Butchers and Meat Cutters Salary
In Pennsylvania, butchers and meat cutters earn $38,340 at the median, or about $18.43 an hour. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $58K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $40,371 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,351/month, about 50.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $38K get you in Pennsylvania?
About butchers and meat cutters
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Butchers and meat cutters pay in Pennsylvania tracks closely to the national median, $38K locally vs. $40K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,351/month, which is 51.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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, Pennsylvania
Entry-level butchers and meat cutters (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $58K or more, a $29K spread from bottom to top.
Butchers and Meat Cutters salary by metro in Pennsylvania
13 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $45K | +17% | 210 |
| Pittsburgh | $42K | +9% | 740 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $41K | +6% | 1,980 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $40K | +4% | 140 |
| Erie | $40K | +4% | 70 |
| State College | $39K | +2% | 30 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $38K | +0% | 150 |
| York-Hanover | $38K | +0% | 90 |
| Reading | $37K | -4% | 120 |
| Lancaster | $37K | -4% | 190 |
| Altoona | $37K | -5% | 30 |
| Lebanon | $36K | -5% | 70 |
| Johnstown | $36K | -7% | 30 |
Showing 1–10 of 13 metros
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a butchers and meat cutter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 51.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/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 Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new butchers and meat cutters typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,740/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 78% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $38K locally vs. $40K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for butchers and meat cutters?
Pennsylvania pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $40K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $40K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do butchers and meat cutters make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $38,340 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,000, and experienced butchers and meat cutters can clear $58,130. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,639/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 51.2% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $40,371 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.