Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers Salary in Chicago, IL
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $40,690 a year — 6% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $33,005 take-home, or $2,750 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,703
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,523
- Medicare (1.45%)$590
- Illinois income tax$1,869
- Take-home pay$33,005
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.95% state
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro spans Illinois, Indiana. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers pay by experience in Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,750 | $17.19 | $29,280 | $2,440 |
| 25th percentile | $38,360 | $18.44 | $31,248 | $2,604 |
| Median (50th) | $40,690 | $19.56 | $33,005 | $2,750 |
| 75th percentile | $42,220 | $20.30 | $34,159 | $2,847 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $45,750 | $22.00 | $36,820 | $3,068 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $40,690 buys in Chicago, IL
Prices in Chicago, IL are 3.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.12× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers's $33,005 take-home pay has the buying power of $31,860 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers jobs are less concentrated in Chicago, IL than nationally (location quotient 0.66), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #4 of 5 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fayetteville, AR | $37,980 | $31,428 | $34,403 |
| 2 | Gainesville, GA | $39,420 | $32,431 | $33,515 |
| 3 | Atlanta, GA | $39,300 | $32,341 | $32,322 |
| 4 | Chicago, IL | $40,690 | $33,005 | $31,860 |
| 5 | Los Angeles, CA | $36,540 | $30,614 | $26,957 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 5 metros →
About the job: meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers
Use hands or hand tools to perform routine cutting and trimming of meat, poultry, and seafood.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +5.7% (faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers make in Chicago, IL?
The median meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $40,690 a year, or about $19.56 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $38,360 and $42,220.
What is a meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $40,690 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $33,005 a year ($2,750 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,869 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers?
Pay here is 6% above the national median of $38,300. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $31,860 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #4 of 5 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers afford rent in Chicago, IL?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Chicago, IL is $1,534 a month ($1,743 for two bedrooms) — 56% of a median meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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