Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers Salary
The median pay for a meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers in Rocky Mount, NC is $21,470/year ($10.32/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $21K at the entry level to $37K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.01), which stretches that salary to about $24,395 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,143/month, about 74% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $21K get you in Rocky Mount?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Rocky Mount’s Regional Price Parity (88.01). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Rocky Mount
Pay for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers in Rocky Mount runs about 44% below the U.S. median of $38K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,143/month, which is 75.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.01 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers in metros near Rocky Mount, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary | $36K | $37K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $41K | $42K |
| Winston-Salem | $44K | $48K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $37K | $39K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rocky Mount, NC
Entry-level meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers (10th percentile) start around $21K. Mid-career wages sit at $21K. Top earners bring in $37K or more, a $16K 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 quarterly. We'll email you when Rocky Mount numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Rocky Mount?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $21K, rent takes 75.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,143/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $500/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 Rocky Mount?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers typically earn — is $21K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,288/month. At HUD’s $1,143/month FMR, rent would take 89% 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 Rocky Mount?
Local pay runs 44% below the national median — $21K here vs. $38K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Rocky Mount compare to the national average for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers?
Rocky Mount pays $21K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s -44%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.01), the purchasing-power equivalent is $24K — below the national median.
How much do meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers make in Rocky Mount, NC?
The median is $21,470 a year, that works out to about $10 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $21,470, and experienced meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers can clear $37,110. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $21K enough to live in Rocky Mount?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,518/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,143/month, which eats 75.3% 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 Rocky Mount?
Rocky Mount has a Regional Price Parity of 88.01 (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 $24,395 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.