Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers Salary
The median pay for a meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers in Montana is $37,440/year ($18/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $48K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97), that's roughly $38,598 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,129/month, about 44.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Montana. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $37K get you in Montana?
About meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
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What this looks like in Montana
Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers pay in Montana tracks closely to the national median, $37K locally vs. $38K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,129/month, which is 43.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Montana
Entry-level meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $48K or more, a $13K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Montana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Montana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 43.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,129/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 meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers in Montana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,097/month. At HUD’s $1,129/month FMR, rent would take 54% 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 Montana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $37K locally vs. $38K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Montana compare to the national average for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers?
Montana pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers make in Montana?
The median is $37,440 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,950, and experienced meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers can clear $47,580. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in Montana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,585/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,129/month, which eats 43.7% 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 Montana?
Montana has a Regional Price Parity of 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 meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers salary is worth about $38,598 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.