butchers and meat cutters make in Iowa?
The median is $37,750 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,200, and experienced butchers and meat cutters can clear $46,510. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,554/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 41.7% 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 Iowa?
Iowa has a Regional Price Parity of 88.86 (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 $42,483 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.