Butchers and Meat Cutters Salary
In Rhode Island, butchers and meat cutters earn $45,210 at the median, or about $21.73 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.77), that's roughly $44,424 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,544/month, about 49.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Rhode Island. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $45K get you in Rhode Island?
About butchers and meat cutters
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What this looks like in Rhode Island
Rhode Island sits well above the national pay line for butchers and meat cutters, local pay runs about 13% 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 $1,544/month, which is 50% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 101.77) 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, Rhode Island
Entry-level butchers and meat cutters (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $25K spread from bottom to top.
Butchers and Meat Cutters salary by metro in Rhode Island
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence-Warwick | $45K | +0% | 380 |
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Frequently asked questions
Can a butchers and meat cutter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Rhode Island?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 50% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,544/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 Rhode Island?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new butchers and meat cutters typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,081/month. At HUD’s $1,544/month FMR, rent would take 74% 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 Rhode Island?
Local pay is 13% above the national median — $45K here vs. $40K nationally.
How does Rhode Island compare to the national average for butchers and meat cutters?
Rhode Island pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $40K — that’s +13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.77), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do butchers and meat cutters make in Rhode Island?
The median is $45,210 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,690, and experienced butchers and meat cutters can clear $59,900. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Rhode Island?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,087/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,544/month, which eats 50% 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 Rhode Island?
Rhode Island has a Regional Price Parity of 101.77 (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 $44,424 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.