Slaughterers and Meat Packers Salary
The median pay for a slaughterers and meat packers in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD is $49,600/year ($23.84/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $50K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.45), which stretches that salary to about $57,374 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,154/month, about 34.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $50K get you in Sioux City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Sioux City’s Regional Price Parity (86.45). 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 slaughterers and meat packers
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What this looks like in Sioux City
Sioux City sits well above the national pay line for slaughterers and meat packers, local pay runs about 24% 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 $1,154/month, which is 35.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 86.45 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for slaughterers and meat packers in metros near Sioux City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $48K | $54K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $39K | $38K |
| Omaha | $46K | $50K |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $43K | $44K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Sioux City, IA-NE-SD
Entry-level slaughterers and meat packers (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $50K or more, a $5K spread from bottom to top.
Slaughterers and Meat Packers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Slaughterers and Meat Packers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $50K | +26% | 1,590 |
| Arizona | $49K | +22% | 440 |
| Nebraska | $49K | +22% | 5,480 |
| Kansas | $48K | +20% | 2,170 |
| Montana | $47K | +16% | 80 |
| South Carolina | $46K | +15% | 250 |
| Oregon | $46K | +15% | 360 |
| Oklahoma | $46K | +15% | 1,560 |
| Michigan | $46K | +14% | 2,920 |
| New Jersey | $45K | +13% | 1,050 |
| Washington | $45K | +12% | 840 |
| Illinois | $45K | +12% | 3,360 |
| Missouri | $44K | +11% | 1,280 |
| South Dakota | $44K | +11% | 740 |
| Utah | $44K | +10% | 560 |
| Iowa | $44K | +9% | 4,220 |
| Indiana | $44K | +9% | 1,210 |
| Minnesota | $43K | +8% | 2,820 |
| Texas | $43K | +8% | 2,950 |
| Vermont | $42K | +5% | 50 |
| Idaho | $40K | +1% | 450 |
| Louisiana | $40K | -0% | 650 |
| North Carolina | $40K | -0% | 6,120 |
| North Dakota | $40K | -1% | 160 |
| California | $39K | -2% | 6,170 |
| New Hampshire | $39K | -2% | 40 |
| Hawaii | $39K | -3% | 120 |
| Maine | $39K | -3% | 50 |
| Kentucky | $38K | -4% | 320 |
| Arkansas | $38K | -6% | 2,140 |
| Massachusetts | $38K | -6% | 170 |
| Maryland | $38K | -6% | 130 |
| Rhode Island | $38K | -6% | 280 |
| Wisconsin | $38K | -7% | 2,620 |
| Virginia | $37K | -7% | 1,480 |
| Pennsylvania | $37K | -7% | 4,410 |
| Ohio | $37K | -8% | 2,440 |
| Georgia | $37K | -8% | 3,660 |
| Alabama | $36K | -9% | 240 |
| Connecticut | $36K | -10% | 70 |
| Tennessee | $36K | -11% | 650 |
| Florida | $34K | -14% | 400 |
| New York | $34K | -16% | 1,750 |
| Mississippi | $34K | -16% | 1,100 |
| Delaware | $31K | -22% | 50 |
| New Mexico | $31K | -24% | N/A |
| Nevada | $30K | -24% | 140 |
Showing 1–10 of 47 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track slaughterers and meat packers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Sioux City numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a slaughterers and meat packer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Sioux City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 35.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,154/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 slaughterers and meat packers in Sioux City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new slaughterers and meat packers typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,681/month. At HUD’s $1,154/month FMR, rent would take 43% 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 Sioux City?
Local pay is 24% above the national median — $50K here vs. $40K nationally.
How does Sioux City compare to the national average for slaughterers and meat packers?
Sioux City pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $40K — that’s +24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 86.45), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do slaughterers and meat packers make in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD?
The median is $49,600 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,680, and experienced slaughterers and meat packers can clear $49,600. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Sioux City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,291/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,154/month, which eats 35.1% 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 Sioux City?
Sioux City has a Regional Price Parity of 86.45 (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 $57,374 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.
