Butchers and Meat Cutters Salary
In Massachusetts, butchers and meat cutters earn $48,430 at the median, or about $23.29 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $62K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.09), that's roughly $48,386 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,347/month, about 71% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Massachusetts. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $48K get you in Massachusetts?
About butchers and meat cutters
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What this looks like in Massachusetts
Massachusetts sits well above the national pay line for butchers and meat cutters, local pay runs about 21% 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 $2,347/month, which is 73.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.09) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Massachusetts
Entry-level butchers and meat cutters (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $62K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.
Butchers and Meat Cutters salary by metro in Massachusetts
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable Town | $50K | +4% | 50 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $49K | +1% | 1,150 |
| Worcester | $47K | -4% | 130 |
| Amherst Town-Northampton | $47K | -4% | 40 |
| Springfield | $46K | -5% | 100 |
Compare to other states
Track butchers and meat cutters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Massachusetts numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a butchers and meat cutter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Massachusetts?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 73.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,347/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 Massachusetts?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new butchers and meat cutters typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,302/month. At HUD’s $2,347/month FMR, rent would take 102% 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 Massachusetts?
Local pay is 21% above the national median — $48K here vs. $40K nationally.
How does Massachusetts compare to the national average for butchers and meat cutters?
Massachusetts pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $40K — that’s +21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.09), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do butchers and meat cutters make in Massachusetts?
The median is $48,430 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,370, and experienced butchers and meat cutters can clear $62,120. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Massachusetts?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,211/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,347/month, which eats 73.1% 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 Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has a Regional Price Parity of 100.09 (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 $48,386 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.