Butchers and Meat Cutters pay range in Modesto
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,710 a year or less, while the top 10% make $61,380 or more. The middle half of butchers and meat cutters in Modesto earn between $36,560 and $53,670.
- $36K10th
- $37K25th
- $42KMedian
- $54K75th
- $61K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $45,500 | $3,792 | $21.88 |
| Median | $41,720 | $3,477 | $20.06 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $36,560 | $3,047 | $17.58 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $53,670 | $4,472 | $25.80 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Butchers and Meat Cutters pay in Modesto vs. California and the U.S.
Butchers and meat cutters in Modesto earn about the same as the California average ($46,820) and 7% more than the U.S. average ($42,380). At the median the gap is +4% against the U.S. median of $40,140.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modesto | $45,500 | $41,720 | $35,710 | $61,380 | 300 |
| California | $46,820 | $44,290 | $35,470 | $61,010 | 18,700 |
| United States | $42,380 | $40,140 | $29,460 | $58,110 | 136,430 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Butchers and Meat Cutters salary after taxes in Modesto
On the average salary of $45,500, a single filer in Modesto takes home about $37,784 a year, or $3,149 a month and $1,453 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Modesto a good place for butchers and meat cutters? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Modesto area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 104.1), so the average $45,500 buys what about $43,705 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Modesto ($50,610). A typical home costs $468,302, or 10.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Butchers and Meat Cutters salary in other California cities
Modesto ranks 19th of 25 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($53,790).
- San Jose$53,790
- El Centro$51,070
- Vallejo$50,440
- Napa$49,870
- Santa Rosa$49,420
- San Francisco$49,390
- Sacramento$48,750
- Stockton$48,480
- San Luis Obispo$47,940
- Modesto$45,500
Highest-paying cities for butchers and meat cutters
Fairbanks, AK pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($62,010).
- Fairbanks, AK$62,010
- Seattle, WA$56,640
- Bremerton, WA$55,030
- Anchorage, AK$53,930
- San Jose, CA$53,790
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Butchers and Meat Cutters salary in Modesto: questions
How much do butchers and meat cutters make an hour in Modesto?
$21.87 an hour on average, and $20.06 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level butchers and meat cutters salary in Modesto?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,710 a year and the 25th percentile is $36,560, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the butchers and meat cutters take-home pay in Modesto?
About $37,784 a year ($3,149 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $45,500. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do butchers and meat cutters earn more in Modesto than elsewhere?
The average here is 7% more than the U.S. average for this job ($42,380).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 51-3021; area Modesto, CA (33700). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.1%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.77, this job is 1.8 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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