Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers pay range in Merced
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $34,630 a year or less, while the top 10% make $43,290 or more. The middle half of meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers in Merced earn between $35,070 and $35,560.
- $35K10th
- $35K25th
- $35KMedian
- $36K75th
- $43K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $36,820 | $3,068 | $17.70 |
| Median | $35,070 | $2,922 | $16.86 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $35,070 | $2,922 | $16.86 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $35,560 | $2,963 | $17.10 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers pay in Merced vs. California and the U.S.
Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers in Merced earn 5% less than the California average ($38,930) and 6% less than the U.S. average ($39,280). At the median the gap is -8% against the U.S. median of $38,300.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merced | $36,820 | $35,070 | $34,630 | $43,290 | 370 |
| California | $38,930 | $36,570 | $34,950 | $46,040 | 9,270 |
| United States | $39,280 | $38,300 | $29,980 | $48,150 | 145,700 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers salary after taxes in Merced
On the average salary of $36,820, a single filer in Merced takes home about $31,156 a year, or $2,596 a month and $1,198 every two weeks. Taxes take 15% 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 Merced a good place for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Merced area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 98.3), so the average $36,820 buys what about $37,466 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Merced ($47,220). A typical home costs $419,171, or 11.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers salary in other California cities
Merced ranks 17th of 17 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($44,210).
- San Jose$44,210
- San Francisco$44,160
- Santa Rosa$41,620
- San Luis Obispo$41,240
- Vallejo$40,610
- Santa Cruz$40,170
- Sacramento$39,690
- Stockton$39,420
- Hanford$39,400
- Merced$36,820
All Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers salaries in California
Highest-paying cities for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
Topeka, KS pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($49,920).
- Topeka, KS$49,920
- Sheboygan, WI$49,340
- Omaha, NE$48,210
- Denver, CO$47,820
- Phoenix, AZ$47,410
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Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers salary in Merced: questions
How much do meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers make an hour in Merced?
$17.70 an hour on average, and $16.86 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers salary in Merced?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $34,630 a year and the 25th percentile is $35,070, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers take-home pay in Merced?
About $31,156 a year ($2,596 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $36,820. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers earn more in Merced than elsewhere?
The average here is 6% less than the U.S. average for this job ($39,280).
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 51-3022; area Merced, CA (32900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.6%.
- 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 5.00, this job is 5.0 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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