SOC 51-3023 · Production Occupations
Slaughterers and Meat Packers
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries
Nationally, slaughterers and meat packers earned a median of $40,130 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 69,950 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.
National pay distribution
Pay by state
Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.
| State | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $50,480 | $24.27 | 1,590 | 0.6 |
| Arizona | $49,020 | $23.57 | 440 | 0.1 |
| Nebraska | $48,910 | $23.52 | 5,480 | 5.4 |
| Kansas | $48,240 | $23.19 | 2,170 | 1.5 |
| Montana | $46,700 | $22.45 | 80 | 0.1 |
| South Carolina | $46,000 | $22.12 | 250 | 0.1 |
| Oregon | $45,980 | $22.11 | 360 | 0.2 |
| Oklahoma | $45,970 | $22.10 | 1,560 | 0.9 |
| Michigan | $45,850 | $22.04 | 2,920 | 0.7 |
| New Jersey | $45,230 | $21.75 | 1,050 | 0.2 |
| Washington | $45,100 | $21.68 | 840 | 0.2 |
| Illinois | $44,950 | $21.61 | 3,360 | 0.6 |
| Missouri | $44,490 | $21.39 | 1,280 | 0.4 |
| South Dakota | $44,410 | $21.35 | 740 | 1.6 |
| Utah | $44,040 | $21.17 | 560 | 0.3 |
| Iowa | $43,820 | $21.07 | 4,220 | 2.7 |
| Indiana | $43,770 | $21.05 | 1,210 | 0.4 |
| Minnesota | $43,360 | $20.85 | 2,820 | 1.0 |
| Texas | $43,160 | $20.75 | 2,950 | 0.2 |
| Vermont | $42,220 | $20.30 | 50 | 0.2 |
| Idaho | $40,370 | $19.41 | 450 | 0.5 |
| Louisiana | $40,120 | $19.29 | 650 | 0.3 |
| North Carolina | $39,930 | $19.20 | 6,120 | 1.2 |
| North Dakota | $39,730 | $19.10 | 160 | 0.4 |
| California | $39,420 | $18.95 | 6,170 | 0.3 |
| New Hampshire | $39,270 | $18.88 | 40 | 0.1 |
| Hawaii | $38,890 | $18.70 | 120 | 0.2 |
| Maine | $38,740 | $18.63 | 50 | 0.1 |
| Kentucky | $38,330 | $18.43 | 320 | 0.2 |
| Arkansas | $37,800 | $18.17 | 2,140 | 1.6 |
| Massachusetts | $37,780 | $18.16 | 170 | 0.0 |
| Maryland | $37,650 | $18.10 | 130 | 0.0 |
| Rhode Island | $37,570 | $18.06 | 280 | 0.6 |
| Wisconsin | $37,510 | $18.03 | 2,620 | 0.9 |
| Virginia | $37,430 | $18.00 | 1,480 | 0.4 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,330 | $17.95 | 4,410 | 0.7 |
| Ohio | $36,800 | $17.69 | 2,440 | 0.4 |
| Georgia | $36,770 | $17.68 | 3,660 | 0.7 |
| Alabama | $36,360 | $17.48 | 240 | 0.1 |
| Connecticut | $36,290 | $17.45 | 70 | 0.0 |
| Tennessee | $35,790 | $17.21 | 650 | 0.2 |
| Florida | $34,430 | $16.56 | 400 | 0.0 |
| New York | $33,880 | $16.29 | 1,750 | 0.2 |
| Mississippi | $33,650 | $16.18 | 1,100 | 0.9 |
| Delaware | $31,200 | $15.00 | 50 | 0.1 |
| New Mexico | $30,560 | $14.69 | Not published | Not published |
| Nevada | $30,430 | $14.63 | 140 | 0.1 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,710 | $10.92 | 290 | 0.3 |
Pay by metro area
All 62 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.
Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.