Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Best states for a meat processor
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Not all states present equal opportunity for employees, and when it comes to meat processor jobs, it's no different. We know how hard job search can be, and in order to make your life a little easier, we have the information you need in order to determine where you might want to start your job search. As meat processors are popular in the U.S., we wanted to bring you a list of the best states for meat processors. In case you are trying to decide where to start your career as a meat processor, or if you are considering moving to a different city or state, we got you covered.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for meat processors.We found that the South is best for meat processors, and the Northeast is the worst. Janesville, WI is the best city in the country for meat processor jobs, where as New Mexico is the best state in the country.
10 best states for meat processors in 2025
1. New Mexico
Total meat processor jobs: 64 Average annual salary: $32,876 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 1.012. Texas
Total meat processor jobs: 703 Average annual salary: $31,481 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 1.073. California
Total meat processor jobs: 1,246 Average annual salary: $33,386 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 1.314. Kentucky
Total meat processor jobs: 93 Average annual salary: $34,050 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 0.785. Rhode Island
Total meat processor jobs: 47 Average annual salary: $30,631 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 1.196. Michigan
Total meat processor jobs: 291 Average annual salary: $29,356 Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Location Quotient: 1.167. Wisconsin
Total meat processor jobs: 168 Average annual salary: $31,502 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 0.948. West Virginia
Total meat processor jobs: 25 Average annual salary: $34,750 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 0.519. Nevada
Total meat processor jobs: 139 Average annual salary: $28,260 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Location Quotient: 2.0510. Ohio
Total meat processor jobs: 370 Average annual salary: $28,808 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Location Quotient: 1.12
Meat processor jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a meat processor
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a meat processor
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | $32,876 | $25,000 | 2,088,070 | 64 |
| 2 | Texas | $31,481 | $23,000 | 28,304,596 | 703 |
| 3 | California | $33,386 | $24,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,246 |
| 4 | Kentucky | $34,050 | $26,000 | 4,454,189 | 93 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $30,631 | $21,000 | 1,059,639 | 47 |
| 6 | Michigan | $29,356 | $22,000 | 9,962,311 | 291 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | $31,502 | $24,000 | 5,795,483 | 168 |
| 8 | West Virginia | $34,750 | $26,000 | 1,815,857 | 25 |
| 9 | Nevada | $28,260 | $21,000 | 2,998,039 | 139 |
| 10 | Ohio | $28,808 | $21,000 | 11,658,609 | 370 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $30,214 | $21,000 | 3,588,184 | 120 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $29,350 | $20,000 | 12,805,537 | 397 |
| 13 | Montana | $29,045 | $22,000 | 1,050,493 | 40 |
| 14 | Arkansas | $32,139 | $25,000 | 3,004,279 | 34 |
| 15 | South Dakota | $28,639 | $22,000 | 869,666 | 27 |
| 16 | Vermont | $30,412 | $23,000 | 623,657 | 18 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $30,695 | $22,000 | 6,859,819 | 213 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $28,229 | $22,000 | 5,576,606 | 202 |
| 19 | Oregon | $29,155 | $22,000 | 4,142,776 | 134 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $30,686 | $22,000 | 1,342,795 | 25 |
| 21 | Delaware | $28,291 | $19,000 | 961,939 | 52 |
| 22 | New York | $30,555 | $21,000 | 19,849,399 | 354 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $27,647 | $21,000 | 579,315 | 16 |
| 24 | Utah | $26,894 | $21,000 | 3,101,833 | 105 |
| 25 | New Jersey | $27,475 | $19,000 | 9,005,644 | 479 |
| 26 | Maine | $28,150 | $22,000 | 1,335,907 | 26 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $26,173 | $20,000 | 6,715,984 | 168 |
| 28 | North Dakota | $26,967 | $21,000 | 755,393 | 22 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $25,777 | $20,000 | 1,920,076 | 81 |
| 30 | Hawaii | $30,403 | $26,000 | 1,427,538 | 18 |
| 31 | Maryland | $27,658 | $19,000 | 6,052,177 | 215 |
| 32 | Iowa | $24,821 | $19,000 | 3,145,711 | 142 |
| 33 | Idaho | $25,898 | $20,000 | 1,716,943 | 49 |
| 34 | Washington | $26,012 | $20,000 | 7,405,743 | 251 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $26,756 | $20,000 | 5,024,369 | 91 |
| 36 | Missouri | $26,099 | $20,000 | 6,113,532 | 170 |
| 37 | Arizona | $24,970 | $18,000 | 7,016,270 | 309 |
| 38 | Alaska | $24,188 | $20,000 | 739,795 | 41 |
| 39 | Colorado | $26,773 | $20,000 | 5,607,154 | 164 |
| 40 | Alabama | $25,588 | $19,000 | 4,874,747 | 94 |
| 41 | North Carolina | $25,154 | $19,000 | 10,273,419 | 229 |
| 42 | Kansas | $24,367 | $19,000 | 2,913,123 | 86 |
| 43 | Indiana | $24,471 | $18,000 | 6,666,818 | 194 |
| 44 | District of Columbia | $27,350 | $19,000 | 693,972 | 13 |
| 45 | Florida | $22,632 | $17,000 | 20,984,400 | 604 |
| 46 | Illinois | $24,935 | $19,000 | 12,802,023 | 290 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $24,059 | $18,000 | 3,930,864 | 82 |
| 48 | Virginia | $24,676 | $17,000 | 8,470,020 | 234 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $24,260 | $18,000 | 2,984,100 | 29 |
| 50 | Georgia | $24,263 | $18,000 | 10,429,379 | 205 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $19,576 | $15,000 | 4,684,333 | 94 |
Highest paying states for meat processors
| Rank | State | Avg. Meat Processor Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | $32,876 |
| 2 | Texas | $31,481 |
| 3 | California | $33,386 |
| 4 | Kentucky | $34,050 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $30,631 |
| 6 | Michigan | $29,356 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | $31,502 |
| 8 | West Virginia | $34,750 |
| 9 | Nevada | $28,260 |
| 10 | Ohio | $28,808 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $30,214 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $29,350 |
| 13 | Montana | $29,045 |
| 14 | Arkansas | $32,139 |
| 15 | South Dakota | $28,639 |
| 16 | Vermont | $30,412 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $30,695 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $28,229 |
| 19 | Oregon | $29,155 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $30,686 |
| 21 | Delaware | $28,291 |
| 22 | New York | $30,555 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $27,647 |
| 24 | Utah | $26,894 |
| 25 | New Jersey | $27,475 |
| 26 | Maine | $28,150 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $26,173 |
| 28 | North Dakota | $26,967 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $25,777 |
| 30 | Hawaii | $30,403 |
| 31 | Maryland | $27,658 |
| 32 | Iowa | $24,821 |
| 33 | Idaho | $25,898 |
| 34 | Washington | $26,012 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $26,756 |
| 36 | Missouri | $26,099 |
| 37 | Arizona | $24,970 |
| 38 | Alaska | $24,188 |
| 39 | Colorado | $26,773 |
| 40 | Alabama | $25,588 |
| 41 | North Carolina | $25,154 |
| 42 | Kansas | $24,367 |
| 43 | Indiana | $24,471 |
| 44 | District of Columbia | $27,350 |
| 45 | Florida | $22,632 |
| 46 | Illinois | $24,935 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $24,059 |
| 48 | Virginia | $24,676 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $24,260 |
| 50 | Georgia | $24,263 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $19,576 |
Meat processor best states FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common production and manufacturing questions.
Search for meat processor jobs
Updated January 8, 2025