Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers Salary
The median pay for a meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO is $48,880/year ($23.5/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $58K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.78), so that salary is closer to $46,209 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,169/month, about 63.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $49K actually covers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Denver-Aurora-Centennial’s Regional Price Parity (105.78). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
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What this looks like in Denver-Aurora-Centennial
Denver-Aurora-Centennial sits well above the national pay line for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers, local pay runs about 28% higher than the U.S. median of $38K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,169/month, which is 66.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.78), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers in metros near Denver-Aurora-Centennial, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Omaha | $50K | $54K |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $49K | $47K |
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $37K | $37K |
| Topeka | $52K | $59K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
Entry-level meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $58K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $50K | +32% | 2,470 |
| Arizona | $49K | +27% | 620 |
| Kansas | $48K | +26% | 5,000 |
| Nebraska | $48K | +24% | 8,340 |
| New Hampshire | $47K | +23% | N/A |
| North Dakota | $47K | +23% | 390 |
| Michigan | $44K | +16% | 920 |
| South Dakota | $44K | +16% | 2,080 |
| Utah | $44K | +15% | 1,080 |
| Minnesota | $43K | +13% | 3,790 |
| Wisconsin | $43K | +13% | 2,040 |
| Iowa | $43K | +13% | 3,970 |
| Washington | $43K | +12% | 3,630 |
| Indiana | $42K | +11% | 2,640 |
| Missouri | $42K | +9% | 2,880 |
| Illinois | $41K | +6% | 4,040 |
| Hawaii | $40K | +5% | 800 |
| Vermont | $40K | +5% | 40 |
| Georgia | $39K | +3% | 11,480 |
| Idaho | $39K | +2% | 280 |
| Maine | $39K | +2% | 660 |
| North Carolina | $39K | +2% | 9,750 |
| Kentucky | $39K | +2% | 1,450 |
| Arkansas | $38K | -1% | 9,030 |
| Nevada | $38K | -1% | 360 |
| Mississippi | $38K | -1% | 6,470 |
| Rhode Island | $38K | -1% | 320 |
| Tennessee | $38K | -2% | 2,970 |
| Montana | $37K | -2% | 60 |
| New York | $37K | -3% | 2,420 |
| Alaska | $37K | -3% | 970 |
| Wyoming | $37K | -3% | 70 |
| Ohio | $37K | -3% | 3,540 |
| West Virginia | $37K | -4% | 220 |
| Massachusetts | $37K | -5% | 2,350 |
| California | $37K | -5% | 9,270 |
| Pennsylvania | $36K | -5% | 1,600 |
| Oklahoma | $36K | -5% | 1,530 |
| Virginia | $36K | -6% | 2,740 |
| Oregon | $36K | -6% | 910 |
| Texas | $36K | -6% | 8,590 |
| Delaware | $36K | -7% | 5,430 |
| New Jersey | $35K | -9% | N/A |
| South Carolina | $35K | -9% | 2,750 |
| Connecticut | $35K | -9% | N/A |
| Maryland | $33K | -14% | 680 |
| New Mexico | $31K | -18% | 240 |
| Florida | $31K | -19% | 2,310 |
| Alabama | $31K | -19% | 9,140 |
| Louisiana | $28K | -27% | 1,690 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Denver-Aurora-Centennial numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 66.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,169/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 meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,350/month. At HUD’s $2,169/month FMR, rent would take 92% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmer a high-paying job in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Local pay is 28% above the national median — $49K here vs. $38K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 6% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Denver-Aurora-Centennial compare to the national average for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s +28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $46K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers make in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?
The median is $48,880 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,440, and experienced meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers can clear $58,310. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,264/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,169/month, which eats 66.5% 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 meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers salary go in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial has a Regional Price Parity of 105.78 (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 meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers salary is worth about $46,209 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers 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.