Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Median $46,570
Occupation · SOC 51-9031
Cutters and Trimmers, Hand: pay and where the jobs are
What cutters and trimmers, hand earn in the U.S., how pay varies across workers and states, and tools to plan around it.
National pay, May 2025
$38,020 median annual wage
- Mean (average) annual wage
- $41,050
- Median hourly wage
- $18.28
- Mean hourly wage
- $19.74
- Employment
- 6,060
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 51-9031.
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How much do cutters and trimmers, hand make?
The median annual wage for cutters and trimmers, hand was $38,020 in May 2025, so half of workers earned more and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $26,630 and the highest-paid 10% more than $57,870. As an hourly rate, the median is $18.28. About 6,060 people work in this occupation nationwide. The highest state medians are in Nebraska ($48,830), Vermont ($48,670) and Iowa ($48,580). After taxes and local prices, though, a median paycheck goes furthest in Iowa.
Pay ladder
What each step of the pay range for cutters and trimmers, hand looks like per month. Take-home here includes federal tax, Social Security and Medicare for a single filer; add your state in the paycheck calculator.
| Step | Annual | Hourly | Monthly gross | Monthly after federal tax & FICA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $26,630 | $12.80 | $2,219 | $1,962 |
| 25th percentile | $34,050 | $16.37 | $2,838 | $2,462 |
| Median | $38,020 | $18.28 | $3,168 | $2,727 |
| 75th percentile | $47,850 | $23.01 | $3,988 | $3,386 |
| 90th percentile | $57,870 | $27.82 | $4,823 | $4,057 |
Cutters and Trimmers, Hand: pay by state
30 states and territories have a published median, sorted from highest to lowest. The last two columns are our estimates: the median after 2026 federal and state taxes, and that take-home restated in national-average prices.
1
$45,600 take-home in national prices
2
$44,474 take-home in national prices
3
$41,635 take-home in national prices
Where a median cutters and trimmers, hand paycheck goes furthest after 2026 taxes and BEA price levels.
| State | Employment | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Median after tax* | In national prices† |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | 60 | $48,830 | $34,040 | $58,060 | $40,073 | $44,474 |
| Vermont | Not published | $48,670 | $37,560 | $65,930 | $40,090 | $40,925 |
| Iowa | Not published | $48,580 | $46,030 | $50,370 | $40,020 | $45,600 |
| Rhode Island | 50 | $48,100 | $31,200 | $48,100 | $39,112 | $38,240 |
| North Carolina | 1,060 | $47,910 | $33,330 | $60,070 | $39,273 | $41,635 |
| Michigan | 50 | $46,830 | $34,470 | $49,280 | $38,068 | $39,565 |
| Minnesota | 40 | $46,570 | $37,330 | $51,100 | $37,721 | $38,249 |
| New York | 220 | $46,190 | $33,790 | $63,650 | $37,166 | $34,438 |
| Indiana | 360 | $41,740 | $22,260 | $58,430 | $34,516 | $36,983 |
| Missouri | 110 | $40,560 | $35,230 | $50,510 | $33,801 | $37,219 |
| Massachusetts | 110 | $39,970 | $32,210 | $58,400 | $32,334 | $30,573 |
| South Carolina | 50 | $39,340 | $28,990 | $61,570 | $33,305 | $35,526 |
| Wisconsin | 60 | $39,010 | $31,280 | $44,700 | $32,489 | $34,528 |
| Kansas | 130 | $38,800 | $34,360 | $45,670 | $31,990 | $35,518 |
| California | 770 | $37,840 | $34,710 | $61,190 | $31,596 | $28,537 |
| Georgia | 290 | $37,480 | $22,920 | $87,150 | $31,173 | $32,374 |
| Mississippi | 90 | $37,280 | $30,670 | $45,130 | $31,375 | $36,083 |
| Connecticut | 50 | $35,970 | $35,970 | $49,260 | $29,938 | $28,895 |
| Washington | Not published | $35,960 | $34,650 | $47,310 | $30,575 | $28,571 |
| Pennsylvania | 140 | $35,560 | $26,280 | $44,160 | $29,636 | $30,373 |
| Illinois | 30 | $35,360 | $33,830 | $51,680 | $28,986 | $28,998 |
| Ohio | 120 | $35,360 | $23,190 | $48,250 | $30,070 | $32,412 |
| Alabama | Not published | $35,160 | $23,620 | $45,430 | $29,016 | $32,668 |
| Florida | 150 | $35,150 | $27,040 | $78,920 | $30,423 | $29,419 |
| Oklahoma | Not published | $34,910 | $30,890 | $38,650 | $29,205 | $33,247 |
| New Jersey | 380 | $34,600 | $32,220 | $51,520 | $29,171 | $26,810 |
| Virginia | 60 | $32,470 | $29,430 | $42,830 | $27,217 | $26,920 |
| Arizona | Not published | $31,110 | $30,580 | $43,720 | $26,793 | $26,613 |
| Texas | 740 | $29,130 | $24,410 | $37,790 | $25,586 | $26,362 |
| Tennessee | 230 | $27,030 | $19,120 | $45,560 | $23,869 | $25,982 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 51-9031. *Our estimate for a single filer paid biweekly with no pre-tax deductions or local tax, 2026 federal and state rules. †Take-home ÷ BEA Regional Price Parity × 100 (2024 price levels).
Sources
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25nat.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25st.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.