Butchers and Meat Cutters pay in California
$46,820avg. a year
$22.51 an hour · 18,700 employed
Butchers and Meat Cutters in California earn an average of $46,820 a year. That is $4,440 (10%) more than the U.S. average of $42,380. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $53,790.
$44,290Median pay
$22.51Average hourly
+30%Avg. pay since 2020
#11Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for butchers and meat cutters by metro area. Swipe to see all 25.
1790 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$53,790
$25.86 an hour
270 jobs
El Centro, CA
$51,070
$24.55 an hour
3190 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$50,440
$24.25 an hour
4100 jobs
Napa, CA
$49,870
$23.98 an hour
5390 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$49,420
$23.76 an hour
62,720 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$49,390
$23.75 an hour
7940 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$48,750
$23.44 an hour
8360 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$48,480
$23.31 an hour
9130 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$47,940
$23.05 an hour
101,390 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$47,750
$22.96 an hour
11310 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$47,700
$22.94 an hour
12220 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$47,280
$22.73 an hour
1380 jobs
Chico, CA
$46,960
$22.58 an hour
14130 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$46,630
$22.42 an hour
1580 jobs
Redding, CA
$46,490
$22.35 an hour
1660 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$46,320
$22.27 an hour
17210 jobs
Salinas, CA
$46,290
$22.25 an hour
181,720 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$46,120
$22.17 an hour
19300 jobs
Modesto, CA
$45,500
$21.87 an hour
20170 jobs
Merced, CA
$44,980
$21.63 an hour
21320 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$44,940
$21.61 an hour
22130 jobs
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$44,710
$21.50 an hour
236,510 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$44,600
$21.44 an hour
24660 jobs
Fresno, CA
$44,300
$21.30 an hour
25200 jobs
Visalia, CA
$42,270
$20.32 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Butchers and Meat Cutters pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California butchers and meat cutters work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $40k$40k–$42k$42k–$46k$46k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $42,380 | $20.37 |
| California | $46,820 | $22.51 |
| Oregon | $49,610 | $23.85 |
| Arizona | $45,420 | $21.84 |
| Nevada | $42,670 | $20.52 |
Related jobs in California
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do butchers and meat cutters make in California?
The average is $46,820 a year, and the median is $44,290. That is $4,440 (10%) more than the U.S. average of $42,380.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$22.51 an hour on average; the median is $21.29.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($53,790), followed by El Centro, CA ($51,070). The lowest average among 25 metro areas with data is Visalia, CA ($42,270).
How does California rank?
California ranks #11 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 51-3021. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national butchers and meat cutters page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.