Butchers and Meat Cutters Salary
In Maine, butchers and meat cutters earn $38,250 at the median, or about $18.39 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $58K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.7), that's roughly $39,150 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,281/month, about 48.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Maine. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $38K get you in Maine?
About butchers and meat cutters
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What this looks like in Maine
Butchers and meat cutters pay in Maine tracks closely to the national median, $38K locally vs. $40K nationwide, a 5% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,281/month, which is 48.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.7) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Maine
Entry-level butchers and meat cutters (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $58K or more, a $23K spread from bottom to top.
Butchers and Meat Cutters salary by metro in Maine
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-South Portland | $44K | +16% | 300 |
| Lewiston-Auburn | $39K | +1% | 60 |
| Bangor | $37K | -3% | 110 |
Compare to other states
Track butchers and meat cutters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Maine numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a butchers and meat cutter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Maine?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 48.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,281/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 Maine?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new butchers and meat cutters typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,087/month. At HUD’s $1,281/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 Maine?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $38K locally vs. $40K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Maine compare to the national average for butchers and meat cutters?
Maine pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $40K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — below the national median.
How much do butchers and meat cutters make in Maine?
The median is $38,250 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,780, and experienced butchers and meat cutters can clear $57,670. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Maine?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,617/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,281/month, which eats 48.9% 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 Maine?
Maine has a Regional Price Parity of 97.7 (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 $39,150 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.