What Do Hand Cutter or Trimmer Do?
Career 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.
A Day in the Life of a Hand Cutter or Trimmer
- Transport items to work or storage areas, using carts.
- Unroll, lay out, attach, or mount materials or items on cutting tables or machines.
- Count or weigh and bundle items.
- Mark or discard items with defects such as spots, stains, scars, snags, chips, scratches, or unacceptable shapes or finishes.
- Mark cutting lines around patterns or templates, or follow layout points, using squares, rules, and straightedges, and chalk, pencils, or scribes.
- Read work orders to determine dimensions, cutting locations, and quantities to cut.
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What a Hand Cutter or Trimmer Should Know
Hand Cutters and Trimmers state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Types of Hand Cutter or Trimmer
- Lacing Cutter
- Veneer Sample Maker
- Hand Router Operator
- Portable Sawyer
- Hand Slitter
Is There Job Demand for Hand Cutters and Trimmers?
In the United States, there were 14,700 jobs for Hand Cutter or Trimmer in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Hand Cutter or Trimmer. There will be an estimated 1,400 positions for Hand Cutter or Trimmer per year.

The states with the most job growth for Hand Cutter or Trimmer are Utah, Arizona, and Nebraska. Watch out if you plan on working in Kentucky, New York, or Hawaii. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
How Much Does a Hand Cutter or Trimmer Make?
The average yearly salary of a Hand Cutter or Trimmer ranges between $20,740 and $46,790.

Hand Cutters and Trimmers who work in Hawaii, New Mexico, or North Carolina, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Hand Cutters and Trimmers in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $26,540 |
Arizona | $31,720 |
California | $31,940 |
Colorado | $30,920 |
Florida | $31,120 |
Georgia | $30,970 |
Hawaii | $40,350 |
Idaho | $33,940 |
Illinois | $30,480 |
Indiana | $29,810 |
Iowa | $32,340 |
Kansas | $32,100 |
Kentucky | $26,740 |
Louisiana | $28,780 |
Maine | $30,200 |
Massachusetts | $31,800 |
Michigan | $30,680 |
Minnesota | $33,090 |
Mississippi | $32,320 |
Missouri | $32,460 |
Nebraska | $33,030 |
Nevada | $22,830 |
New Hampshire | $26,540 |
New Jersey | $25,680 |
New Mexico | $34,950 |
New York | $41,310 |
North Carolina | $36,710 |
Ohio | $27,230 |
Oklahoma | $29,770 |
Oregon | $32,890 |
Pennsylvania | $24,990 |
South Carolina | $28,070 |
Tennessee | $33,200 |
Texas | $28,370 |
Utah | $36,000 |
Vermont | $37,110 |
Virginia | $29,480 |
Washington | $30,510 |
West Virginia | $29,160 |
Wisconsin | $29,740 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Hand Cutters and Trimmers
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Hand Cutters and Trimmers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Outlook
How to Become a Hand Cutter or Trimmer
What education or degrees do I need to become a Hand Cutter or Trimmer?

What work experience do I need to become a Hand Cutter or Trimmer?

Where do Hand Cutters and Trimmers Work?

Hand Cutters and Trimmers work in the following industries:

References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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