Butcher and Meat Cutter Salary in Houston, TX
Butchers and Meat Cutters in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area earn a median $38,120 a year — 5% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $32,809 take-home, or $2,734 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median butcher and meat cutter salary in Houston, TX. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,394
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,363
- Medicare (1.45%)$553
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$32,809
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Butcher and Meat Cutter pay by experience in Houston, TX
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $23,540 | $11.32 | $20,995 | $1,750 |
| 25th percentile | $28,180 | $13.55 | $24,816 | $2,068 |
| Median (50th) | $38,120 | $18.33 | $32,809 | $2,734 |
| 75th percentile | $47,640 | $22.90 | $40,459 | $3,372 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $56,160 | $27.00 | $47,305 | $3,942 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Texas resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $38,120 buys in Houston, TX
Prices in Houston, TX are 1.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.05× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median butcher and meat cutter's $32,809 take-home pay has the buying power of $33,265 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Butcher and Meat Cutter jobs are about as common in Houston, TX as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.94).
Best-paying cities for butchers and meat cutters, adjusted for cost of living
Houston, TX ranks #1 of 8 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston, TX | $38,120 | $32,809 | $33,265 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $46,490 | $38,081 | $32,939 |
| 3 | Atlanta, GA | $38,910 | $32,048 | $32,029 |
| 4 | Dallas, TX | $38,040 | $32,745 | $31,764 |
| 5 | Chicago, IL | $40,410 | $32,794 | $31,656 |
| 6 | Los Angeles, CA | $42,400 | $35,012 | $30,830 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $42,470 | $34,608 | $30,746 |
| 8 | Miami, FL | $39,140 | $33,629 | $29,459 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 8 metros →
About the job: butchers and meat cutters
Cut, trim, or prepare consumer-sized portions of meat for use or sale in retail establishments.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +2.4% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Butcher and Meat Cutter salaries elsewhere in Texas
- Dallas, TX — $38,040
Frequently asked questions
How much does a butcher and meat cutter make in Houston, TX?
The median butcher and meat cutter salary in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area is $38,120 a year, or about $18.33 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $28,180 and $47,640.
What is a butcher and meat cutter’s take-home pay in Houston, TX?
On the median $38,120 salary, a single filer living in Texas takes home about $32,809 a year ($2,734 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Houston, TX a good place to work as a butcher and meat cutter?
Pay here is 5% below the national median of $40,140. Local prices are 1.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $33,265 would in a typical U.S. city. Houston, TX ranks #1 of 8 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a butcher and meat cutter afford rent in Houston, TX?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Houston, TX is $1,316 a month ($1,558 for two bedrooms) — 48% of a median butcher and meat cutter’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Houston, TX
- Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers — $84,100
- Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender — $79,430
- First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers — $75,330
- Machinist — $61,280
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers — $57,940
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator — $50,280
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — $46,950
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers — $46,630
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers — $45,270
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — $43,420
- Production Workers, All Other — $39,070
- Miscellaneous Assembler and Fabricator — $37,890