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Hand cutter and trimmer: pay, job outlook and how to get started

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$38,020median pay per year, or $18.28 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $26,630lowest 10% earn less
  2. $34,05025th percentile
  3. $38,020median
  4. $47,85075th percentile
  5. $57,870top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

The median hand cutter and trimmer earned $38,020 a year in May 2025[1]. Employment is projected to decline 18.9% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
-18.9%[2]
Openings per year
500[5]
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential[6]

How much do hand cutters and trimmers make?

The median wage was $38,020 a year, or $18.28 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $41,050 a year, or $19.74 an hour[7]. The median annual wage for all occupations was $50,980, so this job's median is well below it[4].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $26,630 a year, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $34,050[3]. The highest-paid 25% earned more than $47,850, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $57,870[3]. Hourly, those boundaries were $12.80, $16.37, $23.01 and $27.82[8].

Group Annual wage Hourly wage
10th percentile[3][8] $26,630 $12.80
25th percentile[3][8] $34,050 $16.37
Median[1] $38,020 $18.28
75th percentile[3][8] $47,850 $23.01
90th percentile[3][8] $57,870 $27.82

A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9]. These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed and do not include benefits or nonproduction bonuses[10]. About 6,060 people held these jobs in May 2025[11].

Pay by state and city

Among the 30 states with published data, Nebraska had the highest median at $48,830 a year, followed by Vermont at $48,670 and Iowa at $48,580[12]. Tennessee had the lowest listed median at $27,030[12].

North Carolina had the most jobs with 1,060, followed by California with 770, Texas with 740, New Jersey with 380 and Indiana with 360[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs[14], Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC had the highest median at $49,200. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA came next at $41,890, then Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC at $40,970[14]. Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton also had the most jobs with 590, followed by Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA with 530[15].

Show median pay in 30 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Nebraska[12]$48,83060
Vermont$48,670n/a
Iowa$48,580n/a
Rhode Island$48,10050
North Carolina$47,9101,060
Michigan$46,83050
Minnesota$46,57040
New York$46,190220
Indiana$41,740360
Missouri$40,560110
Massachusetts$39,970110
South Carolina$39,34050
Wisconsin$39,01060
Kansas$38,800130
California$37,840770
Georgia$37,480290
Mississippi$37,28090
Connecticut$35,97050
Washington$35,960n/a
Pennsylvania$35,560140
Illinois$35,36030
Ohio$35,360120
Alabama$35,160n/a
Florida$35,150150
Oklahoma$34,910n/a
New Jersey$34,600380
Virginia$32,47060
Arizona$31,110n/a
Texas$29,130740
Tennessee$27,030230

How to get started

The typical path has few formal requirements[6]:

An O*NET survey of 20 workers[16] asked what education the job requires. 73% said less than a high school diploma, 16% said a high school diploma or equivalent, 6% said some college courses, and 5% said a 2-year degree[16]. This is a small survey, so treat it as a rough picture only. The facts do not say how long training takes or what it costs.

What hand cutters and trimmers do

These workers cut and trim products such as carpet, fabric, stone, glass and rubber using hand tools or handheld power tools[17]. Typical tasks include:

Workers report job titles such as fabric cutter, glass cutter, leather cutter and hand cutter[19].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to decline 18.9% from 2025 to 2035, from about 5,900 to 4,800 jobs[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same period[20]. BLS names capital/labor substitution as a factor: better integration of design systems and cutting equipment makes cuts more precise, so fewer hand workers are needed[21].

Jobs still open up. BLS projects about 500 openings a year, on average[5]. Openings include jobs vacated by people who retire or switch occupations, as well as new jobs[5]. Each year, 5.5% of workers leave the labor force and 6.3% move to a different occupation[22].

Is it a good fit?

The job asks for no formal credential, no related experience and short-term on-the-job training[6]. The median pay is well below the all-occupations median[1][4]. Employment is projected to fall sharply while the average for all jobs grows[2][20]. Pay also differs by place, with Nebraska at $48,830 and Tennessee at $27,030[12]. Some related machine jobs list higher medians, such as cutting and slicing machine setters at $46,570, with a high school diploma typically needed[23].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[23].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a hand cutter make an hour?
The median wage was $18.28 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $19.74[1][7].
What education do you need to be a hand cutter or trimmer?
No formal educational credential is typically needed, along with short-term on-the-job training[6].
Is hand cutting and trimming in demand?
Employment is projected to decline 18.9% from 2025 to 2035, while all occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[2][20]. About 500 openings a year are still projected[5].
What is the highest paying state for hand cutters and trimmers?
Nebraska, with a median of $48,830 a year, followed by Vermont at $48,670[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Cutters and Trimmers, Hand in the US was $38,020 per year and $18.28 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Cutters and Trimmers, Hand is projected to decline 18.9% from 2025 to 2035, from about 5,900 to 4,800 jobs (a change of -1,100). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Cutters and Trimmers, Hand: 10th percentile $26,630, 25th percentile $34,050, 75th percentile $47,850, 90th percentile $57,870. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 500 openings for Cutters and Trimmers, Hand are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Cutters and Trimmers, Hand: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Cutters and Trimmers, Hand was $41,050 per year and $19.74 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Cutters and Trimmers, Hand: 10th percentile $12.80, 25th percentile $16.37, 75th percentile $23.01, 90th percentile $27.82. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 6,060 people were employed as Cutters and Trimmers, Hand in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Cutters and Trimmers, Hand in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Cutters and Trimmers, Hand jobs: North Carolina 1,060; California 770; Texas 740; New Jersey 380; Indiana 360. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Cutters and Trimmers, Hand (areas with at least 100 jobs): Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $49,200; Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $41,890; Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $40,970; Kansas City, MO-KS $39,300; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $39,160; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $37,500; Greensboro-High Point, NC $37,020; Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $36,840. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Cutters and Trimmers, Hand jobs: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC 590 (median $49,200); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 530 (median $37,500); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 440 (median $39,160); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 380 (median $36,840); Greensboro-High Point, NC 200 (median $37,020); Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC 130 (median $40,970). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 51-9031.00 survey of workers (20 respondents), education level they say is required: Less than a High School Diploma 73%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 16%, Some College Courses 6%, Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 5% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET description of Cutters and Trimmers, Hand. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET task list for Cutters and Trimmers, Hand. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET 51-9031.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Cloth Cutter, Denim Cutter, Fabric Cutter, Finisher, Glass Cutter, Hand Cutter, Leather Cutter, Offline Cutter. O*NET OnLine
  20. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  21. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Cutters and Trimmers, Hand: Capital/labor substitution - share decreases as the improved integration of design systems and cutting equipment improve precision of cuts which reduces the need for hand cutters and trimmers. BLS Employment Projections
  22. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Cutters and Trimmers, Hand: 5.5% of workers leave the labor force each year and 6.3% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  23. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.