The highest-paying states for slaughterers and meat packers (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment of slaughterers and meat packers in those states are also shown in the table. As shown in the table, with an annual salary of $40,140, South Dakota is the highest paying state for slaughterers and meat packers. It is followed by Missouri (average annual salary $40,080). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in April 2023 [1]. For more salary information of slaughterers and meat packers in a specific state, use the links in the table.
| Rank | State | Average Salary i | Entry Level Salary i |
# of Empl. i |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $40,140 |
$34,440 | 760 |
| 2 | Missouri | $40,080 |
$27,890 | 1,000 |
| 3 | Nebraska | $40,020 |
$32,200 | 3,500 |
| 4 | Oklahoma | $39,520 |
$27,880 | 1,850 |
| 5 | Illinois | $39,400 |
$32,690 | 1,970 |
| 6 | Kansas | $39,290 |
$33,890 | 1,540 |
| 7 | Michigan | $38,320 |
$30,830 | 1,050 |
| 8 | Washington | $38,290 |
$35,530 | 810 |
| 9 | Iowa | $38,140 |
$36,910 | 5,630 |
| 10 | Colorado | $37,330 |
$29,480 | 1,990 |
| 11 | Vermont | $37,150 |
$24,440 | 30 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $37,140 |
$34,760 | 3,980 |
| 13 | Oregon | $37,070 |
$30,240 | 490 |
| 14 | Texas | $37,030 |
$24,800 | 9,350 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $36,960 |
$31,260 | 220 |
| 16 | Utah | $36,250 |
$30,040 | 870 |
| 17 | Maryland | $36,050 |
$28,260 | 90 |
| 18 | New Jersey | $35,710 |
$28,310 | 490 |
| 19 | Mississippi | $35,290 |
$29,270 | 540 |
| 20 | Arizona | $35,240 |
$34,870 | 430 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $35,130 |
$28,580 | 2,660 |
| 22 | Delaware | $34,800 |
$24,710 | 200 |
| 23 | Arkansas | $34,510 |
$31,270 | 2,170 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $34,170 |
$29,850 | 3,960 |
| 25 | Massachusetts | $34,000 |
$31,260 | 110 |
| 26 | California | $33,160 |
$30,690 | 4,300 |
| 27 | Indiana | $32,010 |
$27,640 | 740 |
| 28 | New York | $31,850 |
$29,510 | 720 |
| 29 | Virginia | $31,790 |
$26,970 | 590 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $31,610 |
$28,940 | 8,910 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $31,590 |
$23,630 | 130 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $31,190 |
$23,070 | 1,830 |
| 33 | Ohio | $31,080 |
$29,660 | 3,010 |
| 34 | Georgia | $30,870 |
$21,590 | 3,610 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $30,500 |
$23,890 | 1,520 |
| 36 | Nevada | $29,520 |
$23,730 | 40 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $29,340 |
$23,000 | 1,750 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $29,310 |
$19,550 | 880 |
| 39 | Maine | $29,060 |
$26,520 | 50 |
| 40 | Florida | $29,050 |
$26,620 | 730 |
| 41 | Connecticut | $28,600 |
$27,990 | 50 |
| 42 | Montana | $28,460 |
$27,230 | 120 |
| 43 | Alaska | $28,310 |
$25,040 | 60 |
| 44 | Wyoming | $26,930 |
$17,920 | 40 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $26,020 |
$23,950 | 210 |
| 46 | New Hampshire | $25,890 |
$17,660 | 40 |
| 47 | Alabama | $24,470 |
$19,230 | 1,630 |
| 48 | New Mexico | $24,030 |
$24,030 | 160 |
| 49 | Idaho | $21,910 |
$19,040 | 70 |
| 50 | Puerto Rico | $18,840 |
$18,350 | 500 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $18,720 |
$18,200 | 120 |