Butchers and Meat Cutters pay range in Reading
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,840 a year or less, while the top 10% make $55,000 or more. The middle half of butchers and meat cutters in Reading earn between $33,860 and $46,380.
- $29K10th
- $34K25th
- $37KMedian
- $46K75th
- $55K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $40,850 | $3,404 | $19.64 |
| Median | $36,920 | $3,077 | $17.75 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $33,860 | $2,822 | $16.28 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $46,380 | $3,865 | $22.30 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Butchers and Meat Cutters pay in Reading vs. Pennsylvania and the U.S.
Butchers and meat cutters in Reading earn about the same as the Pennsylvania average ($41,780) and 4% less than the U.S. average ($42,380). At the median the gap is -8% against the U.S. median of $40,140.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | $40,850 | $36,920 | $28,840 | $55,000 | 120 |
| Pennsylvania | $41,780 | $38,340 | $29,000 | $58,130 | 3,540 |
| 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 Reading
On the average salary of $40,850, a single filer in Reading takes home about $33,749 a year, or $2,812 a month and $1,298 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). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Is Reading a good place for butchers and meat cutters? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Reading area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.1), so the average $40,850 buys what about $42,087 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Reading ($49,440). A typical home costs $312,348, or 7.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Butchers and Meat Cutters salary in other Pennsylvania cities
Reading ranks 7th of 13 Pennsylvania metro areas for this job; Allentown pays the most ($45,290).
- Allentown$45,290
- Philadelphia$44,020
- Harrisburg$42,470
- Pittsburgh$42,050
- York$41,860
- Scranton$41,260
- Reading$40,850
- Lancaster$40,690
- State College$39,280
- Erie$39,150
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 Reading: questions
How much do butchers and meat cutters make an hour in Reading?
$19.64 an hour on average, and $17.75 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level butchers and meat cutters salary in Reading?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $28,840 a year and the 25th percentile is $33,860, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the butchers and meat cutters take-home pay in Reading?
About $33,749 a year ($2,812 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $40,850. Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Do butchers and meat cutters earn more in Reading than elsewhere?
The average here is 4% less 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 Reading, PA (39740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.7%.
- 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). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.81, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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