Butchers and Meat Cutters Salary
In Washington, butchers and meat cutters earn $51,670 at the median, or about $24.84 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.01), that's roughly $50,652 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,830/month, about 51% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Washington. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $52K get you in Washington?
About butchers and meat cutters
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What this looks like in Washington
Washington sits well above the national pay line for butchers and meat cutters, local pay runs about 29% 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 $1,830/month, which is 50.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.01) 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, Washington
Entry-level butchers and meat cutters (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.
Butchers and Meat Cutters salary by metro in Washington
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $61K | +17% | 1,300 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard | $58K | +12% | 100 |
| Longview-Kelso | $54K | +4% | 40 |
| Bellingham | $51K | -1% | 90 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes | $51K | -2% | 60 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | $50K | -4% | 110 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $49K | -5% | 220 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee | $49K | -6% | 40 |
| Yakima | $48K | -8% | 100 |
| Kennewick-Richland | $44K | -14% | 110 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Washington numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a butchers and meat cutter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 50.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,830/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Washington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new butchers and meat cutters typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,254/month. At HUD’s $1,830/month FMR, rent would take 81% 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 Washington?
Local pay is 29% above the national median — $52K here vs. $40K nationally.
How does Washington compare to the national average for butchers and meat cutters?
Washington pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $40K — that’s +29%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.01), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do butchers and meat cutters make in Washington?
The median is $51,670 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,560, and experienced butchers and meat cutters can clear $63,440. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Washington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,630/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,830/month, which eats 50.4% 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 Washington?
Washington has a Regional Price Parity of 102.01 (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 $50,652 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.