Best states for a meat packer

Q: What is the best state for meat packers?

The best state to be a meat packer is Wisconsin based on meat packer salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for meat packers?

The highest paying state for meat packers is Louisiana based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for meat packers?

The worst state for meat packers is Louisiana, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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We decided to bring you a list of the best states for jobs for meat packers in the United States. Meat packer positions are available in every state, but not all states are the same. Some states do not offer the same wages, benefits, time off, etc for meat packers.Pay, benefits, and opportunities vary greatly by state, and it's no different for meat packers. We found that Wisconsin is the best state in the nation for meat packers, and people in Grand Junction earn the most in the field.

The median salary for meat packers in Wisconsin is $31,504. Compare that to the median salary in Louisiana of $19,369, which ranked worst for meat packers, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that Wisconsin is the best state for meat packer jobs, whereas Louisiana is the worst.

10 best states for meat packers in 2026

1. Wisconsin
Total meat packer jobs: 248
Average annual salary: $31,504
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Location Quotient:
1.41
Meat packer jobs in Wisconsin
2. New York
Total meat packer jobs: 312
Average annual salary: $33,775
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Location Quotient:
0.77
Meat packer jobs in New York
3. Rhode Island
Total meat packer jobs: 56
Average annual salary: $29,456
Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Location Quotient:
1.45
Meat packer jobs in Rhode Island
4. Michigan
Total meat packer jobs: 318
Average annual salary: $28,945
Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Location Quotient:
1.29
Meat packer jobs in Michigan
5. Texas
Total meat packer jobs: 392
Average annual salary: $31,077
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $36,000
Location Quotient:
0.61
Meat packer jobs in Texas
6. New Mexico
Total meat packer jobs: 30
Average annual salary: $32,208
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000
Location Quotient:
0.48
Meat packer jobs in New Mexico
7. Colorado
Total meat packer jobs: 70
Average annual salary: $33,985
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Location Quotient:
0.37
Meat packer jobs in Colorado
8. West Virginia
Total meat packer jobs: 14
Average annual salary: $33,412
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Location Quotient:
0.29
Meat packer jobs in West Virginia
9. Pennsylvania
Total meat packer jobs: 739
Average annual salary: $27,771
Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Location Quotient:
2
Meat packer jobs in Pennsylvania
10. Montana
Total meat packer jobs: 25
Average annual salary: $29,753
Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $35,000
Location Quotient:
0.68
Meat packer jobs in Montana

Meat packer jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a meat packer

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a meat packer

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Wisconsin	$31,504	$26,000	5,795,483	248
2	New York	$33,775	$28,000	19,849,399	312
3	Rhode Island	$29,456	$25,000	1,059,639	56
4	Michigan	$28,945	$24,000	9,962,311	318
5	Texas	$31,077	$26,000	28,304,596	392
6	New Mexico	$32,208	$26,000	2,088,070	30
7	Colorado	$33,985	$28,000	5,607,154	70
8	West Virginia	$33,412	$27,000	1,815,857	14
9	Pennsylvania	$27,771	$23,000	12,805,537	739
10	Montana	$29,753	$25,000	1,050,493	25
11	Arkansas	$31,375	$26,000	3,004,279	25
12	New Jersey	$28,800	$24,000	9,005,644	1,018
13	Ohio	$28,013	$23,000	11,658,609	337
14	Vermont	$29,484	$26,000	623,657	18
15	Massachusetts	$29,472	$25,000	6,859,819	337
16	Nevada	$27,875	$22,000	2,998,039	78
17	Connecticut	$29,090	$25,000	3,588,184	99
18	Minnesota	$28,509	$24,000	5,576,606	166
19	Kentucky	$26,851	$22,000	4,454,189	151
20	North Dakota	$27,645	$23,000	755,393	29
21	California	$29,375	$24,000	39,536,653	1,074
22	New Hampshire	$29,498	$25,000	1,342,795	25
23	South Dakota	$28,889	$24,000	869,666	8
24	Oregon	$29,914	$24,000	4,142,776	57
25	Tennessee	$25,443	$21,000	6,715,984	185
26	Maine	$27,338	$24,000	1,335,907	27
27	Alaska	$26,652	$24,000	739,795	28
28	Wyoming	$27,345	$22,000	579,315	10
29	Delaware	$26,520	$22,000	961,939	41
30	Idaho	$26,027	$21,000	1,716,943	43
31	Hawaii	$30,148	$26,000	1,427,538	9
32	Iowa	$24,476	$20,000	3,145,711	228
33	Utah	$26,568	$21,000	3,101,833	58
34	Maryland	$25,970	$21,000	6,052,177	252
35	Washington	$26,766	$22,000	7,405,743	155
36	Missouri	$25,295	$21,000	6,113,532	132
37	Arizona	$24,616	$20,000	7,016,270	258
38	South Carolina	$26,115	$22,000	5,024,369	50
39	Indiana	$23,849	$19,000	6,666,818	271
40	Nebraska	$25,506	$21,000	1,920,076	30
41	Alabama	$25,111	$21,000	4,874,747	57
42	North Carolina	$24,855	$20,000	10,273,419	196
43	Illinois	$24,602	$20,000	12,802,023	360
44	Florida	$24,494	$21,000	20,984,400	360
45	Kansas	$23,695	$19,000	2,913,123	76
46	Mississippi	$23,878	$20,000	2,984,100	41
47	Virginia	$23,374	$19,000	8,470,020	229
48	District of Columbia	$25,747	$21,000	693,972	4
49	Oklahoma	$23,482	$19,000	3,930,864	48
50	Georgia	$22,910	$19,000	10,429,379	223
51	Louisiana	$19,369	$16,000	4,684,333	65

Highest paying states for meat packers

Rank	State	Avg. Meat Packer Salary
1	Wisconsin	$31,504
2	New York	$33,775
3	Rhode Island	$29,456
4	Michigan	$28,945
5	Texas	$31,077
6	New Mexico	$32,208
7	Colorado	$33,985
8	West Virginia	$33,412
9	Pennsylvania	$27,771
10	Montana	$29,753
11	Arkansas	$31,375
12	New Jersey	$28,800
13	Ohio	$28,013
14	Vermont	$29,484
15	Massachusetts	$29,472
16	Nevada	$27,875
17	Connecticut	$29,090
18	Minnesota	$28,509
19	Kentucky	$26,851
20	North Dakota	$27,645
21	California	$29,375
22	New Hampshire	$29,498
23	South Dakota	$28,889
24	Oregon	$29,914
25	Tennessee	$25,443
26	Maine	$27,338
27	Alaska	$26,652
28	Wyoming	$27,345
29	Delaware	$26,520
30	Idaho	$26,027
31	Hawaii	$30,148
32	Iowa	$24,476
33	Utah	$26,568
34	Maryland	$25,970
35	Washington	$26,766
36	Missouri	$25,295
37	Arizona	$24,616
38	South Carolina	$26,115
39	Indiana	$23,849
40	Nebraska	$25,506
41	Alabama	$25,111
42	North Carolina	$24,855
43	Illinois	$24,602
44	Florida	$24,494
45	Kansas	$23,695
46	Mississippi	$23,878
47	Virginia	$23,374
48	District of Columbia	$25,747
49	Oklahoma	$23,482
50	Georgia	$22,910
51	Louisiana	$19,369

Meat packer best states FAQs

What is the best state for meat packers?

What is the highest paying state for meat packers?

What is the worst state for meat packers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common production and manufacturing questions.

Search for meat packer jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse production and manufacturing jobs

Total meat packer jobs:	248
Average annual salary:	$31,504
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$26,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$37,000
Location Quotient:	1.41

Best states for a meat packer

10 best states for meat packers in 2026

1. Wisconsin

2. New York

3. Rhode Island

4. Michigan

5. Texas

6. New Mexico

7. Colorado

8. West Virginia

9. Pennsylvania

10. Montana