Cutters and Trimmers, Hand Career, Salary and Skills
Cutters and Trimmers, Hand have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $38,020 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 6,060. Wage data is published for 52 locations.
Occupation description
Use hand tools or hand-held power tools to cut and trim a variety of manufactured items, such as carpet, fabric, stone, glass, or rubber.
O*NET code
51-9031.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
Less than a High School Diploma
Experience
None
National salary and employment
Median annual
$38,020
Hourly median
$18.28
Employment
6,060
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Time Management | 2.88 | 2.62 |
| Speaking | 2.88 | 2.12 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.75 | 2.62 |
| Monitoring | 2.75 | 2.62 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.75 | 2.50 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.62 | 2.12 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.50 | 2.12 |
| Coordination | 2.25 | 2.25 |
Typical tasks
- Trim excess material or cut threads off finished products, such as cutting loose ends of plastic off a manufactured toy for a smoother finish.
- Cut, shape, and trim materials, such as textiles, food, glass, stone, and metal, using knives, scissors, and other hand tools, portable power tools, or bench-mounted tools.
- Position templates or measure materials to locate specified points of cuts or to obtain maximum yields, using rules, scales, or patterns.
- Read work orders to determine dimensions, cutting locations, and quantities to cut.
- Mark cutting lines around patterns or templates, or follow layout points, using squares, rules, and straightedges, and chalk, pencils, or scribes.
- Mark identification numbers, trademarks, grades, marketing data, sizes, or model numbers on products.
- Unroll, lay out, attach, or mount materials or items on cutting tables or machines.
- Mark or discard items with defects such as spots, stains, scars, snags, chips, scratches, or unacceptable shapes or finishes.
Technology
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Word
Cutters and Trimmers, Hand salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Cutters and Trimmers, Hand Salary in NCMedian $47,910 · Employment 1,060
- Cutters and Trimmers, Hand Salary in CAMedian $37,840 · Employment 770
- Cutters and Trimmers, Hand Salary in TXMedian $29,130 · Employment 740
- Cutters and Trimmers, Hand Salary in Hickory, NCMedian $49,200 · Employment 590
- Cutters and Trimmers, Hand Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $37,500 · Employment 530
- Cutters and Trimmers, Hand Salary in New York, NYMedian $39,160 · Employment 440
- Cutters and Trimmers, Hand Salary in Dallas, TXMedian $36,840 · Employment 380
- Cutters and Trimmers, Hand Salary in NJMedian $34,600 · Employment 380
- Cutters and Trimmers, Hand Salary in INMedian $41,740 · Employment 360
- Cutters and Trimmers, Hand Salary in GAMedian $37,480 · Employment 290
- Cutters and Trimmers, Hand Salary in TNMedian $27,030 · Employment 230
- Cutters and Trimmers, Hand Salary in NYMedian $46,190 · Employment 220
Related careers
- Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticNational median $50,620
- Foundry Mold and CoremakersNational median $48,110
- Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersNational median $45,760
- Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersNational median $50,270
- Packers and Packagers, HandNational median $36,280
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticNational median $52,800
- Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and TendersNational median $46,460
- Painting, Coating, and Decorating WorkersNational median $41,600
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.