Cutters and Trimmers, Hand: Job 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.
Featured schools near , edit
The Daily Work of Cutters and Trimmers, Hand Do?
Typical responsibilities of cutters and trimmers, hand cover:
- Mark or discard items with defects such as spots, stains, scars, snags, chips, scratches, or unacceptable shapes or finishes.
- 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.
Skills and Knowledge
Top cutters and trimmers, hand rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Aluminum Sheet Cutter
- Basting Puller
- Belt Splicer
- Bright Cutter
- Bucker
- Buttoner
- Buttonhole Maker
- Buttonhole Marker
Job Outlook
There are roughly 292,933 cutters and trimmers, hand working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +9.1% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Cutters and Trimmers, Hand Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $57,540 |
| Hourly median | $27.66 |
| 10th percentile | $32,303 |
| 25th percentile | $44,921 |
| 75th percentile | $70,158 |
| 90th percentile | $82,777 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Cutters and Trimmers, Hand Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Vermont | $60,290 |
| New York | $51,420 |
| Minnesota | $47,330 |
| Nebraska | $47,250 |
| Rhode Island | $46,590 |
| Iowa | $46,230 |
| North Carolina | $45,910 |
| Oregon | $44,630 |
| Kentucky | $43,520 |
| New Jersey | $41,600 |
| Connecticut | $41,410 |
| Massachusetts | $41,410 |
| Missouri | $41,190 |
| Indiana | $40,530 |
| South Carolina | $39,680 |
| Michigan | $39,110 |
| South Dakota | $38,660 |
| Wisconsin | $38,370 |
| Kansas | $38,090 |
| California | $36,470 |
| Florida | $36,430 |
| Mississippi | $36,430 |
| Washington | $36,050 |
| Pennsylvania | $35,510 |
| Ohio | $34,370 |
| Alabama | $32,140 |
| Virginia | $32,090 |
| Texas | $30,510 |
| Tennessee | $30,400 |
| Arizona | $30,110 |
| Georgia | $30,100 |
| Oklahoma | $29,950 |
| Louisiana | $23,890 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Earnings for cutters and trimmers, hand differ across the country. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $46,345 | 6.7% | 2.46 |
| Plains States | $42,180 | 7.6% | 1.22 |
| Middle Atlantic | $38,972 | 8.8% | 1.19 |
| Great Lakes | $38,707 | 16.3% | 2.31 |
| Southeast | $38,631 | 38.9% | 3.01 |
| Far Western US | $37,030 | 17.6% | 1.11 |
| Southwest | $30,388 | 4.0% | 0.36 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $51,420 | 940 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | MN | $48,220 | 40 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | NC | $47,230 | 580 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | RI | $46,590 | 130 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | NC | $45,910 | 50 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | IL | $44,340 | 90 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $42,770 | 60 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $42,420 | 40 |
Top Industries Employing Cutters and Trimmers, Hand
The bulk of cutters and trimmers, hand work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 4,870 | $38,880 |
| Wholesale Trade | 500 | $36,980 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 260 | $35,450 |
| Retail Trade | 250 | $34,320 |
| Construction | 220 | $53,760 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 60 | $36,810 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tools and Technology
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
Daily working conditions for cutters and trimmers, hand tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Spend Time Standing
- Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
How to Become Cutters and Trimmers, Hand
Typical cutters and trimmers, hand positions require less than a high school diploma as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Long)
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Foundry Mold and Coremakers (Supplemental)
- Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners (Supplemental)
- Sewing Machine Operators (Primary-Short)
- Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders (Primary-Long)
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 51-9031.00 (Cutters and Trimmers, Hand).
Course Advisor provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© Course Advisor – All Rights Reserved.