Slaughterers and Meat Packers Salary
The median pay for a slaughterers and meat packers in Montana is $46,700/year ($22.45/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $54K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97), that's roughly $48,144 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,129/month, about 35.4% 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 $47K get you in Montana?
About slaughterers and meat packers
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What this looks like in Montana
Montana sits well above the national pay line for slaughterers and meat packers, local pay runs about 16% 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 $1,129/month, which is 35.7% 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. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Montana
Entry-level slaughterers and meat packers (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $54K or more, a $16K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track slaughterers and meat packers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Montana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a slaughterers and meat packer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Montana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 35.7% 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 $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for slaughterers and meat packers in Montana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new slaughterers and meat packers typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,247/month. At HUD’s $1,129/month FMR, rent would take 50% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is slaughterers and meat packer a high-paying job in Montana?
Local pay is 16% above the national median — $47K here vs. $40K nationally.
How does Montana compare to the national average for slaughterers and meat packers?
Montana pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $40K — that’s +16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do slaughterers and meat packers make in Montana?
The median is $46,700 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,450, and experienced slaughterers and meat packers can clear $53,680. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Montana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,160/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,129/month, which eats 35.7% 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 slaughterers and meat packers 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 slaughterers and meat packers salary is worth about $48,144 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do slaughterers and meat packers 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.